Tamanawas Falls
Oregon · 108-foot drop · Mount Hood National Forest · Last verified 2026-05-23
Flow at Tamanawas Falls is light today (13 cfs) — visit for the geology, not the volume.
Right now
Streamflow
12.7 cfs
BULL RUN RIVER AT · 1h ago
Overnight
36°F
Mostly Cloudy
Sunday
53°F
Mostly Cloudy then Chance Light Rain
Today's daylight
Sunrise 7:35 AM · Sunset 6:05 PM · 10h 30m
Snapshot built 6m 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: 15 cfs · 85% of last year — similar
When to go (from the climate data, not our opinion)
Monthly averages from Open-Meteo's reanalysis dataset (2020–2024). Highlighted months are when we think the waterfall is at its best — but the numbers are the numbers regardless.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip (in) | Snow days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 37 | 27 | 11.3 | 14 |
| Feb | 36 | 25 | 7.1 | 16.4 |
| Mar | 40 | 27 | 4.7 | 14.6 |
| Apr | 46 | 30 | 4.4 | 9.8 |
| MayBest | 55 | 38 | 4.3 | 1.8 |
| JunBest | 64 | 45 | 2.8 | 0 |
| JulBest | 76 | 52 | 0.3 | 0 |
| AugBest | 75 | 53 | 0.6 | 0 |
| SepBest | 68 | 48 | 1.9 | 0 |
| OctBest | 56 | 40 | 3.7 | 0.6 |
| Nov | 42 | 30 | 8.8 | 8.8 |
| Dec | 37 | 27 | 11.2 | 13.8 |
Source: Open-Meteo Historical Weather API · ERA5 reanalysis 2020–2024.
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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