If youre heading out to hike Eagle Creek whether its your first time or your 50th there are a few factors to consider and some preparations to make (including packing the essentials) before leaving home. One of the most popular backpacking trails; there are multiple camping sites along the trail. As always this trail is absolutely amazing! After the devastating 50,000 acre 2017 fire that swept the gorge, Eagle Creek Trail . there are some very high cliffs and if you are afraid of heights or afraid of falling just be a little cautious. Nichols and Rhonda each had a policy on the other for the same amount of money. But what if, as Rhonda's family and friends believe, it wasn't an innocent fall? It was a cold day rain off and on. There is a hole in the trail approximately 1 mile from the trailhead, just past the first cable section. Backpacked to Moss Bridge (5ish mi) stayed the night and hiked to Tunnel Falls the next morning. Mike Arnold: And what's the potential crime for which you believe he's a suspect? "Steve, you have been accused of a despicable crime, that you pushed your girlfriend -- the mother of your daughter -- off of a cliff. I was crying nonstop. Standing on the High Bridge, you can see down the narrow gorge and also up the creek to small cascades. If it's a hot day take the time here to cool down and relax a bit before continuing on the the gem of the hike! However, recovery efforts from the 2017 Eagle Creek wildfire are still underway on some of these multi-day loop trail opportunities (Ruckel Creek #403, Tanner Butte #401, Eagle-Tanner #433, and Tanner Cutoff #448 trails remain closed). She was skidding toward a 100-foot drop off. Hike Type: Out and back. This waterfall is what makes this hike absolutely amazing! If you're looking for a campsite, Seven and a Half Mile Camp is a little farther up the trail. The bridge was damaged in the Eagle Creek Fire, with its floorboards completely burned, so it was replaced in October 2019, with the new version being airlifted in by helicopter. But as the night wore on and Stephen had more drinks, he became a little bit aggressive and rude.". Jamie Hale/The Oregonian. "Knowing her family, I'm gonna say it's made up," he replied. History: Built in the 1910s to accompany the opening of the Columbia River Highway, the Eagle Creek Trail was blasted out the cliffs . "And it was probably 45 feet long.". The small oaks on this steep slope were burned but are coming back from their bases. Starting at the trailhead, pass a weir, and then follow the wide well-groomed trail above the creek for a stretch. Elevation: 110 feet. While there isnt much elevation gain, weve rated this trail moderately difficult for some tricky crossings over streams and around landslides, and for the generally treacherous terrain. TTY (541) 386-8758 You are risking your life to save mine,'" Meads recalled. "If you're a young couple with a kid you should have life insurance," Arnold said. Eagle Creek Trail Moderate 4.5 (800) Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area Photos (5,435) Directions Print/PDF map Length 25.8 miElevation gain 4,829 ftRoute type Out & back Explore this 25.8-mile out-and-back trail near Cascade Locks, Oregon. Please remain silent Judge John Olsen: Hold on we all know what sustained means in this courtroom. That's all he could say. The route of the Eagle Creek Trail to Wahtum Lake (not a GPS track) (bobcat) Courtesy: Caltopo/USFS Start point: Eagle Creek Trailhead End point: Wahtum Lake Trail Log: Trail Log Hike Type: In and out or loop Distance: 26.1 miles (in and out) Elevation gain: 3610 feet High point: 3,725 feet Difficulty: Difficult Seasons: Summer into fall Some brave trail runners present! The next set of campsites, at . Van Sant asked Nichols. "I can tell that -- based on the injuries that she has, she -- she landed predominantly on her legs and her pelvis," Young testified. Eagle Creek Trail, Oregon (Photo: Chris Ebarb Photography/Moment Open via Getty Images) Reach the first campsite, Tenas Camp, at mile 3.7, after passing 50-foot Skoonichuck Falls. Loowit Falls is named after an old Indian woman of the same name who supposedly took care of an everlasting fire on the Bridge of the Gods over the Columbia before transforming into Mt. If you are there in the spring with snowmelt or on a rainy day keep an eye out for smaller falls emptying into Eagle Creek below. Gerry Tiffany: Pretty much the next morning. Deputy DeHaven: I believe that it's most likely or most probable that she was pushed. Within days, Rhonda's loved ones held a memorial where her mother says Nichols was acting strangely. Difficulty: moderate to difficult Length: 4.4 miles round-trip. You'll encounter eight major waterfalls along Eagle Creek and its tributaries, with lots of smaller and seasonal falls in-between. The trail down to Wahtum was very well maintained and easy. Hikers will find four primary waterfalls along the first seven miles of the trail