With the last lingering days of winter, we find ourselves looking back on past adventures, and this image of hiking out from behind Tamanwas Falls (near Mount Hood, Oregon). Tamanawas Falls is a broad curtain of Cold Spring Creek that thunders over a 110-foot lava cliff.
The hike begins at the Tamanawas Falls Trailhead. From the large parking area, take the trail through the woods toward the roaring East Fork of the Hood River. You'll cross the raging stream on a massive log bridge. Turn right after crossing the bridge, and follow the East Fork Trail #650 north as it gradually climbs high above the river and highway. At the half-mile mark, pass a viewpoint and round the corner into Cold Spring Creek canyon, passing the East Fork-Tamanawas Falls Trail Junction. Keep left and drop down the slope towards a bridge over Cold Spring Creek. The continuation of the East Fork Trail heads north.
After crossing the creek, the Tamanawas Falls Trail ambles upstream, always within sight of the rushing stream, which tumbles over a series of tiny waterfalls. Engelmann spruce, western red cedar, and Douglas-fir form the forest canopy. At 1.5 miles, begin climbing above the creek. Pass the signed Tamanawas Falls-Tamanawas Tie Trail Junction on the right and look up to admire the andesite cliff faces. Below, Cold Spring Creek rushes through Sitka alder thickets. Switchback up through a large boulder field. Beyond the rockfall, the trail enters the forest and soon arrives at a fine view upstream of Tamanawas Falls. From here, the sure-footed hiker can climb the talus to the right of the falls to reach the grotto behind the falls.
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