Photo by Adam Sawyer
This little adventure is indeed one-of-a-kind. The Oneonta Gorge is a slot canyon barely .6 miles long in the Columbia River Gorge. Designated by the U.S. Forest Service as a botanical area, the steep basalt walls of the canyon are home to numerous rare plants and an incredibly scenic waterfall. At just over a mile round trip this hike doesn’t set any distance records, but burning lungs and thigh muscles aren’t why people visit.
Photo by Adam Sawyer
The moment you descend the staircase leading to the creek, you’re welcomed with an air temperature that can be as much as 20 degrees cooler than where you parked. There may be no better place in the Columbia River Gorge on a hot summer day! The cool canyon is narrow, with 100-foot walls of rock on either side. First things first, however, you have to get the family up, over, and around a large log jam that changes with each season. Once the jam has been negotiated, the actual journey begins. Don’t bother looking for a trail here, Oneonta Creek is the trail.
This is definitely a warm weather endeavor that is going to require you to gauge your family’s abilities and tolerance for climbing and cold water wading. The water in the shaded creek is cold, and ranges from ankle deep to chest high. Good water shoes, a bathing suit, and the love of cold mountain water are definitely recommended. Now that I’ve scared you sufficiently, most folks make it out and back without issue.
Photo by Adam Sawyer
Shortly after the deepest wading, the 100 foot high Lower Oneonta Falls emerges from around a corner. The falls are long and elegant, with an invitingly swimmable splash pool. This area can become crowded on hot summer weekends, but having this grotto to yourself on a weekday is magic.
To get there take I-84 east to exit 35 and follow the Historic Highway 2 miles to a parking area just past the recently re-opened Oneonta Tunnel. Walk down a set of stairs located just before the bridge and begin making your way upstream.