though during the rainy season dozens of seasonal waterfalls flow off the cliffs into Eagle Creek. The trail is well groomed, just rocky and narrow in spots. To maintain an easy grade through this rugged canyon, the builders blasted ledges out of sheer cliffs, bridged . DO NOT try and use the trail by WyEast as a way to loop it back. She remembers her best friend as simply irreplaceable. They quickly made an improvised lifeline, made literally from the clothes off their backs. Please enter valid email address to continue. Is that what you're trying to do? Immediately off the exit at the stop sign, take a right and continue down Eagle Creek Lane past the Eagle Creek Fish Hatchery, keeping right down Eagle Creek Loop which ends at the trailhead. Bail was set at $2 million. Eagle Creek Trail in Columbia River Gorge reopens 3 years after devastating wildfire The U.S. Forest Service reopened the trail on Dec. 28. Most hikers either turn. It's just the way I deal with pain," he replied. She was an aspiring model, whose beauty had caught the eye of companies like Nike. Kayakers take the plunge through some rapids far below. A mysterious fall off a rain-soaked path. "all the details that we'd so far heard, none of those makes sense with just simply sliding and falling down," said Arneson. Download a Trail Description and Map (pdf). At an exposed cliff viewpoint, you can see across to Loowit Falls splashing in a thin pretty veil down to a pool with a final short drop to Eagle Creek. In April 2014, a secret grand jury heard evidence and indicted Stephen Nichols for the murder of Rhonda Casto. You have an attorney who's representing the state on this matter. Pass along another cliff face to reach Four and a Half Mile Bridge, only the second time you'll cross Eagle Creek. Rocky areas also become slippery after rain, or after many muddy boots have crossed over them. Cars were forced to turn around upon arrival, while some parked in precarious places beside the roads around the area a decision that risks towing, ticketing and endangering public safety. At the junction with the Lower Punch Bowl Trail #440B, you can descend 300 feet down into the gorge to a spot just upstream of Lower Punch Bowl Falls; however, the view of Punch Bowl Falls from the end of this spur trail no longer exists due to a 2018 landslide that blocked the creek (see the Eagle Creek to Punch Bowl Falls Hike). Because while the trail has largely healed from the 2017 Eagle Creek Fire, the flames of five years ago will keep this an unstable and dynamic place of falling trees and landslides for years to come. Jessica Colburn first met Rhonda when they were in high school. Remember, five long years had passed after Rhonda's death before Stephen Nichols was charged with her murder. The fourth cabled section of the trail takes you along a cliff 120 feet above the creek. Julia Simmons [looking at document]: Well, I see it here, so I must've done it. Ask the next question, please. However, as you enter the Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness beyond Wy'East Camp, you'll encounter larger stands of intact canopy where the fire was less intense. He passed the couple on the trail possibly minutes before Rhonda's fatal fall: Mike Arnold: And what did she look like? Van Sant asked Arnold. Check out this 11.9-mile out-and-back trail near Cascade Locks, Oregon. Mike Arnold says, so what? "He wanted to be with my other daughter and he wanted Rhonda out of the picture," Julia Simmons told Van Sant. Many have referred to this stretch of trail as the "Vertigo Mile". All rights reserved. "If Stephen Nichols murdered your daughter, why did he do it?" "I never really knew that they went hiking," she explained. Stephen Nichols' defense attorney, Mike Arnold, knows about the dangers of the Columbia River Gorge firsthand. Zach Urness has been an outdoors reporter in Oregon for 15 years and is host of the Explore Oregon Podcast. Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area Office Arnold read a portion of Jackson's email aloud in court: "I'm sending this to you today as a courtesy to let you know that I am resuming my intentions to research and write about this. (541) 308-1700 Now retired, Tiffany was the lead detective following Rhonda Casto's death in 2009. "Attraction right away?" (CASCADE LOCKS, Ore.) - Deputies say a 23-year old Portland woman died Monday afternoon after falling from a popular hiking trail west of Cascade Locks. "Yeah. See the other AllTrails of Eagle Creek to Wahtum and many people will report the same. Within this corridor, theres only one side trail to worry about: a short trip down to the water between Punch Bowl Falls and Lower Punch Bowl Falls. Nichols and his daughter, now 5, moved to Wuxi, about 75 miles from Shanghai. This page has been accessed 718,151 times. Soon, you'll come to the Punch Bowl Falls overlook, where you can view Punch Bowl Falls spouting into its circular amphitheater and