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Dry Creek Falls
| Hiked: |
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July 1, 2001 |
| Length: |
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5.4 miles round-trip |
| Elevation Gain: |
|
710 feet |
| USGS Quad: |
|
Carson |
| GPS Coordinates: |
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N: 45° 37' 40"
W: 122° 01' 10" |
| Photo Gallery: |
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Dry Creek Falls
Photos |
To Reach (From
Portland):
Take I-84 east
to Cascade Locks (Exit 44), and follow the signs to the Bridge of the
Gods. Just before the toll booth, there is a small park to the right,
where you can park your car. As with all the Columbia River Gorge
hikes, make sure you have a Northwest Forest Pass.
The Trail:
This relatively
short, flat trail leads you through beautiful forest, over a creek, and
to an isolated, seldom-visited waterfall. To start, cross back over
the road to the Pacific Crest Trail. Follow it to the left 200 yards,
and turn right on a paved street that ducks under the freeway, and fork
to the right on gravel Moody Avenue. After 50 yards, turn left onto
the continuation of the trail at a sign "PCT South".
The trail now
heads into the woods, covered with moss, salmonberry, and ferns, and eventually
(after a mile or so) hits a power line access road. Turn right here,
and follow it for 150 feet or so before you turn left onto the trail again.
After another mile, the PCT hits a dirt road, and Dry Creek, here a minor
torrent.
Turn right, and
head on up the road to 50-foot Dry Creek Falls. There is a quiet
pool at the bottom suitable for swimming, and a great lunch spot.
After enjoying the solitude and sound of the waterfall for a while, you
can either return the way you came, or follow the dirt road all the way
back.
Our Take:
We really enjoyed
this trail, as it was peaceful, relaxing, and easy. We barely broke
a sweat here, but we felt at ease. The falls was beautiful, and
the solitude was nice. The trail was heavily covered with foliage
on both sides, all decked out in green, and the smell of the Pacific Northwest
was everywhere.
We opted to return
back the way we came, as walking down a dirt road for two miles didn't
sound enticing. We brought a lunch and just lounged and dipped our
feet for a couple of hours before returning back. I don't think
we saw a single person on this trail. Quite a change from our previous
hike, Angel's Rest!
SEE SLIDE SHOW NOW!!
Related Sites
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