Eagle Creek is a creek located mainly in

Hood River County, Oregon Hood River County is one of the 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2020 census, the population was 23,977. The county seat is Hood River. The county was established in 1908 and is named for the Hood River, a tributary of th ...

, in the Columbia River Gorge, with its last roughly and mouth in Multnomah County. A tributary of the

Columbia River The Columbia River (Upper Chinook: ' or '; Sahaptin: ''Nch’i-Wàna'' or ''Nchi wana''; Sinixt dialect'' '') is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, C ...

, the creek flows for approximately from the Thrush Pond between Eagle Butte and

Tanner Butte Tanner Butte, officially Tanner Creek Butte, is a peak on the boundary between Hood River and Multnomah counties in Oregon, on the edge of the Columbia River Gorge. Its elevation makes it the highest point in the western Gorge. Tanner Butte is ...

to its mouth near Bonneville Dam. The East Fork Eagle Creek is a major tributary that begins at Wahtum Lake and joins the main stem approximately 2/3 the way between the Thrush Pond and the Columbia River, separated by Indian Mountain.

Drainage basin

The Eagle Creek drainage basin is the largest of any creek in the western or central Gorge. The watershed is bounded by Tanner Ridge to the west, the Benson Plateau and Chinidere Mountain to the east, and Indian Mountain and Waucoma Ridge to the south. Another major tributary is Opal Creek, flowing from Tanner Butte to just above Tenas Falls.

Waterfalls

Eagle creek is notable for its numerous waterfalls. From the mouth upstream, the most notable are Metlako Falls,

Punch Bowl Falls Punch Bowl Falls is a waterfall on Eagle Creek in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, Oregon, United States. Eagle Creek drains into the Columbia River, with its outlet on the Columbia River Gorge in Multnomah County. The falls is ta ...

, Skoonichuk Falls, Grand Union Falls, Twister Falls, and Sevenmile Falls. Noteworthy waterfalls on Eagle Creek's many tributaries include Sorenson Falls, Loowit Falls, Four Mile Falls, Tenas Falls, Wy'east Falls, and Tunnel Falls.

Eagle Creek Bridge

The Eagle Creek Bridge is a

contributing structure In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing property or contributing resource is any building, object, or structure which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic distric ...

in the Columbia River Highway Historic District, which was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 1983. It is self-evidently a

closed spandrel An arch bridge is a bridge with abutments at each end shaped as a curved arch. Arch bridges work by transferring the weight of the bridge and its loads partially into a horizontal thrust restrained by the abutments at either side. A viaduct ( ...

arch bridge An arch bridge is a bridge with abutments at each end shaped as a curved arch. Arch bridges work by transferring the weight of the bridge and its loads partially into a horizontal thrust restrained by the abutments at either side. A viaduct ...

Recreation

Eagle Creek is an extremely popular recreation destination. The Eagle Creek Trail #440 runs for along the creek from the Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail to a junction with the Pacific Crest Trail near Wahtum Lake, and its lower reaches comprise one of the most popular trails in the Gorge. Multiple other trails are also present on the surrounding ridges and mountains, providing connections to the rest of the Gorge's trail network.

History

A bridge across Eagle Creek to carry the Oregon Portage Railroad, the first railroad in Oregon. The Eagle Creek watershed was severely impacted by the

Eagle Creek Fire The Eagle Creek Fire was a destructive wildfire in the Columbia River Gorge, largely in the U.S. state of Oregon, with smaller spot-fires in Washington. The fire was started on September 2, 2017, by a 15-year-old boy igniting fireworks durin ...

of 2017, which started near Punch Bowl Falls after a 15-year-old threw a firecracker into the canyon following a prolonged period without precipitation. Due to the increased risk of landslides, debris flows, and other hazards, recreation in the area was closed until January 2021. The trail briefly reopened, but was closed again after two weeks after landslides caused by heavy rain.

References

External links

* {{Authority control Columbia River Gorge Rivers of Oregon Rivers of Hood River County, Oregon Mount Hood National Forest Tributaries of the Columbia River