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The approach
to Tunnel Falls is abrupt and startling. After traversing high
cliffs and broad scree slopes high above the river, the trail
suddenly enters a massive amphitheater where the Wahtum Lake
fork of Eagle Creek drops 200 feet over the sheer cliff. Most
amazing is the fact that the trail is carved into the face of
the cliff, halfway up, and passes behind the falls in a noisy,
dripping tunnel carved through solid basalt. The hikers in this
photo are not only 100 dizzying feet up from the splash pool,
but also 100 sheer feet below the brink of the falls - this is
Eagle Creek at it's best!
A word of
warning to timid hikers who have made it this far: a short section
of trail just outside the tunnel (roughly where the hikers in
this photo have just walked) is VERY narrow, and the hand cable
seems better aligned as a toe hold than for nervous hands. If
you've made it this far, keep in mind that this particular cliff,
and the next set are extremely exposed!
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