Eagle Creek to Wahtum Lake Hike
From Portland Hikers Field Guide
- Start point: Eagle Creek Trailhead
- End point: Wahtum Lake
- Trail Log: Trail Log
- Hike Type: Loop
- Distance: 26.5 miles (loop)
- Elevation gain: 5310 feet
- Difficulty: Difficult
- Seasons: summer, fall
- Backpackable: Yes
- Crowded: Yes, especially the first 7 miles
- Family Friendly: No (Due to exposure)
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Hike Description
This is a famous multi-day backpack trip. You go up scenic and crowded Eagle Creek, then steeply up to Wahtum Lake. This hike returns on the Pacific Crest Trail and Ruckel Creek Trail which is much less crowded but also less scenic. You could just as easily return the way you came on Eagle Creek. This hike assumes a four day/three night hike which is the most common way to do this, but you can do it in fewer days.
Start out at the Eagle Creek Trailhead. Park at the lower parking area next to the fish hatchery and camp host for better security. The first 8 miles follows scenic Eagle Creek (see Eagle Creek to Tunnel Falls Hike, Eagle Creek to High Bridge Hike, and Eagle Creek to Punchbowl Falls Hike).
For the first night camp at Seven and a Half Mile Camp. There is easily room for half a dozen parties, but they may all be occupied on summer weekends. You should be able to find a spot regardless.
The second day hike the steep trail up to Wahtum Lake, elevation gain 2300'. This is the hardest day. The second night camp at Wahtum Lake. You can drive to Wahtum Lake so it's busy, but there are campsites all around the lake so you should be able to find something.
This hike assumes you go back via the Pacific Crest Trail/Ruckel Creek, but you could just as easily go back the way you came. The third day head back on the PCT. Make sure and do the short side trip to Chinidere Mountain, where you'll get your best views of the hike. The third night camp at Camp Smokey, at the junction with the Eagle Benson Trail #434. There's a campsite on the PCT, and another on the Eagle Benson Trail. Reportedly there is water a short distance down the Eagle Benson Trail.
The fourth day you could go down the Eagle Benson Trail, and then back on the Eagle Creek Trail to the trailhead. The Eagle Benson Trail is steep and less well maintained than other trails in the area.
This hike assumes you continue on the PCT. The trail soon reaches the Benson Plateau, a large, flat, forested area. You want to turn left onto the Ruckel Creek Trail #405. There is a confusing network of trails. Maybe someone can put in a better description of how to find this route.
The Ruckel Creek Trail goes steeply down to next to the freeway and ends at the Gorge Trail #400. Turn left (West) on the Gorge Trail and go back, next to the campground, and out on the road to the campground. Follow the road 0.1 miles back to the lower parking area.
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Pages within this hike: Benson Plateau, Blue Grouse Camp, Camp Smokey, Eagle Creek-Chinidere Cutoff Trail Junction, Eagle Creek-Eagle Benson Trail Junction, Eagle Creek-Eagle Tanner Trail Junction, Eagle Creek-Indian Springs Trail Junction, Eagle Creek-Lower Punchbowl Junction, Eagle Creek Trailhead, Fern Creek Bridge, Four and a Half Mile Bridge, Gorge-Buck Point Trail Junction, Grand Union Falls, HCRHT-Gorge Trail Junction at Ruckel Creek, High Bridge, Hunter's Camp, Inspiration Point, Loowit Falls (Eagle Creek), Metlako Falls, Pacific Crest-Benson Way South Trail Junction, Pacific Crest-Chinidere Cutoff-Chinidere Mountain Trail Junction, Pacific Crest-Eagle Creek Trail Junction, Pacific Crest-Herman Creek Trail Junction, Pacific Crest-Ruckel Creek Trail Junction, Punchbowl Falls, Ruckel Creek-Benson Ruckel Trail Junction, Ruckel Creek-Benson Spur Trail Junction, Ruckel Creek-Ruckel Ridge Trail Junction, Ruckel Creek-Rudolph Spur Trail Junction, Ruckel Creek Bridge, Ruckel Creek Native American Site, Seven and a Half Mile Camp (Eagle Creek), Seven Mile Falls, Tenas Camp, Tish Creek Bridge, Tunnel Falls, Twister Falls, Wahtum Lake, and Wy'East Camp