21 min
Overview
NOTICE: The trail to the bottom of Elowah Falls is closed until further notice due to a massive landslide that buried the trail and bridge across McCord Creek. At Elowah Falls, McCord Creek crashes 213 feet down into a huge amphitheater exhibiting several distinct lava flows of 17 - 14 million years ago. This is a fairly easy hike, appropriate for most beginners. It is also very popular, but you can continue on from Elowah Falls to walk back along the Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail on the return, thus taking a less populated although much noisier route. Most visitors combine this outing with the Upper McCord Creek Falls Hike from the same trailhead. The wide trail heads up from the parking area to switchback at a wooden water tank which seems to be permanently dispensing its contents. The 2017 Eagle Creek Fire burned down to the freeway here, and you’ll notice scorched alders and maples right away. There’s a somewhat tangled understory of thimbleberry and trailing blackberry. Pass the junction with the Nesmith Point Trail, which has been closed since the 2017 fire. Once you enter the Douglas-fir forest, you’ll see that most of the conifers on this section survived the fire even though the flames blackened the lower reaches of their trunks. Through the trees, there are views to Pierce Island, Beacon Rock, and Hamilton Mountain. After rising steadily up a slope, you’ll come to the Gorge-Upper McCord Creek Falls Trail Junction. Keep left at this junction unless you want to make the side trip to Upper McCord Creek Falls (see the Upper McCord Creek Falls Hike). The trail drops along a scree slope under the Douglas-fir canopy. Past a small basalt pinnacle, the trail turns to offer a glimpse of Elowah Falls. Sword fern, Oregon grape, and saxifrage verge the path. Switchback down twice, getting a view of the McCord Creek Bridge on the Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail. On your left, a faint spur leads to an old viewpoint, constructed before the surrounding trees grew up. Six more short switc
Trail Stats
0.0 km
103 m
77 m
0 m
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500px-ElowahFallsLoopMap2
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250px-Beacon_Rock_from_the_Gorge_400_Trail
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250px-ElowahFalls2
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250px-Footbridge_over_McCord_Creek%2C_Gorge_400_Trail
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250px-Fairy_bells_%28Prosartes_hookeri%29%2C_Elowah_Falls
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250px-Water_tank_at_the_trailhead%2C_Yeon_State_Park
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260px-ElowahFalls1
TKO put tools to trail here.png
TKO put tools to trail here.png