Oneonta Gorge

Oneonta Gorge is a sheer-walled basalt slot carved by Oneonta Creek at the east end of the Multnomah Falls complex. There is no trail in the conventional sense. The route walks up the creek bed, climbs over a large and often unstable log jam at the gorge mouth, and wades through waist- or torso-deep water in the canyon beyond, finally ending at Oneonta Falls. The whole thing is about a mile round trip, but hours of effort in cold water.

The route has been closed since the 2017 Eagle Creek Fire because of severe slope instability and log jam hazards; it may eventually reopen under a permit system. When open, August through October offers the only realistic wading window — the water is painfully cold in other months. Summer weekends drew large crowds that defeated the canyon's intimate character. The gorge walls soar sixty to a hundred feet straight up and glow green with ferns and mosses.

Do not attempt this route while it remains officially closed. The log jam has continued to grow and is considered unstable. Cold-water immersion, confined-space rescue difficulty, and flash-flood potential from upstream storms all raise the consequence significantly. Check Columbia Gorge trail closure lists before any visit.