The vine maples were leafing out.
Eagle Creek to Punchbowl Falls, Finally! (4-5-15)
Eagle Creek to Punchbowl Falls, Finally! (4-5-15)
I'm Oregon-raised (not quite born), but had somehow NEVER hiked the Eagle Creek Trail until this past weekend. Got my husband and daughter out there with me.
Since this was my first time, I'm not sure what things look like normally, but there seemed to be a fair amount of water in the creek, as well as a fair amount of runoff and drippiness along the trail.
The vine maples were leafing out. And we did see flowers. We had fun with the little crossings along the way. Then we found the spur trail to Lower Punchbowl Falls. I don't know if this is always here, but someone had constructed a little jetty, which we walked out onto to see the bigger falls. I briefly considered taking off my shoes and socks and wading (hey, I was wearing wool socks!), but concluded it was probably a little chilly still for that. I definitely want to go further next time, but we turned around here. On the way back, I stopped to admire the plant life. Flowering Oregon Grape I believe these were mentioned here recently? And more flowers. We had arrived around 9:30 Easter morning, and the trailhead parking lot was full. Being unsure whether we should park on the roadside (apparently you can), we turned around and parked further back. It didn't seem crowded until we were on our way back, though. We did see probably 6-8 backpackers hiking down. They said it was cold Saturday night.
The vine maples were leafing out. And we did see flowers. We had fun with the little crossings along the way. Then we found the spur trail to Lower Punchbowl Falls. I don't know if this is always here, but someone had constructed a little jetty, which we walked out onto to see the bigger falls. I briefly considered taking off my shoes and socks and wading (hey, I was wearing wool socks!), but concluded it was probably a little chilly still for that. I definitely want to go further next time, but we turned around here. On the way back, I stopped to admire the plant life. Flowering Oregon Grape I believe these were mentioned here recently? And more flowers. We had arrived around 9:30 Easter morning, and the trailhead parking lot was full. Being unsure whether we should park on the roadside (apparently you can), we turned around and parked further back. It didn't seem crowded until we were on our way back, though. We did see probably 6-8 backpackers hiking down. They said it was cold Saturday night.
--Kathleen. Or K-Mac. As in KMC, because that's what people have taken to calling me here. :-)
Re: Eagle Creek to Punchbowl Falls, Finally! (4-5-15)
Yep, I brought up fiddleheads as being edible.
They kinda taste like almonds
Thanks for the tip Les Stroud "Survivorman"
They kinda taste like almonds
Thanks for the tip Les Stroud "Survivorman"
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Waffle Stomper
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Re: Eagle Creek to Punchbowl Falls, Finally! (4-5-15)
Looks like a fine trip. Thanks for sharing.
"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe." - John Muir
Re: Eagle Creek to Punchbowl Falls, Finally! (4-5-15)
Good you finally got up there! Just around where the third picture is taken, there is a vertical petrified tree in the cliff on your left (and a horizontal one a little further up and a touch north) - something to look for next time!
Some people are really fit at eighty; thankfully I still have many years to get into shape…
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woodswalker
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Re: Eagle Creek to Punchbowl Falls, Finally! (4-5-15)
Eagle creek is always wonderful no matter how far or short of a hike you do, it always feels like you saw the most spectacular places.
Woodswalker
Woodswalker
Re: Eagle Creek to Punchbowl Falls, Finally! (4-5-15)
Crazy that flowers are blooming and trees are leafing out already. Also, from memory that rock jetty was there as of a few years ago but maybe not so well established. My wife and I walked to about the same point as you did by rock hopping. We were there in later May though so did eventually get our feet wet (and cold).