Hike to Falls Creek Falls

3.4 miles

850 ft gain

Moderate

Pass required

Despite its underwhelming name (was Waterfall Falls taken?), Falls Creek Falls is one of Washington’s most unique and breathtaking waterfalls. With a powerful bottom tier, elegant middle tier, and top tier so high that it’s almost hidden from view, this waterfall will linger in your memory long after seeing it. The hike there is a gently graded stroll through the woods next to lovely Falls Creek, complete with a suspension bridge crossing. I hesitate to choose a favorite waterfall hike, but if I did, it would be this one. Here is everything you need to know about the hike to Falls Creek Falls, plus a side trip to the Gifford Pinchot National Forest’s other magnificent waterfall, Panther Creek Falls.

Know before you go

You need a NW Forest Pass or America the Beautiful Pass to park at the Falls Creek Falls Trailhead. Buy a day pass ($5) or annual pass ($30) ahead of time. There isn’t a way to buy a pass at the trailhead.
Hike this trail from April 1st - Nov 30th. A gate blocks the road to the trailhead in winter and early spring. You can park at the gate and snowshoe to Falls Creek Falls in the winter, which adds 4 miles of roundtrip distance to your hike.
Dogs are welcome on the trail.
There is a vault toilet and a picnic table at the trailhead. The restroom is not maintained in the fall (no toilet paper).
The Falls Creek Falls Trail is popular, but its large parking lot usually meets the demand.
The road to the trailhead is rough. It is doable but nerve-wracking in a low-clearance vehicle.
Most people hike this trail as a 3.4-mile out-and-back trek. You can also take a connector trail to make a 6.3-mile loop with a spur. The spur leads to the top of Falls Creek Falls.

On the trail to Falls Creek Falls

Distance: 3.4 miles out and back (or 6.3-mile loop)

Elevation gain: 850 feet (or 1,400 feet on the loop)

Difficulty: Moderate

Pass required: NW Forest Pass or America the Beautiful Pass

Dog friendly: Yes

ADA access: No

Season: April 1st - Nov 30th

Basic directions:

For the shorter out-and-back version of this hike, follow Falls Creek Trail #152A. Keep right at a trail junction just after the trailhead and another about halfway through the hike. Signs will point the way.

The details:

Look for the Falls Creek Falls Trailhead at the far end of the parking lot next to the vault toilet. You’ll notice two almost identical trail names on the trailhead sign: Falls Creek Falls Trail #152A (out-and-back hike to the falls) and #152 (return trip for the loop hike). A little past the trailhead, Trail #152 branches off to the left. Ignore it and continue straight on #152A to head to Falls Creek Falls.

Beginning the hike, you’ll enter a young forest of Doug firs, western hemlock, big-leaf maples, and alders. After about 0.1 miles, you’ll see the first glimpse of Falls Creek through the trees. This picturesque cascading creek runs parallel to the trail for the rest of the hike out to the waterfall. On my mid-November visit, a few leaves lingered on otherwise bare branches, adding splashes of muted yellow to the undergrowth. Thick green moss covering the rocks in and around the creek almost dispels the feeling of impending dormancy in a forest fast approaching winter. Falls Creek flows over a few small drops along its course, forming tiny waterfalls that build anticipation for the dramatic plunge yet to come.

About 0.25 miles into the hike, you’ll pass a few western larches among the Doug firs. These unusual deciduous conifers are easy to spot when their needles turn bright yellow in the fall.

Falls Creek Falls Trail suspension bridge — *A suspension bridge crosses Falls Creek*

Continue on the trail and cross the wooden suspension bridge. This bridge passes over Falls Creek as it flows through a small slot canyon. After the bridge, the trail follows Falls Creek along its other side. Gaps in the trees allow for frequent views of the water as you walk gently uphill. You’ll pass a few access points where you can get down to the creek on a hot day.

The distinctive leaves of bunchberries and vanilla leaf are reminders of the wildflowers to look for in early summer. Fall is a great time to see small mushrooms in the undergrowth and on fallen logs.

*Mushrooms spring up near the trail in fall*

Once you are about a mile from the trailhead, you’ll reach a junction where a connector trail branches off to the left. You can use it to make the hike into a loop on the return journey. For now, keep right at the junction to continue on #152A to Falls Creek Falls. Signs help point the way.

The trail begins to rise above Falls Creek as it steadily gains elevation. You’ll round a few intriguing corners along a hillside and cross a metal bridge over a seasonal stream. This crossing is one of the hike’s highlights thanks to the moss carpeting the rocks beneath the bridge. Its vibrant green looks almost radioactive amid the sedate colors of late fall.

After the bridge, you’ll soon see a partial view of the falls, a tantalizing preview of what’s up ahead. Continue past the base of a mossy cliff and up a final small hill to reach the boulder-strewn viewpoint for magnificent Falls Creek Falls.

*Walk along a cliff toward the end of the hike*

This trail has one of the most incredible finales of any Pacific Northwest waterfall hike. I do not say that lightly. When a complicated accident recovery limited my walking to less than a mile a day, this hike was the one that haunted me. What a cosmic imbalance that the DMV should remain unavoidable while Falls Creek Falls was out of reach. Now returning after a long separation, a feeling of gratitude mingles with my usual awe and wonder.

