Hike #9 - Wahclella Falls

This is one of the must-do easy hikes in the Gorge. The first part of the trail is a leisurely flat walk on a closed access road. At the end of the road is a small dam/fish ladder used by the Bonneville Fish Hatchery. This was a short but sweet hike that took Katrena and I along the edge of Tanner Creek to a roaring, supposedly two-tier waterfall (we did not see two tiers but only one), which plunged into a deep rocky pool. The hike is a 2.2 mile in and out hike. There is a loop, so we went in one way and came out another way so we were able to see the whole trail and experience the best of both paths.

There are not any cliffs here, but there are some steep drop offs, so be careful. After a flight of stairs, you will come to a fork in the trail. The end of the trail is a loop, so you will hike both sides. The lower path provides better views as you approach Wahclella Falls. The lower path drops down the mountain through a couple of switchbacks to the lower bridge. The great creek views start at the bridge and continue on through a 1973 slide zone.

At the head of the canyon, you'll pass through a bit of a grotto in full view of Wahclella Falls. Wahclella is one of the more interesting falls in the gorge. The most obvious portion is the lower drop, where the water drops from a hidden, narrow gorge 65 feet into a large open canyon. Above the lower falls is a semi-hidden upper falls in the main stream. You can see this 50 footer from the end of the trail loop. In the winter months, there is a third tier visible from further back, particularly on the lower level trail. This seasonal falls, sometimes called East Fork Falls, is taller than either of the main stream tiers. This oddity makes Wahclella Falls different heights at different times of the year.

Past Wahclella Falls, the trail gains a bit of elevation and loops back toward the trailhead. There's a particularly good view of the 1973 landslide from a small bridge halfway back to the junction. When you reach the earlier trail junction, continue straight and head back to your car.