How to Hike to Washington’s Hardy Falls (and beyond!)
Rodney Falls
The trail to Hardy Falls, Rodney Falls, and Pool of the Winds in Beacon Rock State Park is one of the most extraordinary waterfall hikes in the Columbia Gorge. Although named as three different falls, all are essentially part of the same massive waterfall with many tiers and cascades along the way. While the falls alone are well worth a trip, other trails in Beacon Rock State Park may tempt you into further explorations. Here is everything you need to know about hiking to Hardy Falls, Rodney Falls, Pool of the Winds — and beyond!
Playground near the trailhead for the Hamilton Mountain Trail
Know before you go
This hike begins at the Hamilton Mountain Trailhead. Parking here requires the Washington Discover Pass. It is $10/day or $30/year. There is a pay station at the parking lot.
Hardy Falls, Rodney Falls, and Pool of the Winds are popular destinations and parking is limited. Arrive early on summer weekends, I’d think by 9 AM would be safe.
The parking lot is a short distance from Highway 14 across from Beacon Rock and is accessible in a low-clearance vehicle.
Leashed dogs are welcome on the trails.
There are restrooms, picnic tables, a covered picnic shelter, and a playground next to the parking lot.
This trail gets muddy, especially in winter. Although doable in sneakers, it will be easier in hiking boots.
Hardy Falls is a good family-friendly hike. There is an unfenced viewpoint overlooking Hardy Falls that is sketchy but easily avoided.
The trail to the falls is usually a year-round hike without snow and ice. Winter is often a good time to visit to see the falls at their best and to escape the crowds. If you continue on the trail past the falls up to the summit of Hamilton Mountain, you will likely encounter snow in the winter.
Footbridge on the Hamilton Mountain Trail
The Hamilton Mountain Trail to Hardy Falls, Rodney Falls, and Pool of the Winds
Distance: 2.5 miles out and back
Elevation gain: 600 feet
Difficulty: Easy
Pass required: Washington Discover Pass
Dog friendly: Yes, leashed dogs are allowed on the trail.
ADA access: No
Basic directions: From the parking lot, take the Hamilton Mountain Trail. You’ll pass one trail junction marked with a sign. Take the fork to the right towards the falls. Make a stop at the Hardy Falls viewpoint, then continue across the wooden footbridge to reach Rodney Falls and Pool of the Winds. After seeing the falls, return the way unless you want to try out the options for longer hikes (see below).
Trailhead sign
On the Hamilton Mountain Trail:
The hike to Hardy Falls, Rodney Falls, and Pool of the Winds follows the Hamilton Mountain Trail, which has one of the most welcoming trailheads in the Gorge. You’ll see a playground surrounded by towering pines, a rustic picnic shelter, and a restroom building in the small park next to the parking lot. Look for the trailhead next to the large sign that lists the hiking distances to the waterfalls and the summit of Hamilton Mountain. This trail is generous with its signage, a welcome gesture for someone like me who will go the wrong way if given the slightest opportunity.
From the trailhead, you’ll begin walking through a forest of Doug firs and sword ferns. Although there will be a decent amount of uphill walking, the hike to the falls never becomes very steep. You’ll soon reach a clearing in the trees that accommodates a row of power lines. Although the power lines are not the most scenic trail feature, the clearing does allow for views of the Columbia Gorge to the south and a glimpse of Hamilton Mountain’s summit to the east.
Glimpse of Hamilton Mountain from the trail
About 0.4 miles from the trailhead, you’ll reach the first trail junction. Take the fork to the right to stay on the Hamilton Mountain Trail, which leads to the falls. There will be a sign pointing the way. The fork to the left goes to Little Beacon Rock, which is a worthwhile side excursion if you have the time and energy. I’ll talk about it in the options for more hiking, below.
After taking the fork towards the falls at the trail junction, you’ll reenter the woods. After another 0.5 miles or so, you’ll reach the first official waterfall view, the Hardy Falls viewpoint. Look for the sign pointing to the right for the viewpoint just before the wooden footbridge. A few (often muddy) steps lead to two potential viewpoints. The one to the right is an unfenced precipice overlooking a partially-obscured view of the 90-foot Hardy Falls plunge. The viewpoint to the left is a wooden fenced platform that looks upstream toward the cascades of Hardy Creek.