magnificent deep pool below. But Rhonda also had a sense of humor, so I, I really--I don't know," said Nichols. Each year several unleashed dogs fall off of or chase other dogs off of the steep cliffs. Print/PDF map. "A mom can be like, you know, 'Oh well, I'm biased, because she's my daughter.' "And I kept saying, 'I don't even know who you are, but you are the most amazing man I've ever met. "I could hardly understand what he was saying he was crying so hard," Stephen Nichols Sr. said. Check out this 4.8-mile out-and-back trail near Cascade Locks, Oregon. The mountainous, wooded wilderness soaring above Oregon's Columbia River Gorge draws thousands of hikers every year to trek along its narrow trails. His father, also named Stephen Nichols, remembers it as a happy time. Table Mountain Trail via Pacific Crest Trail, Aldrich Butte Trail Via Pacific Crest Trail, Gorge Trail 400: Bridge of the Gods Trailhead to Wyeth, PCT: WA Section H - Cascade Locks to Highway 12 (White Pass), Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail, Greenleaf Falls Trail Via Pacific Crest Trail, Washington Backcountry Discovery Loop Route, Munra Point via Gorge Trail #400 [CLOSED], Ruckel Ridge and Ruckel Creek Loop Trail [CLOSED], Benson Plateau Trail to Wahtum Lake Loop [CLOSED]. Sheer cliffs have no hand rails on parts of this trail, so this hike is not recommended for children or those afraid of heights, despite its gentle overall grade. Plus cold weather gear Trail routing and conditions are subject to change. It was along the Eagle Creek trail that Rhonda Casto, a 23-year-old. Only after you pass the 7 and 1/2 mile camp will you enter an area where most of the trees are truly dead. There is a tunnel behind the 175ft falls that was dug out (with great effort) around 1910. "Had it been raining at the beginning, I wouldn't have gone up," said Nichols. Detectives from Hood River County, where Eagle Creek Trail is located, began investigating Rhonda's death. No conditions reported in the past 7 days. The Eagle Creek Trail runs 13.1 miles one way, from the main trailhead to a junction with the Pacific Crest Trail at Wahtum Lake, though few hike the whole thing. Tunnel Falls via Eagle Creek Trail #440. Meanwhile back in Oregon, Rhonda's mother, convinced her daughter had been pushed off the trail, kept pressuring investigators for answers. Hope you get out to, Soakin up those bluebird days at @mthoodmeadows, The fall colors are beginning to pop at Multnomah, A tranquil fall evening at Lost Lake, captured by, On these cooler fall nights, cozying up in front o, Who else is getting excited for the fall colors to, Hiking the Eagle Creek Trail to the Punchbowl waterfall, Important notes about the Eagle Creek Trail, The incredible Wahclella Falls trail in Oregon, The waterfalls in Starvation Creek State Park, Oregon, The stunning Dry Creek Falls hike near Cascade Locks, Oregon, What to do in Smith Rock State Park, Oregon. There are no guardrails to speak of. ", Mike Arnold: "Perhaps it's time to see what a panel of citizens will decide?". And Arnold thinks he knows why Rasmussen, after all that time, decided to act: Mike Arnold: There's an email that was read earlier into the record from Steve Jackson to you, dated February 17th, 2014. The trail is rocky in many areas and requires one to be paying attention so, make sure you stop once in a while to lift up your head to enjoy the beautiful surroundings and not miss some of the waterfalls. "You know, Peter, the funny thing about science is you don't have to believe in it for it to be true," he replied. "And if it was not an accident, then what was she thinking when she went down -- that the person that she thought loved her could have done this to her?" Arnold says there was no murder and that he can prove Rhonda's death was an accident. Most hikers either turn around at Twister Falls about seven miles in, at High Bridge after 3.6 miles, or at Punch Bowl Falls only two miles from the trailhead. Print/PDF map. You'll get a view to Grand Union Falls down on Eagle Creek; these falls are just below the confluence of the East and West Forks of Eagle Creek. "That has nothing to do with me, but I think a grand jury looked at the evidence and said there's enough here to go to trial. Carrie Rasmussen: Right. Soon you'll reach your second cliff face, also with a cable handrail. Moderate 4.7 (1786) Mount Hood National Forest. I fully expected to spend the rest of my life with her. