OR A BETTER WAY TO VISIT ANGELS REST WHILE SEEING THE DEVIL AT THE SAME TIME

Angels Rest is one of the most popular hikes in the Columbia River Gorge. The hike lies close to Portland. The climb is reasonably easy with views back down towards Portland. It is probably too popular at times. Weekends can find a hundred or more cars parked alongside the roads. Even during the week, it pays to get to the trailhead early in the day. Overall, that hike gains 1550 feet – 472 meters – over about 2.3 miles – 3.7 kilometers. Not far away lies Wahkeena Falls.

Here is the better way.

OPTION B – WAHKEENA FALLS

Drive on along the Old Historic US 30 highway past all the parking area for the Angels Rest trailhead. A half mile to the west of Multnomah Falls is Wahkeena Falls. Renamed in 1915 by a local climbing club, the Mazamas, Wahkeena is the Yakama word for “most beautiful”. Northwest Waterfall Survey gives it a rating of 51.62 putting it down the list here in the Gorge. That is a bit harsh, however, as the waterfall is certainly a majestic one plunging through a narrow cleft in the basaltic cliffs in two drops, covering 242 feet – 73.76 meters – with the tallest drop 180 feet – 54.86 meters.

Any parking lot along old US Highway 30 fills up during the day. Wahkeena is no exception, especially being so close to Multnomah Falls. There is room for 30-40 cars. Come early! You want to come early not only for a parking spot, but to make the best of the sun for all of those photos.

wahkeena falls

The waterfall lies a hundred feet above the highway and the viewpoint above the parking area. From the viewpoint, cross the little bridge over the creek on the west end – right, facing the falls. The trail leading off to the left goes to Multnomah Falls, final section of another much more popular loop. That loop goes up Multnomah, across and down Wahkeena and back. You will not be lonely on this hike.

lemmon point

A big switchback takes you up to the falls’ base which you observe from a pretty stone built bridge. After taking in the falls for a bit, it is time to start the hike. A dozen switchbacks takes you up to the end of the paved path with a viewpoint at – 604 feet 184 meters – here dedicated to a firefighter who lost his life up here in 1983 – Edward Lemmon.

up canyon to fairy falls

Wahkeena Creek is only about a mile long, but a large spring up high keeps the water flowing yearlong. The trail moves up above the falls through the narrow slot canyon. Above and all around are signs of the devastating Eagle Creek fire of 2017. After crossing a couple footbridges, there is another dozen switchbacks up to Fairy Falls. This is a pretty 20 foot – 6 meter – high falls on a tributary of Wahkeena Creek. Fairy Creek is 1.1 miles up from the trailhead.

wahkeena spring

The Vista Point trail takes off here to the left – part of Fairy Creek using that trail. Stay right heading up higher to Wahkeena Spring reached in another 0.3 miles. Here, the trail you have been on, #420 Wahkeena Trail, bends to the left, east, to head over to Multnomah Creek. Track instead to the right on the Angels Rest Trail #415.

out of wahkeena basin and onto Angels rest

This trail is much more quiet leading previously through forest roughly level though with an area of switchbacks about a mile along the way. The views before the fire were fairly limited, but they are now expansive with much of the way reduced to a ghost forest. At the top of the switchbacks, you cross Mist Creek near its beginning point.

The creek lower down is responsible for the magnificent Mist Falls dropping 520 feet – 158 meters – in two drops, the tallest drop being a 300 foot plunge. Mist Falls, second-highest in Oregon after Multnomah, only gets a 39.74 rating because of its low volume, but seeing it in the winter or spring, the waterfalls vaults up high on my list. As you cross the creek on the log footbridge, you have no indication of the drama much lower down.

mist creek

approaching heaven

Over the next mile and a half, you wander through forest, some burned, some survived. Views to the north include the Silver Star complex in Washington with peekaboo looks at St Helens, Mt Adams and even a slight glimpse of Rainier. Rounding a turn to the south, you then glimpse Angels Rest below you through the burnt trees.

Note: the following pictures of Angels Rest are from an earlier hike with Ollie. There were a lot of people atop the Rest – as there always tends to be – when we reached here. We decided to leave them alone on this day.

ANGELS REST

360 view from atop Angels Rest – Click and move with mouse for full effect.

Drop down to Angels Rest – 1600 feet 488 meters elevation – for the views and the company of the folks coming up the “normal” route.

ON TO THE DEVIL

After taking in the angelic views, backtrack to a trail junction marked with an unofficial sign pointing to Devils Rest. This “unofficial” trail is known as the Foxglove Trail. It is as well laid out as the official trails you have been on. The path gives a totally different vibe as the forest it leads through was spared from the fire. Very few views except of the forest as a result, but here you can see what the Gorge was and will be again.

NO REST FOR THE WICKED?

The trail leads slowly up through the forest coming to a junction after 0.4 miles – elevation 1940 feet 591 meters. Bear right on the “Upper Foxglove” path. Another 0.4 miles gets you up to one high point – 2180 feet 664 meters – before dropping you – 0.3 miles – back down to another unofficial trail leading off to the left. Stay right and climb the last 0.3 miles to Devils Rest 2460 feet 750 meters elevation.

Devils Rest does not have the drama of Angels Rest being hidden in the trees. That is probably as it should be?

DEVILS VISTA

The views have opened somewhat with the fire but to really experience the vistas continue on the now “official” Devils Rest Trail #420C dropping in about a quarter mile to a sidepath leading to a dramatic viewpoint atop the Wahkeena Basin. From the point – 2215 feet 675 meters – you have a magnificent view over the Gorge to the east – Bonneville Dam, Beacon Rock, Hamilton Mountain, St Helens, Adams, Rainier. Close at hand on the Oregon side is Nesmith Point and Palmer Peak, the highest knobs to the east. You can see how the fire used the high dry winds to burn east facing crests. Forest lower down on the west side – for example, Wahkeena Basin beneath, were spared.

RETURN FROM THE DEVIL

The Devils Rest Trail circles around the crest of the Wahkeena Basin to eventually drop down to the Wahkeena Trail #420 after 1.7 miles 2.7 kilometers. Much of the elevation loss, 500 feet of the 900 feet, is done in the last half mile.

VISTA POINT OPTION

Back at the Wahkeena Trail, you can either drop back to Wahkeena Springs in 0.3 miles and retrace your steps to the bottom of the falls or take the Vista Point Trail which adds another 0.4 miles to the hike. The Vista Point trail is also steeper and the viewpoint – 1102 feet 336 meters – focuses more on the large parking lot at Multnomah Falls. The trail rejoins the Wahkeena Trail at the bottom of Fairy Falls.

BACK TO THE FAIRIES

LOLLIPOP IS COMPLETED

Another 0.7 miles takes you back past Wahkeena Falls to your car in a now filled parking lot.

You could do the trip clockwise, gaining most of your 2300 foot 716 meter elevation in the initial 3.5 miles 5.6 kilometers. Going counterclockwise gives you better light for you pictures and more time to gain the elevation. Either way, the experience is heavenly.