Grand Union Falls
Hood River County, Oregon
Your visit at a glance
- Waterfall height
- 41 ft (12.5 m)
- Location
- Hood River County, Oregon
- Access status
- Long canyon trail with a tree-filtered view of the falls
- The walk
- 5.7 miles one way, per Oregon Hikers
- Ground & access
- Gently graded but long trail, blasted from cliffs in places, with cable handrails above vertical drops. Uneven, treacherous footing on the Potholes section.
Grand Union Falls drops 41 feet over columnar basalt into a large pool, just below the confluence of the East and West Forks of Eagle Creek. Follow the Eagle Creek Trail up the canyon past Punch Bowl Falls, the High Bridge, Four and a Half Mile Bridge and Wy'East Camp. Past Blue Grouse Camp, the trail crosses a cable-railed cliff section on sheared basalt columns called the Potholes; Grand Union Falls is seen down on Eagle Creek from here, before the trail reaches Tunnel Falls. Trees partly block the view from the trail. A clear view needs a climb down to the creek, which is not part of this route.
Plan your visit
Eagle Creek Trailhead, Eagle Creek Trail #440 to the Potholes section between Blue Grouse Camp and Tunnel Falls
Oregon Hikers places Grand Union Falls 5.7 miles on foot from the Eagle Creek Trailhead. Return the same way.
Gently graded but long trail, blasted from cliffs in places, with cable handrails above vertical drops. Uneven, treacherous footing on the Potholes section.
Where to start
Eagle Creek Trailhead at the end of the road from I-84 Exit 41, which has no westbound exit. If the lot is full, use the Eagle Creek Day Use Trailhead.
Timing & water
Oregon Hikers lists the trail as year round. Overnight camping is allowed only above the High Bridge, and campfires are not allowed.
Before you go
Oregon Hikers: Northwest Forest Pass (or America the Beautiful Pass) required; a drop box at the trailhead sells day passes.
Visitor informationVisit sources
More waterfalls nearby
Within 40 straight-line miles. Road and trail distances will differ.
Tunnel FallsLong established cliffside trail; walk behind the falls172 ft (52.4 m) · Hood River County, OR0.1 miE- Twister FallsLong gorge trail with cable-railed cliff sections to the falls148 ft (45.1 m) · Hood River County, OR0.2 miSE
- Wy'east FallsEstablished trail route and trailhead documented; long cliffside hike157 ft (47.8 m) · Hood River County, OR0.8 miNW
- Tenas FallsLong trail to a bridge-side view documented18 ft (5.5 m) · Hood River County, OR1.6 miNW
- Four Mile Falls95 ft (28.9 m) · Hood River County, OR1.7 miNW
- Skoonichuk FallsEstablished cliffside trail to a trailside view48 ft (14.6 m) · Hood River County, OR1.9 miNW
Loowit FallsEstablished cliffside trail to a viewpoint across the canyon78 ft (23.8 m) · Hood River County, OR2.3 miNW
Punch Bowl FallsResearched visit notes36 ft (11 m) · Hood River County, OR3.2 miNW
Lower Punch Bowl FallsCanyon trail and spur to the shoreline beside the falls12 ft (3.7 m) · Hood River County, OR3.4 miNW