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Waterproof hiking boots will save your feet from a very uncomfortable day. Campfires are not permitted though. The trail connects to several other remote, multi-day loop backpacking opportunities intheMark O. Hatfield Wildernesson the Hood River Ranger District in theMt. Do not park in front of fish hatchery or along roadways or in areas marked "No Parking." There is a self-service pay station at the picnic area and the trailhead. The trail crosses scree slopes that bloom with stonecrop in late spring. "You don't think about your friend's name being said and saying that she has died by falling off a cliff," Brandi Arneson said in tears. "And as she said that, he turned around and said, 'If you leave me, I'll kill you.'". When I'm really, really sad, I just -- I close down. Email, https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/crgnsa/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=29912&actid=50, Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, Aircraft/UAS/drone takeoffs and landings are prohibited, Effective Oct 20, 2022: Closure Update: Eagle Creek Fire, Drones prohibited in wilderness and select recreation sites, Klickitat Mile One Overnight Use & Large Boat Launch Prohibition, 11/7/22: Restroom closed for the winter; portable toilets available. on official, secure websites. ) or https:// means you've safely LockA locked padlock It's like a mini trial, with witnesses called. "That Rhonda had conveyed to them that if she didn't come back it was because Mr. Nichols pushed her," Tiffany testified. It wouldn't be long before the recently-divorced 30-year-old day trader took 20-year-old Rhonda Casto on their first date. She had hiked that trail numerous times before.". This trail offers some of the most spectacular scenery of any trail in the Gorge, including at least 5 waterfalls. Please consult a good, up to date map when planning backpacking trips. This page was last modified on 1 January 2023, at 00:10. ALLTRAILS and the AllTrails Mountain Design are registered trademarks of AllTrails, LLC in the United States as well as certain other jurisdictions. Van Sant asked Arnold. "When she said that, what-- how did you react?" Even on a dry day, the Eagle Creek Trail is extremely wet, as water constantly runs downhill over cliffs onto the trail. He also was ordered to write apology letters to 152 people trapped on the Eagle Creek trail because of the spreading flames, the city of Cascade Locks, the Forest Service, Oregon State Parks, the. The water flow changes during the seasons so each bridge or walk-over rocks present excitement each time you visit. Start point: Harvey Road Trailhead. CURRENTLY CLOSED DUE TO DAMAGE FROM A 2017 WILDFIRE. That's why we're here," said Jackson. A path leads up to some sites on a bench above the trail, and there are more campsites below. And I'm like, 'Yeah, that's -'". Watch social media channels from the U.S. Forest Service Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. More:Trapped by the Eagle Creek Fire, Salem teenagers survive night in the wild. Elevation gain: 2360 feet. A picture, taken by Rhonda herself and sent to her brother, shows red marks left from an alleged physical encounter with Nichols. Hikers have been rediscovering the beauty of Eagle Creek since it reopened on Jan. 1, more than three years after closing due to the Eagle Creek fire. To top it all off, Nichols met Landy Yin Yan and after about a year of dating, he proposed. I want to warn people that this beautiful hike is quite dangerous in certain weather conditions. There's another view of Punch Bowl Falls just beyond that viewpoint as you continue along the Eagle Creek Trail, and then you'll cross the Tish Creek Bridge, this version installed in 2017 and miraculously a survivor of the fire later that year. It is not safe to pass at this time. Penstemon, arnica, monkeyflower, and saxifrage cling to the rocky fastness. Use this route to get all the way to Wahtum. His daughter was sent to live with Rhonda's family. The trail is very beautiful, lots of falls, flowers, and berries. Nichols would soon find out for himself, when there was an unexpected knock on his bedroom door. Length 4.8 miElevation gain 1,020 ftRoute type Out & back. This two-tiered waterfall tumbles 200 feet in total to the canyon below twisting around basalt cliffs as it does so. Nichols says he hiked down to Rhonda's lifeless body and tried to resuscitate her. website belongs to an official government organization in the Stephen Nichols will stand trial for the murder of Rhonda Casto. "I spend probably 80 percent of my waking hours just reading. Then came a knock on the door. "Because he had an inkling that Rhonda was gonna leave him, and he didn't wanna pay child support," she replied. Wear some good shoes, hiking boots are best if you are walking more than 1 mile. This hike is not far from Portland and is best in the spring or early summer to really appreciate the beautiful waterfalls. Around milepost 5, hikers must register and issue themselves a permit. According to court filed documents, Melanie Casto will allege she began having sex with Nichols when she was just 15. Rounding a corner at a rocky viewpoint, you can see ahead to the High Bridge, which spans a spectacularly narrow sheer-sided gorge. The annual festival at @, Happy long weekend, everyone! Metlako Falls comes first after about 1.5 miles, though after the