Vicinity Location:
50 miles east of Portland, Oregon in the Columbia River National Scenic Area.
Directions:
From Portland, Oregon, take I-84 east to the Wyeth exit, turn right at the bottom of the off ramp, in about 50 feet turn right again onto Herman Creek Road. This is also the Historic Oregon US 30 route. Follow the road about 0.2 mile and make a left into the Wyeth Trailhead parking lot.
There is a bathroom at this trailhead and no permits are needed to park.
Length and Elevation: Total length is 10.7 miles out and back. Total elevation gain is 1,500 feet and 1,500 foot loss. Elevation at the trailhead is 151 feet, the high point is 1,027 feet.
Trails:
Gorge Trail #400, Emerald Falls Trail, Herman Creek Trail #406 with connections to several trails..
There is a geocache along the trail at: N 45° 41.428 W 121° 46.360 Info at Geocaching.com
Trail Maps:
Topo Map, Download Garmin .gpx file, Open Garmin .gpx file
Review: February 4, 2024
Walk towards the freeway and turn right on the bike trail, cross the footbridge over Wyeth Creek, turn right, and walk through the campground to Trail 400. Walk on the obvious trail heading into the gorge, heading heading south, and after walking about 500 feet you’ll see a bridge crossing the Wyeth Creek. Cross over the bridge and then, turn to the right, and start climbing up the 400 trail.
Follow the 400 trail as it gently climbs up the side of the gorge heading west. You walk through an nice forest of middle-aged Douglas fir trees.
After 1.8 miles you come to a hop across stream crossing. Pick the best route and continue along the 400 trail. Enjoy the sounds of the rushing water as it cascades down to the Columbia river.
By now you have left the freeway noise behind and only the horns from the distant freight trails transiting the Gorge can be heard.
At 2.9 miles is a smaller seasonal stream that you can easily hop across.
Just past the creek is an old cistern that’s covered with old rusty guardrail. If you stop and listen, you can hear the water splash into the cistern. The cistern has an overflow culvert that appears to usually be dry.
Soon after the cistern, you go through a little valley with a small grove of cedar trees. Not all of these survived the fire.
At just over 4 miles the trail levels out and begins to swing left to go up Hermann Creek. At about 4.4 miles you come to a trail junction for the trail for Gorton Creek Trail, number 408.
Turn right here and in about 20 feet you’ll pass away trail to the left that goes to the Herman Creek camp. Walk on down the trail to the Wilderness box and turn left onto the Herman Creek Trail.
About 500 feet along the trail you’ll come to a junction for the Nick Eaton Way. Continue along the Herman Creek Valley.
Continue along the mostly level trail up the valley and at 5.3 miles you reach Nick Eaton Falls. It is about 100 foot cascading falls down the face of the cliff.
On the way back, near the end of the hike, once you cross the bridge over Wyatt Creek turn right on the wide trail just past the bridge and walk upstream about a quarter of a mile to Emerald Falls. It is a very nice waterfall, maybe 10 foot high, surrounded by a narrow Canyon.
This is a low elevation hike and can be done anytime except in times of low-elevation snow. After a snowstorm the trails can be snow-filled for a few weeks and may require micro-spikes.
The CAT bus stops here and provides some opportunities for shuttle hiking or hiking without using your car.
Enjoy the photos!!
Gallery Pics
Switchback Steve
Recent Comments