Three-tiered, 335-foot Falls Creek Falls is a rare combination of elegance and raw power. It’s so tall that the 109-foot top tier is a mere suggestion when seen from the viewpoint. After flowing over this top tier, water splits into three plumes and countless splashing rivulets as it passes over a 135-foot angular second tier. From here, it flows past boulders and makes a final 90-foot single plunge into the pool below. Flanking the lower tier, moss and maidenhair ferns cover a cliff face of rough volcanic rock. Fine mist rises from the falls and cools off tired hikers. When it catches the sun just right, it glows.

The Falls Creek Falls viewpoint has enough space to spread out on crowded summer weekends. By climbing around and on top of the boulders, you can find different angles to appreciate the falls, all of which stubbornly resist landscape orientation in pictures. A determined person can reach the base of the falls by scrambling down a steep slope of loose dirt and tree roots. You get closer to the waterfall, but the journey is tricky and the view isn’t necessarily better when you get there.

To the left of the falls, a steep and indistinct trail leads to the base of the middle tier.

Make it a loop:

The easiest way to see Falls Creek Falls is to take Trail #152A out to the falls and head back the way you came. If you’re up for more distance, you can make a loop on the way back using Trail #152. After seeing Falls Creek Falls, walk back until you reach the trail junction marked with signs. Instead of heading toward the parking lot, turn right to take the connector trail for the loop. This connector trail joins #152A with #152. After 0.1 miles on the connector trail, turn right again. A spur trail will take you to two viewpoints, one with a partial view of the upper waterfall tiers and another overlooking the top of the falls.

Head back down the spur, then keep right past the connector trail to follow #152. This trail will bring you back through the woods to the trail junction near the parking lot. You will be away from Falls Creek for part of the way back, but you will also be able to escape the crowds since most people make the shorter version of the journey.

Panther Creek Falls

Distance: 1 mile out and back

Elevation gain: 200 feet

Difficulty: Easy

Pass required: None

Dog friendly: Yes

ADA access: No

Season: Summer and fall

I can’t think of Falls Creek Falls without also thinking of Panther Creek Falls. I first visited both waterfalls shortly after moving to the Pacific Northwest, and they were a revelation. Although people talk a lot about Multnomah Falls, Angel’s Rest, and Dog Mountain, little-known Panther Creek Falls is at least as memorable and captivating. Seeing it convinced me that obscure hikes can be better than famous ones. Going on eight years later, I have yet to change my mind. Since visiting Panther Creek Falls involves a long drive to a short hike, combining it with Falls Creek Falls makes for an excellent day trip from Portland for maximum waterfall splendor.

An easy 1-mile trek will bring you to two viewpoints overlooking Panther Creek Falls, one from above and another from its base. To find the falls, park in the small unmarked parking lot in front of a gravelly hill. Cross the road and head left for about 100 feet until you see a non-descript dirt trail. After about 0.2 miles, you’ll reach the upper viewpoint overlooking 69-foot Panther Creek Falls.

After seeing the falls from above, head down switchbacks and some stairs, then walk along the base of a cliff to reach the second, better viewpoint. On the way, you’ll see the powerful lower tier of Panther Creek Falls. At the viewpoint, look for water surging through an unusual sidewinding channel. Surrounding it, dozens of small streams fan out like horsetails as they flow over a mossy cliff to a pool below. After the pool, water spills over the lip of a cliff to make the waterfall’s final drop.

*Look for the lower tier of Panther Creek Falls on the way to the lower viewpoint*

Years ago, Panther Creek Falls was the Wild West of waterfall hikes. Reaching the base of the falls meant using a fraying rope to lower yourself down an eroding hill. People waded in the pool between the waterfall tiers — in other words, next to where rushing water flows over a cliff. Today, the area around Panther Creek Falls has been transformed by dedicated trails and viewpoints. Although part of me misses the Wild West, the changes have made the area safe and family-friendly. They also protect the natural space from frequent off-trail exploration.

Getting there

To reach the Falls Creek Falls Trailhead from Portland, take I-84 E and cross Bridge of the Gods at Cascade Locks, then head east on Highway 14. Or, to save yourself the $3 toll, you can take slower but scenic Highway 14 E from Vancouver. When you reach the traffic circle in Carson, take a left onto Wind River Highway and follow it for 14 miles. Take a right onto NF-30 and continue for 0.8 miles, then turn right onto unpaved NF-3062. These last 2 miles to the trailhead will be bumpy. The drive from Portland takes about 1 hour 20 minutes.

To add Panther Creek Falls:

Seeing Panther Creek Falls before or after Falls Creek Falls adds about 30 minutes of total drive time. From Wind River Hwy, turn onto Warren Gap Rd. After 1.8 miles, take a left onto NF-65/Panther Creek Rd. Continue for 5.2 miles until you see a small parking lot on the right side of the road. There are no signs. My phone navigation took me a little too far down the road when I visited, so keep an eye out for the parking lot as you get close. NF-65 is narrow and unpaved but in good condition. I made it in a Honda Fit. From the parking lot, head across the road and to the left to look for the trailhead.

Know before you go