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Falls Creek Trail Hike

From Oregon Hikers Field Guide

Looking to Red Mountain from the wetland on the Falls Creek Trail (bobcat)
Falls Creek near the Falls Creek Horse Camp Trailhead (bobcat)
Entrance to the Falls Creek Cave (bobcat)
Collapsed lava tube on the Falls Creek Trail (bobcat)
Mt. St. Helens and Termination Point from the Falls Creek Trail (bobcat)
Falls Creek above the upper tier of Falls Creek Falls (bobcat)
The Falls Creek Trail to the clifftop viewpoint (extension to lower falls viewpoint shown in orange) bobcat) Courtesy: Caltopo/USFS

Contents

Hike Description

The Falls Creek Trail #152 runs from the Falls Creek Horse Camp to Falls Creek Falls and then down to the Falls Creek Falls Trailhead. It’s a long hike from the horse camp, but there are other trailheads to begin from and a number of trip options. Highlights that are worthy destinations in and of themselves include Falls Creek Cave, a series of ceiling collapses in a lava tube; another collapsed lava tube; viewpoints from a lava rim to Mount Hood and Mount Saint Helens; and a wetland where Falls and Black creeks come together. You could also hike just as far as a clifftop viewpoint near the lip of Falls Creek Falls. The route meanders through various ages of forest and crosses a few roads. Mountain bikers have built a new route that runs along a scenic lava rim that offers views to the south and west, but you can return along the old route for variety. If you are doing this as a backpack, the best place to camp is at the clifftop viewpoint.

This entry describes the trail as far as the clifftop viewpoint above the uppermost tier of Falls Creek Falls. If you're continuing on to the popular view of the lower tier of Falls Creek Falls, it's another 2.5 miles round-trip with 815 feet of elevation gain, mostly on the way back. (See the Falls Creek Falls Loop Hike for a description of this section of the trail.)


The trail descends from the horse camp in a mid-elevation montane forest of Douglas-fir, mountain hemlock, silver fir, and noble fir. At a junction with a trail coming from the far end of the campground, turn left to hike a short distance down to pretty Falls Creek, which tumbles past mossy boulders. This will be your only sighting of the creek for many miles! Back on the main trail, keep a gradually descending course, and cross a couple of small dry gullies. You’ll pass a few large Douglas-firs and noble firs next to the trail. The path rises a little to enter a former clearcut, now planted with western white pine, where the trail is fringed with bracken and bear-grass. There’s a glimpse of Red Mountain to the left. The trail generally continues to drop through huckleberries and bear-grass exchanging younger woods for more mature forest. When you meet a jeep track at a campsite, follow the jeep track (FR 6701-601) down, bearing right to pass a campsite. Another campfire circle on the left is at a parking pullout for Falls Creek Cave.

Head left here and come to a collapsed section of a lava tube, the first of three collapses in this system. Bear right to a second collapsed section, where a scramble trail leads down to the beginning of a cave exploration. There’s a larger but shallow opening on the other end of the sink. (If you’re going to go caving, be forewarned that the tube is 1 ½ miles long and has two significant side tunnels. Footing is precarious at times, there are short scrambles, and you need good lighting from more than one source and warm clothing.) From this second collapse, follow the trail right to a third sheer-sided collapse with its own maple colony growing up from the floor. Cavers walk through this opening to begin the major part of their exploration. The foot trail then curves around to the Falls Creek Cave Trailhead at the junction of FR 6701 and the 601 spur.

The Falls Creek Trail resumes across the road and drops in a lower elevation forest of Douglas-fir, western hemlock, and western red-cedar with a carpet of bear-grass. You’ll pass through a regenerating clearcut before spotting a large sink on your right, another collapsed section of a lava tube. The trail continues to a four-way intersection at Road 67.

