About Lower Oneonta Falls
Lower Oneonta Falls was one of those waterfalls where I had to go on a bit of an adventure to see.
So why go through all the trouble if the Columbia River Gorge was already so full of impressive waterfalls?
Well, as you can see in the photograph above, the Lower Oneonta Falls probably dropped just under 100ft in a backdrop surrounded by steep vertical-walled cliffs and fronted by clear pools.
The water was so clear that I even noticed fish swimming amidst the submerged rocks.
The falls sat 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.
The big difference here was that the walls were green whereas Zion’s were more reddish.
Another big difference was that instead of a long river hike like in Zion, I had to go on a roughly 0.3-mile scramble (in each direction) that included a series of obstacles.
I definitely didn’t think this would be doable when the waterflow would be high so I was glad we didn’t make the attempt in the Spring given the high water, rain, and bitterly cold temperatures.
The Elusive Lower Oneonta Falls
It turned out that the Lower Oneonta Falls haunted us a bit especially after doing the Oneonta Trail, which went past such waterfalls as Middle Oneonta Falls and Triple Falls.
For it was during that hike that we heard but didn’t get to see what promised to be an impressive waterfall down below us in the Oneonta Gorge.
After all, the loud sound of rushing water certainly supported the theory that there must have been something significant down there.
However, with all the thick forest and the sheer dropoff that we knew was downstream of the Middle Oneonta Falls, there was no way we’d be able access that waterfall in a sanctioned and satisfying manner from that trail.
Moreover, we were well aware of the direct stream scramble going up the mouth of the Oneonta Creek itself, which we’ll get to later on this page.
Speaking of which, that scramble would have to wait because all the watercourses were swollen from the bad weather that we had encountered most of that week in late March 2009.
That opportunity didn’t come until about 5-6 months later when we came back here in late August (though I ended up doing this hike solo).
Scrambling to the Lower Oneonta Falls – The Log Jam
I began with an informal creek-side scramble and crossing from beneath the road bridge over Oneonta Creek (see directions below).
A few minutes thereafter, I was then faced with the infamous log jam traverse, where fallen logs that tumbled into the Oneonta Gorge would get stuck in a particularly narrow part as the creek would try to wash them away.
I could see why it gained notoriety because it could get pretty dangerous here.
There were plenty of gaps between the logs where a fall in there could’ve been real bad news.
As I was doing the traverse, I was very cognizant of how far down the dropoffs were as I was certain they could easily cause broken bones or even death.
Not only that, but there was also running water down there so even if I could have survived a fall, there was a pretty high likelihood that I might’ve drowned or that I would not even have a way back up!
It also dawned on me that the likelihood of an accident here could’ve really shot up had the logs been slippery and wet due to rain and/or mist.
Even with that said, there were lots of people (including some fearless kids) who were doing the scramble pretty easily.
Many came prepared in spider rubber sandals and shoes, which I thought was a good idea.
For even if the weather was dry, hikers would track water onto the logs I had to rely on to get across (thus making them slippery).
The spider rubber shoes would provide just that extra grip to lessen the chances of a nasty fall.
Scrambling to the Lower Oneonta Falls – The Slot Canyon
Finally once I made it by the rather scary log jam, I then had to wade across a series of deep pools.
During my visit in late August 2009, the pools only got up to my waist.
However, I could envision if the water level was higher, then it might even require swimming!
Since I was carrying my DSLR), I had to make sure that I held the electronics high above my head during the deep crossings while making sure I kept my balance.
Beyond the pools, I eventually made it to the impressive Lower Oneonta Falls.
Yet despite the glorious waterfall in such rugged yet beautiful settings, I still had to be fearful of falling rocks and flash floods.
During my visit, I heard one such rock snap as it crashed to the ground behind me.
And the flash flood danger was very real because there was no high ground to escape to within this gorge.
Yet with all the very real dangers that existed in an adventure like this, it made the reward for reaching Lower Oneonta Falls that much sweeter.
It was most certainly one of the more photogenic waterfalls in the Columbia River Gorge, and thus I found it well worth the effort.
So given some of the hazards on this hike and scramble, if you have stuff that you don’t want to get wet or risk losing (like camera, wallet, keys, etc.), it might be wise to leave those things behind.
Preferably, you’d leave those things with someone trustworthy who’s not willing to do the adventure.
That’s because if you intend to leave stuff in your parked car, Julie and I noticed there was broken glass from car break-ins at the pullouts and car parks around this area.
Thus, I took advantage of the fact that Julie didn’t want to do the scramble to Lower Oneonta Falls so I left my stuff with her while she waited for me (though I held onto my DSLR).
Authorities
Lower Oneonta Falls resides in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area near Portland in Multnomah County, Oregon. It is administered by the USDA Forest Service. For information or inquiries about the area as well as current conditions, visit their website.
The nearest car park to start the scramble is at the one for the Oneonta Trail.
See the page for Triple Falls for specific driving directions.
That said, the trailhead (or start of the scramble) was around 31 miles (roughly 45 minutes drive) east of Portland and 30 miles (well under 45 minutes drive) west of Hood River.
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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Lower Oneonta Falls January 19, 2021 6:07 pm - Over the years, I have done this wade many times, including before the logjam and after the logjam. Every time, we would climb behind the Falls and jump out thru it. Exhilarating. For those who don't like cold water, don't try this. The water comes from glaciers on Mt Hood. I remember carrying my kids… ...Read MoreVisitor Reviews of this Waterfall:
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