National Creek Falls Hike

Cheryl's News From Camp Webegone
August 11, 2016

Rich and I do have many adventures as we navigate national forest roads, getting misplaced, not seeing partially or mostly damaged road signs and using maps that are less than helpful. That sentence is a lead up to our most recent hike where our map was less than helpful and a critical road sign was badly damaged and we drove right past it and the turn off to National Creek Falls. After wandering around then realizing we were slightly misplaced we back tracked until locating the turn off to the falls. The hike to the falls is short, one half mile with a mostly gentle grade. I hike behind Rich, following behind enough that I am not eating all the dust he kicks up. As I am bending and crawling under a large fallen tree, I hear Rich exclaim, OH MY. When I stand up I am facing National Creek Falls which is breath taking. The falls remind me of Ramona Falls in the Mount Hood National Forest. Rich said the falls is like Pearsoney Falls on steroids. Besides being gorgeous, the mist off the falls cooled our rather over heated bodies.

National Creek Falls

 After climbing back up the trail of many switchbacks to our vehicle we decide to visit Hamaker Campground which was closed last year. It is a beautiful campground consisting of ten sites that are now labeled dispersed sites. No fee, no water, no pit toilet, no campfires allowed and camp at your own risk. There were two campsites occupied.

So this is our third year hosting at Natural Bridge Campground and the first time visiting this falls. What is with that? Well, we had planned on hiking to the falls last August but the area was closed off due to the fire in the area. I was really excited to finally visit this stunning falls.