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The Good Hearted Woman

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The Trail Less Traveled: Elowah Falls & McCord Creek Falls {Hike}

October 9 By Renée 8 Comments

Enjoy both sweeping views and relative solitude on this – the Elowah Falls & Upper McCord Falls Hike –the least-traveled trail on Oregon’s “waterfall road.”

Hike to Elowah Falls & Upper McCOrd Creak Twin Falls | The Good Hearted Woman

It can be so easy to put off exploring your own backyard. Late this summer, Mr. B, Em and I decided to spend a week camping along the Historic Columbia River Highway at Ainsworth State Park, and take the time to explore Gorge trails so close to home that we often overlook them.

Hike to Elowah Falls & Upper McCOrd Creak Twin Falls | The Good Hearted Woman

We took our trusty copy of Curious Gorge along with us, which lists over 100 Gorge hikes, and found a number of enticing trails to check out, including this one, which I’m almost embarrassed to admit I’ve never hiked before. It seems that I’m not alone though: the book’s author, Scott Cook, says that due to its weirdly hard to find parking lot, “Elowah Falls is the most overlooked major waterfall in the entire Gorge.”

I believe him. If you have ever hiked to the top of Multnamah Falls, you probably had a lot a company along the trail. Not so on the Elowah Falls and McCord Falls Hike. I could count the number of people we encountered the entire time we were on the trail on two hands.

Hike to Elowah Falls & Upper McCOrd Creak Twin Falls | The Good Hearted Woman

The Elowah Falls hike is actually two hikes in one. About .2 miles in, at the second junction in the trail, you can choose to go up to Upper McCord Creek’s twin waterfalls, or down to Elowah Falls. We took the high road first.

A short way into our hike, we encountered a rusty piece of history – this long cast-iron flume pipe running down the hill.

Hike to Elowah Falls & Upper McCOrd Creak Twin Falls | The Good Hearted Woman

According to Cook, this flume was built circa 1890 by pioneer Myron Kelly, who used it to deliver pressurized water from McCords Upper Twin Falls to his pulp mill down on the river. The pressurized water turned mill wheels that ground cottonwood trees into pulp, which he sold to Camas’ paper mills.

Hike to Elowah Falls & Upper McCOrd Creak Twin Falls | The Good Hearted Woman

The mile-long trail to McCord Creek Falls makes several switchbacks for an elevation gain of 260 feet. It also passes a basalt wall blooming with wildflowers, and gives you a beautiful view of the Columbia River and Hamilton Mountain across the river in Washington.

Hike to Elowah Falls & Upper McCOrd Creak Twin Falls | The Good Hearted Woman

If you’re lucky, you might even catch a glimpse of the Columbia Gorge Sternwheeler making its way up (or down) river.

Hike to Elowah Falls & Upper McCOrd Creak Twin Falls | The Good Hearted Woman

We stopped at McCord Creek Twin Falls to eat lunch, and Mr. B and Em did a little exploring while I took pictures of the local flora.

Hike to Elowah Falls & Upper McCOrd Creak Twin Falls | The Good Hearted Woman

Hike to Elowah Falls & Upper McCOrd Creak Twin Falls | The Good Hearted Woman

Hike to Elowah Falls & Upper McCOrd Creak Twin Falls | The Good Hearted Woman

After lunch, we returned down the trail to Elowah Falls. The falls are fed by runoff from Mount Hood and, due to our extremely dry summer weather, the 213-foot high waterfall itself was somewhat anticlimactic, but nonetheless lovely, and the spray was quite refreshing after our hot afternoon hike. We’re hoping to take the hike again in early spring when the water is flowing more.

Hike to Elowah Falls & Upper McCOrd Creak Twin Falls | The Good Hearted Woman

The canyon created by the falls creates a wind tunnel, and as we got close to the falls basin, the wind became strong enough to push the weak waterfall flow sideways.

Hike to Elowah Falls & Upper McCOrd Creak Twin Falls | The Good Hearted Woman

If you are looking for a great, easy hike, we highly recommend checking out Elowah Falls. From Portland, it makes for a beautiful day trip, and if you are looking to get a little one-on-one time with the people you love along the way, the trail will be all yours.

Hike to Elowah Falls & Upper McCOrd Creak Twin Falls | The Good Hearted Woman

Proof that I was actually on this hike! (Also: Wind)

Hike Info: 

Elowah Falls & Upper McCord Falls Hike

  • Easy-Moderate Hike
  • .75 miles to Elowah Falls, 1 mile to Upper McCord Falls, and 3.5 miles to do both.
  • Trail is very well-maintained, but rocky. Wear good shoes.
  • Pets are OK. Leashes required.

Hike to Elowah Falls & Upper McCOrd Creak Twin Falls | The Good Hearted Woman

Getting there:

The parking lot really isn’t that hard to find. It’s just that it is situated east of the place your normally return to the highway from the old Historic Highway, and I think people just don’t know it’s there. (All the better for us solitary hikers then, huh?) The trailhead starts in the parking lot of John B. Yeon State Park, making this the most easterly of the Historic Highway’s waterfall hikes.

From the west (30 minutes from Portland)
From Portland, take Hwy 84 east to Ainsworth exit 35. At the stop, turn left, and then immediately right onto Frontage Road. Follow for 2 miles to Yeon State Park (just before the highway entrance).

From the east (30 minutes from Hood River)
Take I-84 west to Warrendale exit 37, Take the exit and go .3 miles, then turn left under the bridge. Take another left onto Frontage Road and head east for .3 miles to Yeon State Park (just before the highway entrance).

Resources: Curious Gorge [2013 edition], by Scott Cook [←affiliate link]

Hike to Elowah Falls & Upper McCOrd Creak Twin Falls | The Good Hearted Woman

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Filed Under: Hikes, Pacific Northwest Tagged With: Columbia Gorge, Portland

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About Renée

Renée is writer, music maker, artist, and storyteller. In her spare time, you can find her writing love songs about cowboys, exploring the moss-covered nooks and crannies of the Pacific Northwest, and making music with her talented singer-husband.

Comments

  1. blankKristi says

    October 9 at

    I can’t believe I have never done this one either! It’s totally on my list now! Thanks!

    Reply
  2. blankMarlynn [UrbanBlissLife] says

    October 9 at

    What a gorgeous hike! I’ve never heard of it either. Adding it to the list. Thank you so much for sharing!

    Reply
  3. blankTaylor DuVall says

    October 9 at

    Oh my goodness! Those photos are so gorgeous! I’ve never heard of it either!! Definitely on my radar now!

    Reply
  4. blankCreate/Enjoy says

    October 9 at

    That sounds amazing! We’re hoping to get out to the Gorge for a hike this weekend, I’ll look into this one!

    Reply
  5. blankKelley says

    October 9 at

    My husband and I have found it, so it can’t be THAT hard to find! (I kid, but… not all of our trips turn out the way we’d planned.)

    Reply
  6. blankPech says

    October 9 at

    Great photos – I felt refreshed by nature just from looking at them without even doing a hike with all that green and the waterfalls!

    Reply
  7. blankDenay DeGuzman says

    October 10 at

    I have always heard about how gorgeous the Oregon coast is, and these lovely photos really showcase its stunning natural beauty. I have two nieces that have relocated to Portland and I will jump at the next chance I get to go for an extended visit and explore the area. Thank you for sharing your fun family adventure! 🙂

    Reply
    • blankRenée ♥ says

      October 10 at

      The Oregon Coast is beautiful! (Just to clarify though, this hike is about two hours east of the coast, in the Columbia River Gorge.) Hopefully you will get to see our wonderful part of the country soon!

      Reply

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