Hiking up Eagle Creek

One of the most popular hikes in the Portland area is Eagle Creek, deep in the Columbia River gorge.  This hike is popular for a reason, as it leads to gorgeous cliff-side views and some outstanding waterfalls.





Some may recall photos I've taken of the area over the years, especially of Punchbowl Falls, which we'll see more of here shortly.  On Sunday, I made some great time hiking up, and ended up going further than I had in the past before I decided to turn around.  I had to say, the new area I found (past the "high bridge") is gorgeous and worth the effort.





The day was reasonably warm, and although the air was damp it never really rained.  The hike was surprisingly crowded for a winter's Sunday (especially with the superbowl on) but aside from that it was a great day to be out.  It really is a great trail to conquer.



Previous photos of Punchbowl falls have had an annoying distraction, which luckily has been swept away over the winter.  When I visited this year, the giant log had fallen and washed up on the small rocky beach nearby.  I had to climb over it to get out into the stream and take this shot, but I sure am glad I had to... it looks a lot nicer without that log there.