Cross FR 67 to take up a section of the trail, on the right side of the junction with the track opposite, that was constructed by mountain bikers. The trail passes over mossy humps of lava and low ridges into another regenerating clearcut and then crosses a road, FR 6700-122. The path winds gradually up, passing a trailside yew tree in quiet Douglas-fir forest. After looping to the left, the route crosses an old logging track and then rises to cross the 122 spur road again. Wind up through Oregon grape and salal under same-age Douglas-firs. Then the trail curves left, and you’ll find yourself hiking along a rocky rim.

At the first viewpoint, you can see to Big Huckleberry Mountain and the conical hill of The Wart. To the left is Red Mountain. Listen for the alarm calls of pikas in the talus below. Large and gnarled Douglas-firs find refuge here. As the trail drops a little, you’ll get another view of Big Huckleberry Mountain and, at a third viewpoint, you’ll see Mount Hood’s snow capped peak to the south. The large forested hill to the southwest is Big Butte, while behind it is Lookout Mountain. At a grassy bench, there’s another view to Mount Hood. Continue along the rim until the trail makes a looping switchback at a view to Mount Saint Helens behind the prominence of Termination Point, with forested Middle Butte looming to the left. From here, you’ll traverse through a dark, moss-carpeted forest before winding up to a signposted junction, with the old route of the Falls Creek Trail straight ahead on an old road bed.

Make a right here to descend through bracken and bear-grass into older forest. The trail swings right to follow an old road bed in a dark bottomland parallel to the Falls Creek Wetland, which can be glimpsed to the left. Eventually, you’ll reach a talus slope with its own population of pikas. There are open views here across the open alder/willow/sedge wetland to Red Mountain. Tall cedars, many with dead tops, rim the swamp. The wetland, at the confluence of Falls and Black creeks, becomes dry in summer but begins filling with water in late fall.

The trail continues on the level through a bear-grass carpet into deep woods. You’ll reach a campsite next to Falls Creek, where there’s a low waterfall and wide pool. A side loop leads to a clifftop viewpoint and campfire circle above Falls Creek Falls, which you can hear but not see. South Butte looms above the valley to the left. A short but steep scramble trail leads down to the lip of the upper tier of Falls Creek Falls and a view of the picturesque creek upstream. From the clifftop viewpoint, you can make a short loop to return to the main trail. (If you're continuing on to the frontal view of the lower tiers of Falls Creek Falls, see the Falls Creek Falls Loop Hike.)

For a little variation on the return, hike back to the Falls Creek-Old Falls Creek Trail Junction, and turn right to follow a moss-carpeted gravel road bed, in places crowded with hemlock saplings. You’ll soon enter a mature Douglas-fir/hemlock forest and can see the rocky rim you traversed earlier up to the left. Young alders shade the trail, and you’ll pass over a series of berms. Where a singletrack trail heads off to the left, take it. This trail soon crosses the road and continues through bracken and young western white pines, becoming somewhat rutted in places. Join a road in stand of red alder, and hike up a gradual slope to the junction with Road 67. The Falls Creek Trail resumes across the intersection.


Maps

  • Maps: Hike Finder
  • Green Trails Maps: Wind River, WA #397
  • U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: Mt. Adams Ranger District
  • U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: Gifford Pinchot National Forest
  • Adventure Maps: Hood River, Oregon, Trail Map
  • Adventure Maps: 44 Trails Area plus the best of the G.P.N.F.
  • National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map: Mount St. Helens, Mount Adams

Fees, Facilities, etc.

  • Restroom, campground at trailhead
  • Share trail with mountain bikers
  • $3 toll at Bridge of the Gods each way

Trip Reports

Related Discussions / Q&A

Guidebooks that cover this hike

  • Hiking Washington’s Mount Adams Country by Fred Barstad

More Links


Contributors

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Oregon Hikers Field Guide is built as a collaborative effort by its user community. While we make every effort to fact-check, information found here should be considered anecdotal. You should cross-check against other references before planning a hike. Trail routing and conditions are subject to change. Please contact us if you notice errors on this page.

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