Hardy Falls
Family-friendly viewpoint
After seeing Hardy Falls, return to the trail and cross the wooden footbridge. From here, you’ll be heading along Hardy Creek to see the remaining waterfalls on its course. Continue a short distance until you reach the trail junction marked with signs pointing toward Rodney Falls and Pool of the Winds. Both falls are about 0.1 miles away from the trail junction. Go ahead and take either path first.
Pool of the Winds
The fork to the left heads up to a viewpoint for Pool of the Winds, the magical 20-foot upper tier of Rodney Falls, encircled by a small, cylindrical cave. Water flows out of the rippling pool at its base to cascade over the rocks below, forming the lower tier of Rodney Falls. The narrow opening of the cave channels clouds of mist toward you as you’re standing at the viewpoint.
Bridge across Rodney Falls
After admiring Pool of the Winds, return to the trail junction and take a left. You’ll reach a picturesque footbridge crossing Rodney Falls. Take a moment on the bridge to watch the elegant streams of water as they fall over craggy basalt covered with soft green moss. As with the other waterfalls, Rodney Falls will be most impressive in wetter months.
Rodney Falls
It’s worth it to cross the bridge and continue another 100 feet or so to reach a view of Rodney Falls from above. Around this point, you’ll see a sign pointing toward Hamilton Mountain. This is a good place to turn around and head back the way you came. The trail gets notably steeper after the falls, eventually reaching the summit of Hamilton Mountain. If you are up for more exploring, read on for bonus hike options.
Rodney Falls
Options for more hiking
While Hardy Falls, Rodney Falls, and Pool of the Winds make for a rewarding day trip, Beacon Rock State Park has many other potential destinations if you’re in the mood to keep exploring.
Easy bonus hike — Little Beacon Rock:
Extra distance: about 0.5 miles
Difficulty: Easy
This easy add-on trail makes the end of the hike into a loop with a short spur out to Little Beacon Rock on the way. After seeing Rodney Falls and Pool of the Winds, head back the way you came until you reach the trail junction by the power lines. Rather than taking a left to return to the parking lot, take a right onto Hadley Trail. There will be a picnic table just after the trail junction that is a lovely place to rest and have a snack. Continue about 0.4 miles until you another trail junction, marked with a sign. Take the fork to the left and follow it through piles of landslide debris.
The trail to Little Beacon Rock
You’ll see the distinctive spires of Little Beacon Rock about 0.2 miles from the trail junction. Rounding the corner next to of Little Beacon Rock, there will be a view through the trees of Beacon Rock. You can head up the rocky scramble to the right of this viewpoint to reach the top of a ridge and take in the views of the Columbia Gorge to the west.
(Big) Beacon Rock seen from the trail to Little Beacon Rock
When you’re ready, return the way you came to the trail junction. Take the fork to the left to get back onto the Hadley Trail. You’ll see a memorial plaque mounted onto a stump of petrified wood dedicated to Clyde B. Hadley, the first superintendent of Beacon Rock State Park. The trail will then end at the Hadley campground. Follow the road through the campground and back to the parking lot for the Hamilton Mountain Trailhead (about 0.3 miles).
Memorial plaque near the Hadley trailhead
Harder bonus hike — Hamilton Mountain:
Extra distance: 5 miles
Difficulty: Hard
The Hamilton Mountain Trail continues past Rodney Falls to the summit of Hamilton Mountain. Once you cross the bridge over Rodney Falls, the hike becomes a lot different, namely, harder. The trail turns into steep switchbacks and parts of it are in rough shape. At one point, my hands helped out getting me up a rocky slope. If you have enough energy and drinking water left after seeing the falls, there are spectacular views of the Gorge from Hamilton Mountain. It is also a great place to see wildflowers in summer.
