NaturePhoto Wikimedia CommonsOneonta Gorge
Oregon · United States
This fascinating and mostly hidden "Gorge within the Gorge" has been a local favorite of adventurous water-oriented hikers for generations. This unique slot-canyon style hike keeps three hidden waterfalls tucked away out of sight amidst the 25-million year old moss, lichen and fern-covered sheer lava cliffs which have been declared a rare and protected botanical zone by the U.S. Forest Service due to the multiple endemic species that live only here and nowhere else on the planet. There is no paved or gravel trail as waterfall seekers must hike, wade and swim through the freezing cold waters of Oneonta Creek, clambering over boulders and log jams to reach the prize of the 100' tall Lower Oneonta Falls at the end of the chasm. Middle and Upper Oneonta Falls can be viewed via longer hikes that wind through this fascinating area. A recently restored tunnel, blasted right through the basalt outcropping back in 1914 can be easily seen right from the road as we pass by and learn more!
Contents
8 sections · tap a section for its opening lines1Oneonta Gorge
Welcome, fellow traveler and student of the natural world, to the Columbia River Gorge. You are standing at the threshold of one of the Pacific Northwest region's most extraordinary geological anomalies, the Oneonta Gorge. …
Listen in the app2The Descent from the Bridge
As we arrive at the historic bridge, we stand at the literal dropping off point into a much older world. The architectural elegance of this masonry structure provides a striking, engineered contrast to the raw, untamed nature of…
Listen in the app3Wading the Lower Creek
Having committed to the icy waters of the creek bed, you are now moving deeper into the throat of the gorge. The water here gently tugs at your ankles or perhaps your knees, a constant, chilling presence. …
Listen in the app4The Great Log Jam
As you round the bend in the canyon, you are confronted by a staggering sight, a massive, chaotic barricade of fallen timber. This is the infamous Oneonta log jam. …
Listen in the app5The Deep Submersion
Having conquered the precarious heights of the log jam, you now descend into the upper chamber of the gorge. Immediately, you will notice a profound shift in the environment. …
Listen in the app6The Sanctuary of the Walls
As the deep waters slowly begin to recede back to knee level, pause for a moment to observe the extraordinary architecture of the canyon that surrounds you. This specific stretch, just before the final waterfall, is perhaps the…
Listen in the app7Lower Oneonta Falls
Finally, we arrive at the culmination of our arduous trek through the watery depths of the gorge, the magnificent Lower Oneonta Falls. Standing here on the rocky shore, you are rewarded with an unobstructed view of this…
Listen in the app8Closing
As we turn our backs to the roaring majesty of Lower Oneonta Falls and begin the slow, careful journey back down the creek bed, it is a moment for profound reflection. The return trip requires the exact same diligence, the exact…
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What is Oneonta Gorge?
Oneonta Gorge is a place in Oregon · United States with 8 story sections on Tellby. You can read the opening of each section on this page; the sound plays in the app.
| Location | Oregon · United States |
|---|---|
| Type | Nature |
| Story sections | 8 |
| Text language | English |
| Coordinates | 45.5896, -122.0750 |
| Last updated |