I am not sure if these falls were ever visible from the old highway or not. With the new I-84 bridges blocking the view from Moffett Creek, it is hard to tell. I suspect that they may have been visible, or easily accessed via a long, lost trail, since they did appear as a "major" falls on the old maps.... Less trees back then and so-forth and such... However, looking at Google Earth, it is pretty far up the canyon.

Northwest Waterfall Survey: Wahe Falls

Wahe Falls is the final of a series of nearly a dozen waterfalls along Moffett Creek in the heart of the Columbia River Gorge. The falls plunge about 80 feet over an amphitheater basalt formation, common at most waterfalls in the Gorge. Moffett Creek doesn't have a terribly large drainage, but it moves a fair amount of water in the wet season. Evidence of a significant flash flood of some kind was seen at the base of the falls in the form of significant scouring along the stream bed and it appears several trees that formerly stood around the falls have been washed away. During the spring carpets of Yellow Fawn Lilies can be seen growing on top of a series of huge boulders encountered shortly before the falls are seen.

Known Alternate Names: Moffett Falls, Moffett Creek Falls

Height: 80 feet

"This fabulous, long canyon offers enticing scenery while boulder hopping along a broad and gently flowing stream. The initial first 1/2 mile of creek drainage is enjoyable and relatively easy. The inner natural beauty of this drainage to the first waterfall is a delight to experience. Moffett is a gently gurgling stream that gathers quietly in numerous crystal clear pools during the summer. You will find steep, luxuriant moss walls lined with Stonecrop and Maidenhair fern dee in a forest of velvety green, touched with the soothing fragrant scent of cedar in the air."

Where's Wahe?

While I am confident that the first falls on Moffett Creek is the historical Wahe Falls, today it is more commonly known by the name Moffett Creek falls or, sometimes, Kahonee Falls or Ka-Ho-Nee Falls.

"Though this waterfall has been commonly known as Moffett Falls or Moffett Creek Falls for many, many years, it seems that this stems largely from a mapping error that gave it's proper name to the next waterfall upstream. The proper name for this waterfall is in fact Wahe Falls, documentation for which dates back to at least 1916 and has been confirmed with sources from both the Mazamas (see the December 1916 journal) and the Oregon State Water Resources Department. Because the USGS has incorrectly labeled the next falls upstream as Wahe Falls for decades, this waterfall colloquially became known as Moffett Falls or Moffett Creek Falls. Exactly what Wahe means is not known."

"I think I've figured the Wahe thing out. Wahe was intended for Moffett Creek Falls. It was the name of a small Chinook tribe nearby. What we know as Wahe today was un-named. The mistake occurred when it was mapped. H.H. Riddell gives a description from 1916 of Wahe Falls (and describes Moffett Creek Falls), and goes on to mention the waterfall beyond it (Wahe). So, it seems to have been named by pure accident. I'm kind of glad it did though. It is a much more interesting waterfall, and being more remote than the other map-named falls, gives it a bit of mystique. I'm fairly certain that the name Wahe was arrived at when the Mazamas did that major renaming (including Wahclella and Wahkeena)."

"I've always felt that Wahe and Oneonta falls were mislabled on the USGS topos, causing a lot of confusion in subsequent years. IMO, it was really unlikely that off-trail waterfalls that were that far from the highway would have been well-known, much less named. There are very old photos of early visitors wading up Oneonta Gorge (there are steps leading down from the old highway bridge to the creek, after all), so that's why it's hard for me to believe that the middle falls that carries the name is actually correct. Ditto for Wahe, as you point out."

Approach

"Hiking to Wahe Falls entails traveling just over 1/2 mile up Moffett Creek from Gorge Trail #400. Crossing the creek will be necessary and this trek most likely is not possible without getting wet. There aren't any major obstacles to surmount other than the creek itself. Poison Oak is common in this drainage, so keep a watchful eye."

kiwimonster and bazzle, Ka-ho-nee-falls

There is no trail to where you are going. The Munra Point Trail, which is a little east of the footbridge will not help you. The sides of the canyon are dangerous. You must follow the creek.

There is no trail! Expect mud, slippery and loose rocks, slippery and loose trees, etc. A stout walking staff is invaluable for balance.

