Tamanawas Falls
Oregon · 108-foot drop · Mount Hood National Forest · Last verified 2026-05-23
Flow at Tamanawas Falls is light today (23 cfs) — visit for the geology, not the volume.
Right now
Streamflow
22.5 cfs
BULL RUN RIVER AT · 49m ago
Overnight
37°F
Chance Light Rain
Wednesday
57°F
Slight Chance Light Rain then Sunny
Today's daylight
Sunrise 5:18 AM · Sunset 8:53 PM · 15h 35m
Snapshot built 5m ago. Sources: USGS · NWS PQR.
Tamanawas Falls drops about 100-108 feet from a curtain of basalt on Cold Spring Creek in Mount Hood National Forest. The trail is 3.3 miles round trip with 597 ft of gain — easy by Oregon standards, and the payoff is being able to walk behind the falls. In winter the spray freezes into a giant ice grotto that draws snowshoers and ice climbers; falling ice and rockfall mean it is not a casual winter destination.
The trail
3.3 miles each way, rated moderate with 597 feet of elevation gain. Tamanawas Falls Trailhead on OR-35 (the East Fork Hood River trailhead). Northwest Forest Pass required; Sno-Park permit in winter. Detour via Polallie Trailhead while #650A is closed.
Is the water flowing right now?
Most waterfall sites don't tell you this. The waterfall itself is almost never gauged, but a USGS streamgage in the same watershed can tell you whether snowmelt has started, peaked, or run dry.
USGS gage 14138720 · 14.2 mi away
BULL RUN RIVER AT LOWER FLUME NR BRIGHTWOOD, OR
— Distant gauge — proxy reading, not on the same drainage.
View live discharge data →
30-day streamflow
Near 30-day average↻ Same date last year: 22.8 cfs · 100% of last year — similar
Compare to nearby falls
If this one isn't the right fit, here's how it stacks up against the closest documented falls. Every column is filterable on the site — not buried in 13,000 reviews.
| Waterfall | Distance | Height | Trail | Dogs | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tamanawas Falls (this page) | — | 108 ft | moderate · 3.3 mi | Y | $5 |
| Stranahan Falls | 3 mi | — | — | Y | Free |
| Cannonball Falls | 4 mi | — | — | Y | Free |
| Wallalute Falls | 4 mi | — | — | Y | Free |
| Newton Creek Falls | 4 mi | — | — | Y | Free |
| Cooper Spur Falls | 4 mi | — | — | Y | Free |
Related waterfalls
Similar height (~108 ft)
- Jackson Falls108 ft
- Ladder Creek Falls108 ft
- Murietta Falls108 ft
- Upper Yellowstone Falls108 ft
- Houghton-Douglass Falls110 ft
Same best season in Oregon
- Diamond Creek Falls90 ft
Questions visitors ask about Tamanawas Falls
Answers built from our structured data. If a question isn't here, the fact is unverified — we'd rather omit than guess.
How tall is Tamanawas Falls?
Tamanawas Falls is 108 feet (33 m) tall. Source heights disagree by source — see the discrepancy box on the page.
Is Tamanawas Falls in a national or state park?
Yes — Tamanawas Falls is inside Mount Hood National Forest. We inferred this from OpenStreetMap protected-area polygons; if you find we got the boundary wrong, please report it. See the park page for fees, hours, and current conditions.
Can I bring my dog to Tamanawas Falls?
Yes — dogs are allowed (Mount Hood National Forest permits leashed dogs in most areas). Inferred from park type; check the official site for trail-specific restrictions. Always leash and pack out waste.
Can you swim at Tamanawas Falls?
No — swimming is not safe or not allowed at Tamanawas Falls. The plunge pool is shallow, very cold year-round, and exposed to rockfall from the cliff above. The trail leads behind the falls — that is the draw, not swimming.
When is the best time to visit Tamanawas Falls?
Peak flow is typically May, June, July, August, September, October. Season-wise: summer, fall, winter. Snowmelt and recent rain affect day-to-day volume.
Is there a fee to visit Tamanawas Falls?
Yes — entry costs around $5. Most Mount Hood National Forest entrances accept the America the Beautiful annual pass.
How far is Tamanawas Falls from a major city?
Tamanawas Falls is 8 miles from Parkdale (about 11 minutes' drive).
More waterfalls in Oregon
Where it is
45.4010, -121.5894
Sources and live status
Where we got the data, and where to check current conditions before you drive.
Official land manager
https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/mthood/recreation/trails/tamanawas-falls-trail-650a
Wikidata (Q132042506)
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q132042506
Last verified by Fallspots: 2026-05-23
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