Punch Bowl Falls

Punch Bowl Falls is a 35-foot plunge at the end of a stunning slot canyon on Eagle Creek in the Columbia River Gorge, where the water drops into a perfectly circular emerald pool that gives the waterfall its name. The pool is surrounded by sheer walls of mossy basalt that curve inward like the sides of a giant bowl, creating an intimate amphitheater of stone and water. The turquoise color of the pool contrasts dramatically with the dark rock and the bright green moss, making this one of the most photographed waterfalls in Oregon.

The 3.8-mile round-trip Eagle Creek Trail follows one of the most spectacular canyon trails in the Pacific Northwest, traversing narrow ledges blasted into the cliff face with cable handrails, passing behind a smaller waterfall, and offering dizzying views into the gorge below. The trail gains 600 feet gradually, with the most dramatic sections in the first mile where the path clings to the canyon wall high above Eagle Creek.

The Eagle Creek Trail has been closed intermittently since the 2017 Eagle Creek Fire and subsequent storms. Check with the US Forest Service for current trail status before visiting. When open, this is one of the premier waterfall hikes in the Gorge. The trail continues beyond Punch Bowl to several more waterfalls for those wanting a longer adventure.