Trekks and Travels: Horsetail Falls TH and Elowah Falls TH hikes 24 May 2013

The weather forecast was for rain, but I needed to get outside so I decided to go ahead and hike in the Gorge. I chose two trailheads that had sections that led to additional falls. I arrived at Horsetail Falls TH at around 9:15a and there were two cars in the lot. It was not raining but the clouds were low and fog was covering the hills. It was beautiful! The trees dripped on me the entire hike. After visiting Horsetail Falls from the road, and Ponytail falls (.2 mi in) I hiked to Oneonta Falls and footbridge. So pretty in the canyon. The photos don't show the majestic size of it all. At the junction, I headed left to Triple Falls another 300 ft and one mile up the gorge. This was beautiful too, with a footbridge on which I could prop the camera to take some slow shutter speed water shots. Headed back and finished up the loop, though you do have to walk along the road for .5 miles.
From Horsetail Falls TH I headed east to the Elowah Falls TH. I ate lunch on the way. The trail to Elowah isn't remarkable, it is along the road, but the falls magnificent, dropping in a single stream into a basalt bowl. There is a footbridge, however, in crossing it, I got soaking wet from the wind emanating from the spray. But as I walked I managed to dry out a bit. I backtracked .4 mi to the junction with Upper McCord Creek Falls and hiked up to it 1 mile. The trail rims one of those huge basalt monoliths with a skinny carved out path lined with a rail (good thing) and the wall of rock covered in wildflowers. The view is across to Beacon Rock and Hamilton Mtn. McCord Creek falls were double falls, very pretty, lush green surroundings. The trail ended at the falls.