Tunnel Falls
by Jeff Swan
Title
Tunnel Falls
Artist
Jeff Swan
Medium
Photograph - Photograph
Description
Tunnel Falls is the traditional turnaround spot for many on the Eagle Creek Trail, and it is indeed a splendid climax. Over the last thousand years, the falls have carved a majestic basin here, plunging 160 feet from towering basalt cliffs to the rushing creek-bed below. While this scene is impressive enough, the most bewildering aspect of the falls in the passageway behind them. Trail builders from the early 1900s blasted a tunnel behind the falls and then across the sheer rock face on their far side, making this area the slickest and perhaps, most precarious section of trail in the Columbia River Gorge. Looking downstream from the falls, you can see were the two forks of Eagle Creek converge, meeting at Grand Union Falls.
Please avoid the temptation to descend to the creek via the large slide on the near side, as so many have done before. Putting aside the obvious danger, the area is eroding before it's time, accelerating mother nature's intentions for the area.
Visitors to this area may choose to continue less than a half-mile ahead to the two-tiered, 200 foot Twister Falls (some guidebooks call it "Eagle Creek Falls"). It is well worth the minimal additional effort if time affords. It is difficult to see the full span of the cataract, but more impressive is the trail to it. Many have referred to this stretch as the "Vertigo Mile".
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Uploaded
August 13th, 2011
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Viewed 1,926 Times - Last Visitor from New York, NY on 03/24/2024 at 9:22 PM
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Comments (12)
Kathleen Struckle
Beautiful scene Jeff.Luck Ice Road Trucker.
Jeff Swan replied:
Thanks Kathleen and this trucker needs to get to bed lol hope to return and see you soon
David Bearden
Jeff, great work...where is this located?
Jeff Swan replied:
Thank you David This falls in at the end of the Eagle creek Trail off I 84 exit 42 I believe abpout six miles up on the trail there are camping spots and i think it is best to shoot it in the morning or evening around 7 pm