Starvation Creek Waterfall Hike
The hike starting at Starvation Creek Falls in the Columbia Gorge is a bit of a mixed bag. Over a short and easy trail, you’ll see four cool waterfalls, one about every quarter mile. Most of the trail is flat and paved. It never gets very crowded. The catch? It’s next to the highway. Like, right next to it. While the road noise keeps this trail from being one of my favorites, I go once in a while because the waterfalls are awesome, especially in winter and spring. It’s a great choice if you want to avoid the steep hills of most Columbia Gorge hikes. Here’s how to see the magnificent waterfalls of Starvation Creek State Park.
You’ll see Dog Mountain on the Mt Defiance Trail
Know before you go
It’s free to park at Starvation Creek State Park. You don’t need a pass or permit.
Leashed dogs are welcome on the trail.
Picnic tables are at the viewpoints for Starvation Creek Falls and Hole-in-the-Walls.
Restrooms are next to the parking lot.
Starvation Creek State Park is popular, mostly as a rest stop. It’s less crowded than most Columbia Gorge waterfall hikes, but the parking lot may fill up on weekends.
Don’t leave any valuables in the car. Sadly, break-ins are common in this parking lot.
The trail is flat, paved, stroller-friendly, and barrier-free from Starvation Creek Falls until Hole-in-the-Wall Falls. To reach the last waterfall, Lancaster Falls, you’ll need to negotiate uneven terrain and hills.
The Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail is flat and paved
Starvation Creek Falls to Lancaster Falls
Distance: 2 miles out and back
Elevation gain: 200 feet
Difficulty: Easy
Pass required: None
Dog friendly: Yes, leashed dogs are welcome on the trail.
ADA access: The trail is paved without steps or steep grades between Starvation Creek Falls and Hole-in-the-Wall Falls. It becomes narrow and irregular after. Accessible parking and restrooms.
Season: All year. Best from late fall to early spring when the waterfalls are more powerful.
The details
Ignore the trail that starts on the north side of the restroom building in Starvation Creek State Park. It makes a tiny loop without connecting to the waterfalls or the main trail. Instead, start on the paved trail with the black railing. From the parking lot, head left. In 0.1 miles, you’ll reach a bridge over Starvation Creek and the little spur trail to the base of the waterfall.
Take a right to see Starvation Creek Falls
It’s worth reading the sign at the junction describing the experience of passengers on a train that got stuck in a snowstorm here. They feared starvation, which gave the creek its name. A quote from an anonymous passenger contains the most beautiful words I’ve ever read on an informational plaque: “When there is nothing warm among a hundred passengers except human sympathy, and nothing light but hope and a tallow candle.”
Almost there
Head right on the spur trail to Starvation Creek Falls. The picnic tables at the end have a great view of the waterfall but have always been soggy when I’ve visited. Starvation Creek Falls is the most impressive waterfall on the hike. It falls 230 feet over two tiers. The smaller top tier is set back in the cliff and is hard to see from most angles. It’s tempting to bumble along the other side of the creek for a better view. You won’t get one. The view from the picnic area is the best, but you can spot the upper tier from the bridge.
Starvation Creek Falls
After seeing Starvation Creek Falls, head back toward the parking lot. Follow the trail past it, heading west. Now is the unpleasant part. You’ll walk past the freeway exit, then next to I-84. A fence keeps it safe but does nothing to dampen the road noise. If you can overlook it, the scenery is fantastic. Straight ahead is Shellrock Mountain. Dog Mountain is across the Columbia River.
The conundrum of the Starvation Creek waterfall hike: great scenery but so much road noise
Things get a little quieter once you make it to the trees. You pass the start of the Starvation Ridge Trail, which is closed due to hazardous conditions.
Pass by the Starvation Ridge Trail
Just past the junction is Cabin Creek Falls, tumbling behind a large boulder. This waterfall slows to a trickle and can even dry up in late summer. In spring, it’s surging and powerful, sending a fine mist around the boulder and across the trail.
Cabin Creek Falls in the spring
About a quarter mile past Cabin Creek Falls, the trail splits. The fork to the right continues the Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail. Take the fork to the left to start the Mt Defiance Trail and see Hole-in-the-Wall Falls.
Take a left
The viewpoint for Hole-in-the-Wall Falls has a picnic table in a stone circle. Beyond it, the paved trail ends. Stop here if you have a stroller, wheelchair, or bike. You’ll have a lovely view of Hole-in-the-Wall Falls as it makes an offset plunge over a basalt cliff.
Hole-in-the-Wall Falls
To reach the final waterfall, take the footbridge over the creek and start the dirt trail through the woods.
Mt Defiance Trail
You’ll start climbing uphill. The views open up when you reach the power line corridor.
You’ll walk along a power line corridor
You’ll pass the trail junction with the Starvation Ridge Trail. Stay on the Mt Defiance Trail.
Keep going straight at the sign
This part of the hike has great views of Washington. Look for Dog Mountain and Wind Mountain across the Columbia River.
Dog Mountain
After about a half mile on the Mt Defiance Trail, you’ll reach the lowest tier of Lancaster Falls. Like the other waterfalls on the Starvation Creek hike, it’s hard to get a good view of the full height. Lancaster Falls tumbles more or less directly onto the trail. If you cross the creek, you’ll get a glimpse of the upper tiers of the waterfall from the other side. Watch your step. I saw a rough-skinned newt once next to the trail here.
Lancaster Falls
Lancaster Falls is a good turnaround point. Unless you have hiking boots, it’s hard to cross the creek without getting wet feet. You’ve also made it to the last waterfall.
A good turnaround point
Bonus hike options
Since the hike from Starvation Creek Falls to Lancaster Falls is on the shorter side, you might want to try one of these options to extend your hike.
Option 1. My favorite bonus hike is to continue on the Mt Defiance Trail for about another half mile past Lancaster Falls. The trail continues along a ridge line, staying pretty mellow until the first switchback. Then, it starts climbing steeply toward the top of Mt Defiance. The whole hike is about 12 miles roundtrip and strenuous. If you turn around when it starts getting steep, it’s only 3 miles total. You’ll have great views of the Columbia Gorge even if you turn around early.
Wind Mountain from the Mt Defiance Trail
Option 2. Head back to Starvation Creek Falls, then hike another mile on the Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail to Viento State Park. The trail stays paved and flat. The road noise is a little less intense in this direction but always present. I’d call it a better bike ride than a hike. The scenery is forested and pretty, but not the most interesting in the Columbia Gorge. You’ll arrive at the part of Viento State Park that’s south of the highway, not the part by the river. There’s a campground here and a bridge over a little creek. Continuing to Viento State Park adds two miles to the hike.
The Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail continues toward Viento State Park
Option 3. If you initially pass by the Mt Defiance Trail, you can continue a little over a mile on the Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail until you reach the Lindsey Creek Bridge. Take the Mt Defiance Trail to Lancaster Falls on the way back. This route brings the total distance to about 4 miles.
Getting there
Starvation Creek State Park is just off the highway. From Portland, take I-84 to Exit 55 toward Starvation Creek Trailhead. The drive takes about 50 minutes.
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