There are no bridges, except the one at the head of the creek. We had to cross the creek seven times. Sometimes you can cross on fallen trees. Sometimes you must wade. The water is cold. It's deep in spots. It's fast flowing in spots. Tree snags may be unstable.

This is a deep valley/canyon. Your GPS will have trouble getting a lock. Your FRS radio will not travel very far. Your cell phone won't work at all.

...tell someone where you are going, and when you expect to return.

"Park at a pullout next to Moffett Creek and walk the Gorge Trail #400 to the footbridge that crosses the creek. Follow the creek drainage south in a deep walled canyon. A cluster of house-sized boulders leaning against one another beckons you onward to the first waterfall pool at 1/2 mile."

Rather than parking on the freeway, hiking in on the new State Trail segment may be a better option, allowing also for a brief side trip to the Moffett Creek Bridge. Park at the John B. Yeon trailhead and take the last Gorge Trail #400 junction, just under the eastbound I-84 bridge over Moffett Creek, following the trail east to the footbridge.

One could also walk in on the State Trail westbound from Tanner Creek, however the parking at the Wahclella Falls trailhead is $5 while the Yeon trailhead parking is free.

Beyond the first falls

There are ten more waterfalls along Moffett Creek above the first falls, but the approach to these falls, either up from the first falls or down the drainage from above is a serious canyoneering adventure requiring technical rock climbing skills.

The links at the bottom of the page contain some great pictures of these impressive waterfalls, especially this one: Kwanesum and the falls of Moffett Creek.

"In late November 2008 Joe, Eliza, Evan, and Zach made a successful 2-day descent of the entire Moffett Creek drainage. They suggested the name Kwanesum for the tall 160' fourth waterfall. There are numerous smaller falls in the upper valley as well."

This 2008 exploration is well documented on the Portland Hikers Forum in the post Kwanesum and the falls of Moffett Creek. There are some amazing photos of the upper Moffett waterfalls posted here, as well.

2nd Waterfall: Upper Wahe Falls, Wahe Falls

"...is about 1/4 mile above the first falls."

Northwest Waterfall Survey: Upper Wahe Falls

Height: 42- 50 feet

The second to last waterfall along Moffett Creek has for the longest time been referred to as Wahe Falls, per the USGS Tanner Butte quadrangle. However, in digging through old journals of the Portland-based Mazamas, according to their December 1916 publication it turns out that the name Wahe was originally applied to the final waterfall along Moffett Creek and the USGS has had the incorrect waterfall marked with this name for decades (a precedent which isn't uncommon in this part of Oregon it seems). Data available from the Oregon State Water Resources Department seems to back this up, referring to the fish-blocking lowermost waterfall as Wahe Falls. Given this mixup, we've opted to refer to this waterfall as Upper Wahe Falls.

3rd Waterfall: Apocalypse Falls

"...follow the stream to the third falls, which is about 3/4 miles further. The third falls is near vertical and 25' high. ... The third falls is at the 1100' level and is 1 1/2 miles in from the highway."

"Apocalypse Falls is the Colloquial name of this waterfall."

4th Waterfall: Kwanesum Falls

"A fourth larger falls (Kwanesum) is about 160' in height. Here the canyon closes in and becomes quite serious. ... The fourth falls is just beyond [the third falls]."

Northwest Waterfall Survey, Kwanesum Falls,

Kwanesum Falls is the largest waterfall along Moffett Creek, with a drop of about 145 feet in a narrow recessed amphitheater. There is no developed access to the falls, and the terrain around it is so rugged that the only possible access to the falls requires technical climbing skills.

The falls have no official name. The name Kwanesum has been proposed by two intrepid Portland area waterfall hunters who are thought to be the first to see the falls from the ground. Kwanesum is a Chinook word meaning "forever, eternity or always".

5th Waterfall: Upper Moffett Falls

Northwest Waterfall Survey, Upper Moffett Falls

Height: 45 feet

Upper Moffett Falls is the Unofficial name of this waterfall.

Links

Columbia River Images: Moffett Creek

http://columbiariverimages.com/Regions/Places/moffett_creek.html

CLICK HERE to continue exploring the Highway