RT Metlako Falls

Waterfall in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area and is the furthest downstream of the major waterfalls on Eagle Creek

General Information

Length:

Approximately 2 mi round trip

Elevation Gain:

Approximately 600 ft

Difficulty:

Moderate

Hours:

Open daily from sunrise to sunset

Fees:

Free admission

Pet Policy:

Pets are allowed on hiking trails

Closest cities with hotels:

Cascade Locks (14 mi)

Seasons:

Spring through fall for waterfall viewing and hiking, though accessible year-round

Location:

Metlako Falls Trailhead, Cascade Locks, OR 97014

Website:

fs.usda.gov

How to Get There

From Cascade Locks (14 mi): Take I-84 west through the Columbia River Gorge to Exit 35 and follow the Historic Columbia River Highway to the Eagle Creek and waterfall trail access areas near the overlook.

Overview

Metlako Falls is a waterfall on Eagle Creek in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. It is the furthest downstream of the major waterfalls on Eagle Creek. Like upstream Punch Bowl Falls, Metlako is also in the form of a punchbowl. The falls is 31 meters (101 ft) tall, though people have measured it anywhere from 30 to 46 m (100 to 150 ft) tall. It is the upstream limit for salmon spawning in Eagle Creek.

Naming

The waterfall was discovered and named by a committee of the Mazamas in 1915 after Metlako, the Indian goddess of salmon, likely because it is the upstream limit for salmon spawning in Eagle Creek.

This article uses material from the Wikipedia articles "Metlako Falls", which are released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0