Overview

• Location: Wallowa County, Eastern Oregon (near Joseph)

• Waterfall Type: Horsetail

• Height: ~80 feet (24 m)

• Trail Distance: ~2–3 miles round-trip via Chief Joseph Trail from Wallowa Lake Trailhead

• Difficulty: Easy

• Best Time to Visit: Late spring through early fall

History & Background

Falls Creek Falls is a 80-foot horsetail waterfall on BC Creek (also called Falls Creek) near Wallowa Lake, accessible via the Chief Joseph Trail from the Wallowa Lake Trailhead at the south end of Wallowa Lake. The trail to the falls is a popular day hike from Wallowa Lake State Park, a gateway into Oregon’s Eagle Cap Wilderness — the state’s largest designated wilderness at 360,000 acres. The Wallowa Mountains have been called the ‘Switzerland of Oregon’ and ‘Oregon’s Alps’ for their dramatic granite peaks, alpine lakes, and glacially carved valleys. The Nez Perce peoples, whose homeland encompassed the Wallowa Valley, were forcibly removed from this land in 1877, an event that precipitated the Nez Perce War and the famous flight of Chief Joseph. The falls themselves are named for BC Creek, and are encountered as a rewarding destination on the Chief Joseph Trail — named for the Nez Perce leader who so powerfully advocated for the Wallowa Valley as his people’s home.

Geology

Falls Creek Falls horsetails over a cliff of metamorphic and granitic basement rock that forms the core of the Wallowa Mountains at approximately 5,420 feet elevation. The Wallowa Mountains are geologically distinct from the Cascade Range — their core is composed of ancient oceanic island arc materials, marine sediments, and plutonic intrusions that predate the Cascades by hundreds of millions of years. This ancient rock has been uplifted, glaciated, and deeply eroded to create the dramatic alpine terrain of the Eagle Cap Wilderness. BC Creek drains steeply from the upper wilderness before dropping over the cliff at Falls Creek Falls.

Directions & Access

• Nearest City: Joseph, OR (~6 miles north at south end of Wallowa Lake)

• Trail Information:

  • From the Wallowa Lake Trailhead at the south end of Wallowa Lake, follow Chief Joseph Trail #1803 for approximately 1–1.5 miles; the trail crosses a river bridge and climbs through forest to the falls viewpoint

  • The Chief Joseph Trail continues beyond the falls to panoramic views of Wallowa Lake and the surrounding mountains; the 3-mile round-trip to the falls is considered family-friendly and is one of the most popular day hikes from Wallowa Lake

• Parking:

  • Wallowa Lake Trailhead at the south end of Wallowa Lake off Highway 82; day-use parking; no Northwest Forest Pass required

• Accessibility:

  • Not wheelchair accessible; moderate trail with elevation gain through forest terrain

Best Time to Visit

• Spring: Trail may have snow in May; falls are powerful from snowmelt in June

• Summer: July through August is peak season; the falls and Wallowa Lake are extremely popular; arrive early

• Fall: September is excellent — cooler temperatures, fewer crowds, and vivid fall color in the valley

• Winter: Trail is snow-covered; not typically accessible without snowshoes from November through April

Nearby Attractions

• Wallowa Lake State Park

• Eagle Cap Wilderness

• Joseph, Oregon (renowned bronze foundry and art scene)

• Wallowa Lake Tramway (gondola)

• Imnaha and Hells Canyon (~40 miles east)

References

• Links:

  • Wallowa-Whitman National Forest – USFS

  • Travel Oregon – Wallowa Lake

  • Oregon Waterfalls – Falls Creek Falls

• Books:

  • Oregon Waterfalls by Greg Plumb

  • Waterfall Lover's Guide: Pacific Northwest