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Closure Updates: Eagle Creek Fire

Date(s): Jul 1, 2021

Eagle Creek Fire Closure Order (View closure Map)

OPEN:

Trailheads:
Eagle Creek
Oneonta
Horsetail Falls
Wahclella Falls

Trails+the area 25' to either side of trail:
Eagle Creek #440
Pacific Crest #2000;
Shady Glen #402A;
Larch Mtn #441;
Franklin Ridge #427;
Oneonta #424- Upper, from Larch Mtn Rd to intersection w/ Multnomah Spur #446 & from Oneonta TH to the junction w/ Horsetail Falls #438
Horsetail Falls #438, from Horsetail Falls TH to junction w/ Oneonta Trail #424;
Wahclella Falls #436;
Gorge #400, from Bridge of the God's TH to Eagle Creek Rec Area; from Eagle Creek Rec Area to John B. Yeon State Park; & from Ainsworth State Park to junction w/ Horsetail Falls #438.

Thats exciting news. This was the first place I went over night backpacking, and fell in love, and my girlfriend has wanted to go see it, and hasn't been able to. I guess I gotta make a plan for later this month to get up there!

I'm waiting for road 777 and Tanner Butte. Should be any decade now.

I'm still in the long line backup up to Troutdale hoping to get a parking place. I think one is coming up at 2:14 am on Thursday. Good thing I packed extra batteries for my headlamp. Actually it will be a while before I walk on that trail.

Don't forget to wear a helmet while you hike. A rock slide can't be too far away. I got lucky today in my neighborhood. A tree fell onto the sidewalk and across the roadway here in town sometime after I passed through. No wind, no rain, no ice, just its time to fall.

In my years on the trail, I have seen three trees fall, saw a rock slide (coincidentally while I was on a trail crew clearing the previous slide) and heard a big conifer fall at Eagle Creek's CrossOver Falls about 45 minutes after we passed through. (we were camped at Wyeast Camp - this was the late 80s when campsites were easy to get).

I did my first post-fire hike of the trail (as far as 7 1/2 Mile Camp) six days ago (on a Monday). I got to the trailhead at 7:30 a.m. and was able to park at the closest spot to the trail. There were a few other cars scattered about but I later realized they were almost all the weekend backpackers who were coming out as I hiked in. Of course, I met the usual crowds on the way back out, especially in the Tunnel Falls to the trailhead stretch (Why does everyone ignore Sevenmile Falls?). Conclusion: Week days (Mon-Thurs), if you can do it, are not that bad.

Report on camp sites (remembering no overnight camping allowed below High Bridge):

Tenas Camp: This one was mostly obliterated by two big trees that fell years before the fire. Seems to be one small site right next to the trail; a couple of rough small sites towards Skoonichuck Falls. Access to water through armpit deep brush. A little canopy on the lower sites.

Wy'east Camp: The lower camp has a couple of nice sites. At the higher camp, the sites right next to the trail that latecomers always used are now decommissioned for habitat restoration. On the bench above the trail, there are 2 - 3 sites, and and also a couple below near the creek. Some canopy remaining.

Blue Grouse Camp: Quite sketchy; a couple of sites pounded down among the blackberries on the higher bench. Access to the lower bench and thus to the creek very brushy; lots of undergrowth. No canopy.

7 1/2 Mile Camp: Nice site below the trail near a small drop in the creek, maybe two parties could camp here close together. Nice shady section of the trail. Mostly ground fire.

In other words, camping opportunities are much more limited than before. Downed trees have not been cleared, and the usual post-fire undergrowth has exploded leaving all the sites unrecognizable. Take tools to clear things out a bit. This will naturally occur, I suppose as more people go up there over the summer.

Great news. Eagle Creek was one of our favorite places to hike & backpack when we lived in PDX.