Overview

• Location: Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, Hood River County (Eagle Creek canyon)

• Waterfall Type: Punchbowl

• Height: ~82 feet (25 m) — the tallest waterfall on Eagle Creek

• Trail Distance: ~3 miles round-trip from Eagle Creek Trailhead (includes 0.1-mile spur to viewpoint)

• Difficulty: Medium

• Best Time to Visit: Spring through fall; check current trail/viewpoint status

History & Background

Metlako Falls is the tallest and most downstream of the major waterfalls on Eagle Creek, plunging 82 feet into a dramatic box canyon and marking the upstream limit for salmon spawning in Eagle Creek. The name was given in 1915 by a committee of the Mazamas mountaineering club — named for Metlako, the Native American goddess of salmon, a fitting tribute given the falls’ biological significance as the natural barrier beyond which salmon cannot pass. The original spur trail to the Metlako Falls viewpoint was destroyed in late December 2016 when a massive cliff collapse sent the overlook tumbling into the canyon, and the U.S. Forest Service determined the site was an active slide and permanently closed the viewpoint approach for safety. The 2017 Eagle Creek Fire subsequently burned through the area. However, the thinning of vegetation from both events means the falls can now be partially glimpsed through the trees from points along the main Eagle Creek Trail, whereas before it was completely hidden. The Eagle Creek Trail itself, constructed in 1915 alongside the Historic Columbia River Highway, was blasted from sheer basalt cliffs and remains one of the engineering marvels of Pacific Northwest trail history.

Geology

Metlako Falls drops 82 feet as a punchbowl into a long, impressive box canyon at approximately 310 feet elevation on Eagle Creek. The falls pour out of a narrow, calm stream pool and thunder into the confined canyon, which extends a considerable distance downstream. The surrounding canyon walls are composed of the Eagle Creek Formation — ancient conglomerates and breccia deposited by an early Columbia River — overlaid by the later Columbia River Basalt that forms the upper cliff faces. Metlako Falls sits at the geological boundary where these two formations meet, and its existence as a significant waterfall reflects the resistance of the basalt ledge it drops over.

Directions & Access

• Nearest City: Cascade Locks, OR (~3 miles west); Portland, OR (~40 miles west)

• Trail Information:

  • From Eagle Creek Trailhead (I-84 Exit 41), hike approximately 1.5 miles on Eagle Creek Trail; the spur to the Metlako Falls viewpoint is permanently closed due to 2016 cliff collapse and 2017 fire damage — do not approach the former viewpoint site; partial views of the falls are possible through the thinned vegetation from nearby trail segments

  • Check current Eagle Creek Trail status with the USFS Columbia River Gorge before visiting; Northwest Forest Pass required; trail passes along exposed cliff faces with cable handrails — use caution

• Parking:

  • Eagle Creek Trailhead parking lot; Northwest Forest Pass required; lot fills quickly on summer weekends

• Accessibility:

  • Not wheelchair accessible; cliff-edge trail with cable handrails; the dedicated viewpoint is permanently closed

Best Time to Visit

• Spring: Best flows; all Eagle Creek waterfalls powerful; the thinned canopy from fire and slide means better partial views of Metlako than previously available

• Summer: Lower flows; trail is popular; fire recovery vegetation provides interesting hiking context

• Fall: Excellent conditions; fewer crowds; fall color in the recovering canyon forest

• Winter: Trail generally accessible; check conditions; ice possible on cliff sections

Nearby Attractions

• Punch Bowl Falls (~2 miles from trailhead)

• Lower Punch Bowl Falls (~1.9 miles)

• Loowit Falls (~3 miles)

• Tunnel Falls (~6 miles)

• Cascade Locks (Bridge of the Gods)

References

• Links:

  • USFS – Metlako Falls Spur Trail (closed)

  • Wikipedia – Metlako Falls

  • Friends of the Columbia Gorge – Eagle Creek

• Books:

  • Oregon Waterfalls by Greg Plumb

  • Waterfall Lover's Guide: Pacific Northwest