Oneonta Trail #424

Oneonta Trail #424 is a Columbia River Gorge long route that climbs from the Historic Columbia River Highway up toward Larch Mountain, accessing Oneonta and Triple Falls along the way. A long day hike option is to continue up to Franklin Ridge and beyond, using the trail’s connection points as turnarounds or loop-building anchors.

The trail’s classic objective area is the Oneonta and Triple Falls section inside/along Oneonta Creek drainage. It passes Oneonta Falls about 1.3 miles from the trailhead and Triple Falls about 1.7 miles from the trailhead, then continues onward up the canyon.

After Triple Falls, Oneonta Trail #424 continues to a crossing of Oneonta Creek and a junction with Horsetail Creek Trail #425 (about 2.75 miles from the trailhead). Conditions at the creek crossing can become unsafe in high water and require extra caution.

From the Horsetail Creek Trail #425 junction, #424 starts climbing the canyon wall in long and shorter switchbacks. The route then tops out on Franklin Ridge around 5 miles from the trailhead, reaching a junction with the Franklin Ridge Trail #427.

Past Franklin Ridge, the route continues along the ridge, including junctions such as the Multnomah Spur Trail #444, before eventually returning to the upper drainage of Oneonta Creek to connect with the Bell Creek Trail #459 around 6.5 miles from the trailhead.

The trail continues toward Larch Mountain, with the mapped end at Larch Mountain Road roughly 0.3 miles south of the Larch Mountain Picnic Area; continuing from there along a short paved approach leads toward Sherrard Point for gorge viewpoints.

More information: Visitor information, Visitor information, Rock of Ages Loop Hike - Hiking in Portland, Oregon and Washington