On a free Wednesday, little Red and I chased waterfalls on Mt. Hood. About 1.5 hours from home, Tamanawas Fall Trailhead lies off Highway 35. The popular trek to Tamanawas Falls is an easy 3.4-mile out-and-back (560' gain).
East Fork Trail #650 begins in the woods and crosses the East Fork of the Hood River. The trail climbs gradually before rounding the corner into Cold Spring Creek canyon. Then the path drops down towards Cold Spring Creek. East Fork Trail continues north, and offers a less crowded route to the falls from Polallie Trailhead.
The Tamanawas Falls Trail ambles upstream, tumbling over a series of tiny waterfalls. At 1.5 miles, the path climbs through a large boulder field. Beyond the rockfall, the trail enters forest and soon arrives at an upstream view of Tamanawas Falls, which form a broad curtain where Cold Spring Creek thunders over a 110' lava cliff near the eastern base of Mt. Hood.
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Hiked 7/14/21 - 1 hour |
7.5 miles away on Highway 35, Elk Meadows Trailhead is one possible starting place to reach Umbrella Falls and Sahale Falls. The easy 4-mile lollipop loop (840' gain) travels below Mt. Hood Meadows ski area.
I hiked the loop counterclockwise, beginning on the Umbrella Falls Trail. The trail climbs around a rocky bluff, eventually opening up to Hood River Meadows spread out below. The path continues upward toward Mt. Hood, crossing several small creeks with a beautiful display of wildflowers in July and August.
Staying straight through a junction nearing the 2-mile mark leads to graceful Umbrella Falls.
I backtracked to the junction and turned right on the forested Sahale Falls Trail, descending alongside the East Fork that plunges down a narrow canyon.
At a fork, a steep scramble leads down to the base of Sahale Falls (not recommended for small children or pets). Back on the main trail, I finished the last half mile to the trailhead.
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Hiked 7/14/21 - 1.25 hours |
