A moderate 4.2-mile hike to a 100-foot waterfall; recreation pass required; direct access is currently closed due to a 2025 washout, requiring a scenic detour via alternate trails.
Recreation Pass required at trailhead
Best times to visit are May through October
Tamanawas Falls is a 100-foot waterfall reached via a moderate 4.2-mile hike in Mt. Hood National Forest. A recreation pass is required. Direct access from the Tamanawas Falls Trailhead is currently closed due to a December 2025 washout; access requires a detour via Polallie Trailhead, Elk Meadows Trail #645, and Tamanawas Tie Trail #650B.
Confirm current trail status on the USFS website before driving. The detour adds distance and complexity but remains hikeable May through October. Best times are May through October; hikers should be prepared for the alternate route.
Best times to visit are May through October; confirm trail status on USFS website before hiking.
three to four hours (including detour route)
you need direct trailhead access, or you cannot accommodate a detour via Polallie Trailhead and Elk Meadows Trail.
Recreation Pass required at trailhead
Via a 4.2-mile round-trip trail rated moderate by the managing agency.
We track 17 waterfalls in Oregon Cascades.
There is 1 other waterfall we track in Hood River. All Oregon Cascades waterfalls →
fs.usda.gov
USFS Mt. Hood National Forest official trail page, checked Aug 2026; note: as of the check date, direct access from the Tamanawas Falls Trailhead is closed from a Dec. 2025 washout — a detour via Polallie Trailhead/Elk Meadows Trail #645/Tamanawas Tie Trail #650B reaches the falls
Checked August 2026.