Tumalo Falls Day Use Area

Tumalo Falls Day Use Area

Tumalo Falls is a day-use area in Deschutes National Forest about 12 miles west of Bend. The highlight of the area is Tumalo Falls, a beautiful 97-foot waterfall. Additionally, there are several more very scenic waterfalls in the area and a network of trails to explore. There is a $5 fee per vehicle to visit, payable at a self-serve kiosk in the parking area.

Directions:

From Bend, head west on Galveston Avenue, which becomes Skyliner Drive. After about 10 miles, make a slight right onto Tumalo Falls Road (FS 4603) and follow to the parking lot at the end.

Hiking:

Bridge Creek Trail:

Bridge Creek Trail runs west from Tumalo Falls heading upstream along Bridge Creek. This trail leads through the Bend Municipal Watershed and permits are required. The permits are free and can be obtained from a kiosk at the trailhead. To protect the watershed, dogs, horses, bikes, and camping are prohibited.

North Fork Trail:

North Fork Trail leads from Tumalo Falls to Happy Valley, generally following Tumalo Creek upstream. Besides Tumalo Falls, there are several other scenic waterfalls along the trail.

Waterfalls:

There are a lot of waterfalls in this area. I've only visited a few, but would love to explore this area more thoroughly if I ever return to Bend.

Bridge Creek Falls:

Bridge Creek Falls is a pretty waterfall along Bridge Creek, about a mile from the trailhead along Bridge Creek Trail.

Double Falls:

Double Falls is a very scenic double waterfall along Tumalo Creek. The upper portion is a 25-foot slide followed almost immediately by a 30-foot drop. There is a huge rock outcrop along the trail that makes a perfect viewing spot for the falls. However, the rock outcrop is probably close to 100 feet above the creek, so use caution and don't get too close to the edge. The waterfall is about a mile upstream of Tumalo Falls along North Fork Trail. Upper Tumalo Falls is just upstream and may be considered part of this waterfall.

Tumalo Falls:

Tumalo Falls is a beautiful 97-foot waterfall. There is a viewing point near the parking lot to get a straight-line view of the falls, albeit from a distance. Following the trail up to the top, you can also see the falls from the side and the top.

Upper Tumalo Falls:

Upper Tumalo Falls is a very nice triple waterfall on Tumalo Creek, just upstream of Double Falls. The naming of this waterfall is a little confusing and I'm not positive I have the correct name. Moreover, this may be considered to be part of Double Falls, since the two are so close together. However, if that's the case, then Double Falls actually has five tiers, which doesn't really make sense given the name. So I'm just calling this one Upper Tumalo Falls and considering it separate from Double Falls.