Railcar Falls

Railcar Falls is a steep, boulder-choked cascade on the East Fork Duncan Creek in the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge, the biggest waterfall on the Duncan Creek hike. Blowdown and thick brush make it very hard to see. From the turnaround, walk back down the road, cross the road bridge, go around the crash barrier on the north side and take the obvious path up; about 25 yards from the road the trail branches left up the bluff. Cross the plank bridge over the West Fork, climb to the ridge, drop to a campsite above the East Fork and hike upstream past Lower Quad Falls, Quad Falls and Apron Falls to the junction signed for Railcar Falls. Continue up the main trail; from a switchback you can make out the lower cascades. A rugged user path across a steep, thorny slope gives a closer but unsatisfying view. Higher up, near the edge of a clearcut, a track leads right to a rocky rim with the best view of the upper tier. The logging road beyond is Longview Timberlands property. Return the same way.