The Columbia River Gorge is more than just a pretty face. Forest Service has designated it as a protected botanical area, due to the unique aquatic and woodland plants that grow throughout the canyon. The gorge reaches a depth of 4,000 feet and stretches for over 80 miles. Firefox casino oklahoma. Nearby Oneonta Gorge is a slot canyon with waist-high water, where the intrepid wader is rewarded with moss-covered walls and a fairytale waterfall. Families should consider the Wahclella Falls trail, a mostly flat, 3.2km/2mi round-trip hike with three waterfalls to enjoy.
July 14, 2015
A hidden slot canyon beckons hardy hikers
By Megan Hill
Photo at right: Lush rare botanical flora hangs from the basalt walls of Oneonta Gorge. Photo by Warren Morgan. Courtesy of Friends of the Columbia Gorge, www.gorgefriends.org
The Oneonta Gorge traces a narrow capillary, branching off from the main artery of the Columbia River along the Washington-Oregon border. Designated as a botanical area by the U.S. Forest Service, the 25 million year old basalt canyon is host to unique species of aquatic and woodland ferns, lichens and mosses that grow only in the Columbia River Gorge.
The Oneonta Gorge is also a favorite among hikers for its quartet of waterfalls, however, the Lower Oneonta Falls is the only one accessible directly through the Gorge.
Oneonta Gorge Trail
The first of four falls, the 100-foot high Lower Oneonta Falls is tucked at the far end of the slot canyon and tumbles over lush moss-covered walls. Middle and Upper Oneonta Falls, as well as Triple Falls, sit above the canyon and can be accessed via a different trail system that runs above the Gorge.
A verdant slot canyon beckons scores of hardy hikers for photos of the iconic Lower Oneonta Falls, but this hike is anything but a stroll along a traditional dirt trail. Oneonta Creek is your pathway and you’ll follow it upstream toward the sound of falling water. The hike is less than a mile roundtrip and the waterfall is a mossy gem tucked into the far end of the canyon.
You’ll descend a set of stone steps near the bridge crossing the mouth of Oneonta Creek. Walk along the creek for a few dry yards until you reach a large unstable wall of logs. Navigate this obstacle carefully as the jumble of logs and boulders identifies this section as the most challenging for visitors.
After the log jam be prepared for the best part of the hike—walking along the river bed. If the creek is running low, you’ll hit occasional dry spots otherwise you’ll feel like an intrepid jungle explorer as you ply the sometimes chest-high waters of the Gorge making your way upstream to the waterfall.
Be prepared to protect electronics and other essentials by bringing along a waterproof pack or bag. Wear sturdy shoes knowing they will get wet, preferably paired with neoprene water socks.
The best time to visit the Gorge is during the summer months when the water level is low and the weather is warm. Other times of the year the creek runs too high for safe trekking and is simply too cold for the duration of the hike.
Because the hike is easily accessible and close to the popular Multnomah Falls, many people hike the canyon to enjoy its cool walls and water during the warm summer season. Opt for an early morning on a weekend or on a weekday for a quieter hike.
Slot Canyon Columbia River Gorge Cabins
Trails and waterfalls above the Oneonta Gorge
To see Oneonta Gorge from above, head to the Horsetail Falls Trail. This easy, 2.6-mile loop is rewarding because you’ll pass three waterfalls and glimpse Oneonta Gorge from above.
You’ll start at the thundering 176-foot Horsetail Falls, climbing a few gentle switchbacks before reaching a junction at 0.2 miles. Bear right toward the 80-foot Ponytail Falls. Here, the trail notches into the canyon wall allowing hikers to venture behind the spray of the falls.
You’ll parallel the highway for a short distance before turning deeper into the forest and above the Gorge. The trail leads to a footbridge spanning Oneonta Creek and Lower Oneonta Falls below, where you can peer into the Gorge.
After you cross the bridge, you have an optional side trip to the left, toward Middle and Upper Oneonta Falls and Triple Falls. Alternatively, you can walk along the road on a sidewalk most of the way back to Horsetail Falls and the highway.
Trip Details/Resources
Distance: 0.6 miles round trip along the creek bed. Trailhead Directions: From Portland, follow I-84 to exit 35 toward Historic Hwy/Ainsworth State Park. Turn right onto Historic Columbia River Highway, following signs for Multnomah Falls. Oneonta Gorge will be signed on your left after the tunnel. Green Trails Maps: Columbia River Gorge-West #428S Contacts: Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area, www.fs.usda.gov/crgnsa
Resources
Slot Canyon Columbia River Gorge Campground
www.nwhiker.com/CGNSAHike53.html www.world-of-waterfalls.com/ pacific-northwest-lower-oneonta-falls.html www.oregonhikers.org/field_guide/Columbia_River_Gorge_Hikes More Columbia Gorge hikes can be found at: www.oregonhikers.org and www.wta.org
Slot Canyon Columbia River Gorge Rafting
Megan Hill is a Seattle-based freelance writer. She specializes in writing about food, travel, and the outdoors. www.meganhillfreelancewriter.com
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Slot Canyon Columbia River Gorge National Park
Oneonta Gorge is a spectacular moss, lichen and fern clad slot canyon located on the Oregon side of the Columbia Gorge. With cliff walls towering some 150 feet to the forest above, the lower gorge has been cut by Oneonta Creek through layers of basalt flows dating back 25 million years ago to the Miocene epoch. The Lower Gorge also has the distinction of being a United States Forest Service designated biological reserve area which is home to several rare species of mosses, ferns, lichens, and hepatics (Liverworts) that are found nowhere else on earth, but within the Columbia River Gorge.
Hidden .3 miles at the end of the slot-canyon is the beautiful Oneonta Falls, a 60 foot plunge type waterfall which has carved itself into a sweeping notch of moss covered basalt. There is no trail through the canyon so be prepared to get wet as its stream walking and chest-deep wading as you hike up the canyon.
It is important to mention that there is a large and especially dangerous log-jam at the mouth of the canyon that led to the death of a young man in 2011. Exercise extreme caution when crossing the log-jam, beware of high-water conditions, and move slowly across the logs which are slick with moisture and algae. Also be aware of the very real danger of rockfall in the lower gorge. In the 1990′s, I found myself wading up the creek during a hot and busy Labor Day weekend, when two TV sized boulders came smashing down not more than ten feet away. I have also read of similar accounts of rockfall happening within Oneonta’s Lower Gorge; so know your limits, be alert and above all-else, enjoy this emerald clad crown jewel of our magnificent Columbia River Gorge.