Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 4.0 miles
Elevation Gain: 300 feet
Location: Mount Hood National Forest

One hundred foot tall Tamanawas Falls is less known than its rivals in the Gorge, but is equally as breathtaking. Besides delighting in this beautiful waterfall, we'll hike through lush vegetation and critical wildlife habitat and learn to identify the different types of trees in the area.

The water that spills over Tamanawas Falls is from Cold Spring Creek; a clear, cold creek that is a tributary to the Wild & Scenic East Fork Hood River. This area, which includes nearby scenic Polallie Creek, hosts winter and summer steelhead runs.

While you're noticing the creek's ideal steelhead habitat, be sure to look up and notice the area's diverse vegetation.  The Tamanawas Falls area has remnant old-growth Pondersa pines along with a mix of Western Red Cedar and Douglas fir trees.

The Tamanawas area takes in part of the Mount Hood Additions Roadless Area as well as a stretch of roadless forest left out of the official inventory but included in a citizen's analysis of the forest.

Sign up for the hike here. (Oregon Wild members ($6) and non-members ($9). All proceeds from hikes support Oregon Wild’s campaigns to protect wildlands across the state.)

If you are unsure if your Oregon Wild membership is current, please call 503.283.6343 x 213. To join, please click here.