waterfall viewpoint washed out in 2017, the view is distant from the trail. But as the majority of trails have reopened . It affords spectacular views of the creek's slot canyon, where a cool, ethereal fog offers a reprieve on a hot summer day. Just down the trail nearing 4 miles you'll pass a campsite area called Tenas Camp. It was along the Eagle Creek trail that Rhonda Casto, a 23-year-old mother of a nine-month-old girl, set out with her boyfriend, Stephen Nichols, back on March 16, 2009. The PCTA (Pacific Crest Trail Association) has done a magnificent job in restoring the trail, and the tread is in excellent shape. For a full day and adventure, hike 6 miles (12 round-trip) to Tunnel Falls, a trek that takes you into the Gorges best taste of a wilderness adventure. The primary parking area is at the trailhead itself, with room for about two dozen vehicles. And she goes, 'OK, well, you're missing out. She was learning to play the piano She loved it. Most people who live in Oregon know the story of how the Eagle Creek Fire ignited a teenager tossed a firework off the trail on a boiling hot day in early September 2017. All dogs must be on leash. And I just immediately fell in love with her," said Nichols. Every year, there is a story about someone falling from this spot and injuring themselves. There is parking available all the way from the trailhead back to Eagle Creek Fish Hatchery. "This occurred in 2009, and yet there's no arrest in this case until 2015. The trail crosses a rocky wash above thickets of willow on the creek, and tiger lilies bloom at the trail verge in early summer. It is the most dramatic section of the hike for its vertical rise above the gorge floor. "I wasn't sure how to react. Before the bridge, a trail leads down to the cobbled shore and a swimming hole, a nice place to cool off on a hot day. "It's been really hard, just having no closure and not knowing what happened," friend Jessica Colburn said. What Ive always appreciated is how it can perfectly set up the type of day that you want to have. Arnold isn't buying the timing of the grand jury: Judge John Olsen: Miss Rasmussen, you can't object. Eagle Creek Trailhead approach and fee station information board. March 5, 2016 / 11:16 PM Free permits are self-issued at the Wilderness boundary. All campsites awesome and near water. In addition, two bridges, the Fern Creek Bridge and the High Bridge, had to be replaced because of fire damage. Not the trails fault that people dont know how to dig a hole or pack it out. As Stephen Nichols waited in jail, police gathered evidence for the murder trial on their theory that it was no accident. You'll reach the top of Twister Falls, with its necktie "crossover" of two streams of water. "I'm confident that he would be found guilty.". Two years into their stormy relationship, the couple allegedly had a shouting match one night in a bar that a witness says quickly escalated into a shocking threat. The best times to visit this trail are April through October. Those looking for extra mileage can continue down the trail, though a 14-mile round trip hike should be enough adventure for most. "She wasn't afraid to say things that she felt or wanted to say or do," Arneson recalled. Just last week, Judge John Olsen denied the defense's motion to dismiss. Past Tenas Camp, the forest was heavily burned in the 2017 fire. That's argumentative and leading. Length 11.9 miElevation gain 2,070 ftRoute type Out & back. "There's nothing about her face that's just not pretty, everything is pretty.". As you pass behind it just think about how much effort it must have taken back then to do this work far into this canyon! Also loop opportunities with other Gorge trails abound. "He couldn't write a book until the case was solved," said Tiffany. John Whaley: She was quite an attractive gal estimated to be in her younger 20s. "You seemed unmoved by Rhonda's death.". "Um, when we started off, it was actually a very nice day," he replied. Again, a great photo opportunity. Everything's gotta be just so," said Simmons. Please check the Mt Hood National Forest and Columbia River Gorge National Forest Closures for the latest information. Eagle Creek to Punchbowl Falls. Distance: 4.2 miles (round trip) Elevation gain: 525 feet. Across the creek, you'll may notice little Tenas Falls, where a tributary splits around a rock to make a twin plunge into Eagle Creek. You take it one day at a time," said Nichols. I -- I can find someone on my own.' Ten months later, Nichols and his daughter decided to take a trip back to Oregon. He lost, like, a quarter of a million dollars," said Julia Simmons. Eagle Creek Trail high above Oregon's Columbia River Gorge. Think about her. Arnold has tracked down a witness that investigators and prosecutors overlooked: John Whaley, the last person besides Stephen Nichols to see Rhonda Casto alive: Mike Arnold: So do you recall hiking up Eagle Creek Trail back on March 16th, 2009?