People often do this hike as a 7.5-mile lollipop loop. After passing Rodney Falls, head uphill. You’ll soon reach a trail junction for the loop around Hamilton Mountain. There is a trail map here, but it is somewhat effaced and hard to read. Take the fork to the right for the shortest path to views of the Gorge and the summit of Hamilton Mountain. The other fork is the return trail for the loop, which has a gentler grade coming downhill.
After about a mile past Rodney Falls, you see the first small side trail along the cliffs of Hamilton Mountain. These trails lead out to the first unobstructed Gorge views of the hike. If you are feeling like a mountain goat, go have a look, but don’t bring your kids or your dogs on these spurs. There are safer views up ahead, so don’t feel deprived by bypassing these side trails.
Short, precarious spurs lead out to views along the Hamilton Mountain Trail
A short distance after these spur trails, you’ll reach Little Hamilton Mountain, the unofficial name for an outcropping that offers some of the best views on the hike. Look for Beacon Rock to the west and Nesmith Point across the Columbia River in Oregon. You may see the peak of Mount Adams on a clear day. Little Hamilton Mountain can be a good turnaround point if you want to see some great views, but don’t necessarily want to commit to the full loop hike.
Views of the Columbia River and Beacon Rock from the Hamilton Mountain Trail
After Little Hamilton Mountain, continue for another mile until you reach the summit of Hamilton Mountain. It’s worth taking a moment to appreciate the thrill of reaching the summit, but there will be better views up ahead. Start heading downhill and you’ll reach a plateau called the Hamilton Saddle, which looks out onto Mt Adams, Mt Saint Helens, Mt Hood, and Table Mountain. At this point, you can either turn around the way you came for a shorter, steeper descent (about 6 miles roundtrip) or continue on the loop trail for a longer, more gradual descent (about 7.5 miles roundtrip). You’ll pass Rodney Falls again on the way back, which makes for a great pick-me-up after a tiring hike.
Nearby bonus hike option — Beacon Rock:
Extra distance: 1.8 miles
Difficulty: Easy/Moderate
This bonus hike option does require moving the car, but if you head just across Highway 14, you’ll be at the parking lot for Beacon Rock. An impressive trail of stone switchbacks leads to the top of Beacon Rock, a volcanic plug of basaltic andesite that is part of the Boring Volcanics. Massive floods of glacial meltwater tore through the Columbia Gorge about 15,000 years ago, wearing away the surface of Beacon Rock and leaving behind only the volcanic core.
The trail to the top of Beacon Rock offers stunning views of the Columbia Gorge from start to finish. Some of the views along the way are better than those at the summit, where they are partially obscured by tree cover. The trail is lined with guardrails for safety, making it family-friendly throughout.
Trail up Beacon Rock
Secluded bonus hike option — River to Rock:
Extra distance: 1.6 miles
Difficulty: Easy
The River to Rock Trail is one of the least traveled routes of the very popular Beacon Rock State Park. It offers a tranquil counterpoint to the bustle of people heading to the summit of Beacon Rock. This trail starts at its own trailhead just to the west of Beacon Rock. It goes through the woods, past the swampy Riddell Lake and the remains of a small stone shed, and then reaches a parking lot for the boat launch and day-use area near the river.
The boat launch is a great place to admire the height of Beacon Rock from its base. From here, you can turn around or take the short loop trail lined with interpretive information beginning at the parking lot. Unlike the other hiking options described here, this loop trail is flat, even, and paved. It gets close to the Columbia River, but the best water views will be from the boat launch.
Beacon Rock across Riddell Lake
Getting there
To reach the Hamilton Mountain trailhead from Portland, cross the bridge into Vancouver, WA, and take Highway 14 East until Beacon Rock State Park. Look for a non-descript left turn across from the parking area for Beacon Rock.
Enjoy your hike to Hardy Falls, Rodney Falls, Pool of the Winds, and beyond!
With love,
Emma
Weisendanger Falls on the Multnomah Falls - Wahkeena Falls Loop
Looking for more to do near the Columbia Gorge? Check out some of these places nearby:
Footbridge in Portland’s Marshall Park
Or try out these ideas in and around Portland:
Reference:
Tucker, Dave. Geology Underfoot in Western Washington. Mountain Press Publishing Company, 2015.
