Wahkeena Creek & Vista Point Hike – Columbia River Gorge
This short hike starts at the Wahkeena trailhead and heads up and up, passing Wahkeena Falls and Fairy Falls to reach the springs that are the source of the creek. We took the less traveled Vista Point Trail for a lollipop loop at the top.
distance: 4.3 miles (lollipop loop)
elevation gain: 1,365 ft.
difficulty: moderate
best season: spring, fall
drive time from Portland: 40 minutes
parking pass: none
The Hike
For this hike, we started at the Wahkeena Creek trailhead. The first 0.8 mile is on a paved path, going up numerous switchbacks and passing Wahkeena Falls before leading to Lemmons viewpoint where the paved section ends.
This is my track from Gaia GPS showing the route we took.
The parking lot view of Wahkeena Creek as it tumbles down the hillside.
The paved trail switchbacks about 12 times as it heads steeply uphill.
Just over a quarter mile up is Wahkeena Falls.
Like many hikes in the Gorge, the trail wastes no time in gaining elevation. Here we could see cars far below us on I-84.
The paved section of trail ends at Lemmons viewpoint. From here, we could look east towards Beacon Rock on the Washington side of the Columbia River.
The next section of the hike is next to Wahkeena Creek.
Fairy Falls is always a pretty sight, even with debris blocking part of the view.
A landslide from last year was heavily reinforced by trail crews.
Every time I’m in this area, I make the short side trek to Wahkeena Springs, which is the source of Wahkeena Creek. This area reminds me of Rivendell from the Lord of the Rings and is worthy of a long break in this scenic spot.
After a lunch break at the springs, we continued on the trail to a junction with the Vista Point Trail. Looking up the hillside, evidence of the 2017 Eagle Creek wildfire is still visible at the base of the trees.
At the junction, we took the Vista Point Trail for a short loop at the top. This section of trail is a bit overgrown at this time of year, but it provides views of the Columbia Gorge not seen on the Wahkeena Trail.
After crossing this creek, we rejoined the Wahkeena Trail and headed back down to the trailhead.
