A peaceful forest hike through the Salmon-Huckleberry Wilderness, featuring lush scenery, Eagle Creek, and far more solitude than its better-known namesake in the Columbia River Gorge.

distance: 6.5 miles (out and back)
elevation gain: 860 ft.
high point: 2,110 ft.
difficulty: easy
drive time from Portland: 1 hour
parking pass: none

This was my first time hiking on the “other” Eagle Creek, located in the Salmon-Huckleberry Wilderness. While the Eagle Creek Trail in the Columbia River Gorge is far better known, this trail offers a much quieter experience.

The trail begins at its highest point and gradually descends toward the creek. I expected the trail to follow the water once it reached the bottom, but it actually stays above the creek for most of the hike. Several side trails lead down to the water, and a few have backcountry campsites nearby.

The forest is lush, with numerous small tributary creeks, a few giant trees, and, of course, Eagle Creek.

We were short on time, so I plan to return for either a backpacking trip to one of the campsites or a longer day hike to explore more of the trail.

It was sunny throughout the day, which made photographing the forest challenging. I think this hike would be even more enjoyable on a cloudy or rainy day, and spring would likely be the best season before parts of the trail get overgrown with berry shrubs.