Dry Creek Falls hike, Cascade Locks, OR

Another trail misnomer as Dry Creek Falls are quite wet indeed and a quick, convenient and refreshing excursion.

The trailhead is near the Bridge of the Gods in Cascade Locks, a city in Hood River County, Oregon. Cross the road and head for the signed Pacific Crest Winter Trailhead. When you reach Moody Street (~.1 mi), go under the freeway and veer right then straight onto the gravel road and left at the trail junction. (A bit anticlimatic to start, but you’ll be disappearing into the trees before long.) The PCT Dry Creek on a wooden bridge. Instead of crossing that bridge take a right and head up toward the falls, which is only .2 miles away. Head back on the trail the same way you came.

Take a leisurely stroll on the friendly trail or get your blood pumping with a quick, out and back trail run. Enjoy the woods, ferns and streams along the way. (Fall colors and wildflowers depending on the season.) If you work up a sweat, look forward to dousing yourself in the 75-foot waterfall that cascades over the colossal wall of columnar basalt. You may want to bring water shoes, the bottom is rocky and difficult to navigate in bare feet.

Below the falls you’ll notice remnants of an old water control structure that once provided water for the city. Dry Creek remains a municipal water source here. If you’re up for something longer, you can also explore the PCT where it crosses Dry Creek on that wooden bridge and then just head back  the same way you came.

 

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Distance round trip : 4.4 miles

Difficulty: Easy

Rating: Nice!

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