| Difficulty | V |
| Length | 5.5 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 155 fpm |
| Gauge | Bull Run River Near Multnomah Falls, or |
| Flow Rate as of 45 minutes | 42 cfsbelow recommended |
| Reach Info Last Updated | July 23, 2026 |
A Northwest Forest pass is required at the trailhead parking lot, they can be purchased on location for $5. The run requires hiking up as far as you would like to paddle. There are a few spots on the way up where the trail is blasted into the cliff. If you are using a backpack system, take care in these locations to avoid hitting the rock above with the top of your boat. It would be a disaster to loose control here and fall connected to your boat.
The run is known for its large, clean waterfalls and deep, vertical gorges. All of the waterfalls end in large pools, generally free of hazards aside from the height.
Hiking distance to put-ins
Twister Falls (Full Run): 5 ¾ miles
Skoonichuk Falls (Standard): 3 ½ miles
Punchbowl Falls (Hike & Huck): 2 miles
If you decide to hike past Twister Falls, you will find more whitewater and at least 1 large un-run (as of 2014) waterfall.
Putting in at the base of Twister Falls is pretty neat, it is worth paddling to the upstream end of this pool to get a closer look at the giant. Downstream is a set of boulder gardens before reaching the first bedrock rapid. This can be run down the chute on the left, or some paddlers have chosen to run the triple drop coming in on the EF of Eagle creek instead. Shortly downstream is Grand Union Falls, a 40-50’ waterfall. The first 15 feet or so slides down a ramp into a launch pad, landing in a big pool.
Below here is a long section of boulder garden rapids before reaching a footbridge that signals the upcoming Skoonichuk Falls. Most people scout this drop on the left. The first drop is about 40’ and has been run either down a ramp in the middle, or a flake on the left. Before the water has a chance to lose aeration it drops over a second 15’ falls, landing in a clean pool. Skoonichuk can be portaged via the trail on the left to a worn route back to the ba
...The falls has not been run, but putting in at the base and paddling up the pool is really cool. A futuristic line may exist. There are some smaller rapids between here and Grand Union.
Grand Union Falls comes just downstream of the EF Eagle Creek confluence. It is a large sloping ramp into a freefall totaling around 50' with a large landing pool.
Skoonichuck is a large double drop falls adding up to around 50'. The first drop is taller and has been run center, this quickly flushes into the second and shorter drop.
Punchbowl is the most commonly paddled falls on Eagle Creek. It is about 30' tall and has a twisting lip into a clean pool.
Metlako is a very clean, very tall drop with a little over 80' of freefall.
Eagle Creek Trailhead #440: The start of the hike and the end of the run are at the same location. This location requires a Northwest Forest Pass.
Jul 14, 2026
Mar 16, 2014
I had a phone message from Matt King after we got off Upper Opal Creek (which required a 2 mile hike of its own and was 3 hours south of Eagle Creek by road), informing us that an Eagle Creek mission was a go and he had already started hiking into Eagle that evening. A few of us motivated and made the drive to the Eagle Creek trailhead, bringing along a few friends for ground support. The excitement of a new adventure propelled us through the dark the 3.5 miles up to Skoonichuck Falls where we met up with a good sized group of friends and camped for the night. The next morning a few of us made the push up to Sevenmile Falls - we chose not to run it so went back downstream and put in below Twister Falls.
All of the falls on Eagle Creek below Twister had been run before, but not in one push. Scotty Baker, Matt and I ran Grand Union and had fun with the whitewater between there and Skoonichuck where we met up with the rest of the group. Skoonichuck was run by a lot of the group, then we made our way downstream to Punchbowl and I think everybody ran that. Metlako was next and while a good portion of our group looked at it, only three of us ended up running (Matt, Ryan Young and I). Matt King and I ended up running all the waterfalls on the run that day, him in a hardshell and me in an IK. We both flipped at Metlako but the rest of the day we navigated upright.