Lower Oneonta Falls

Lower Oneonta Falls is one of those waterfalls where you have to go on a bit of an adventure to see. Now why go through all the trouble if the Columbia River Gorge is chock full of impressive waterfalls? Well, if you've visited other waterfalls in the Oneonta Gorge such as

It turns out that this very impressive waterfall happens to be the one that could only be heard but not seen on the way to Triple Falls. For several months, it always bothered me that I didn't get a chance to check out this waterfall. It was certainly an exercise in patience for me!

Lower Oneonta Falls probably drops just under 100ft in a backdrop surrounded by steep vertical-walled cliffs and fronted by clear pools and streams (I even noticed fish in the clear water). It sits roughly in the back of a narrow, almost slot-canyon-like gorge that reminded me a lot of the Narrows hike in Zion National Park.

But in this case, you have to get by a series of obstacles beginning with a pretty dangerous log jam traverse and then wading through some deep pools (it got up to my waist when I made the adventure in late August). You're looking at roughly a 0.3 mile scramble each way, and I don't think this is a very doable scramble when the waterflow is high (I was glad we didn't make the attempt five months ago when high water, rain, and the bitterly cold temperatures conspired to keep us from trying).

Even with that said, there were lots of people (including some fearless kids) who were doing the scramble to the base of the falls. Many came prepared in spider rubber sandals and shoes, which I think is a good idea. That's because you're going to get wet, and you'll definitely have to be conscientious of how slippery it can get on that log jam when your feet are wet. A bad fall in the logjam has the potential to kill you (especially in high water) or at least badly injure you. Plus, if you are worried about getting things wet (like camera, wallet, keys, etc.), you might want to hold them above your head as you wade through the deeper parts of the creek or else leave some of these things behind before partaking in the adventure.

Even if you make it to the falls, you still have to watch out for falling rocks and flash floods. The falling rocks is a very real danger as I heard one such rock snap as it crashed to the ground behind me. Meanwhile, being in a narrow gorge, you definitely don't want to be in here when there's rain threatening as your options for escaping to higher ground are practially nil down here.

Anyways with all the very real dangers that exist in an adventure like this, the falls is definitely one of the more photogenic falls in the Columbia River Gorge and well worth the effort.

Once you've parked the car, you walk briefly eastwards along the Old Scenic Highway towards the bridge over Oneonta Creek. There are stairs leading down into the creek level of the gorge, and that's where the scramble begins.

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Approaching the falls

Checking out the falls while in the cold water

Last look back at Lower Oneonta Falls

People carefully traversing the log jam

The other side of the log jam

Approaching the knee-deep pool

A couple slowly goes through waist-deep water

This group of youngsters have no choice but to go through


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TRIP REPORTS

• August 21, 2009

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NEARBY WATERFALLS

• Triple Falls
• Horsetail Falls
• Ponytail Falls
• Multnomah Falls
• Wahkeena Falls
• Bridal Veil Falls
• Latourell Falls

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