Tanner Butte - Eagle Creek
WHERE: From I-84 going west out of Portland take the Bonneville dam exit and go south to a sign pointing toward the parking area for Tanner Butte. I have seen web sites stating that you can take forest service road 777 in two miles cutting out a little elevation hiking but I found nothing that went through (that is probably for the best anyhow).
GETTING TO THE TRAILHEAD: There are a couple of ways to get to the trailhead and of course I took the long way by following the Gorge bike path for a mile before finding a sign just before a wooden bridge pointing to the Tanner butte trail. This trail actually brings you up to the gorge trail which leads back to Tanner Road (forest maintenance use only as far as I can tell). Follow this road another 1-1.5 miles to the trailhead right before a creek. Alternately as you drive to the parking area you will notice an old structure about 150 feet before the parking area to your right and back. Here you will find the begining of Tanner road which you follow for 2 miles to the trailhead. The first mentioned route would be quicker if you are starting from Eagle Creek from the East.
THE TRAIL: This loop is 26 miles when accessing the shortest route. You can access everything the gorge has to offer here except for the larger mammals that you can see on the east side of the Columbia Wilderness. Counting miles hiked on the old road you start off gaining over 4,000 feet elevation in about 6.5 miles reaching the long ridge leading to Tanner Butte. Another two miles brings you near the top of the butte on your left (I am not sure if there is a trail but you can hike to the top for a gorgeous panorama of the Gorge, Willamette valley, Columbia Wilderness, Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams and Mt. St. Helens. If you camp out on the ridge be wary of very high winds that can interfere with sleep: Make sure to stake your tent down and set camp in the trees. The ridge offers a fair amount of Beargrass meadows where you can meander and observe the vistas. About 1.5 miles from Tanner Butte you will reach the junction with Eagle-Tanner trail which takes you down through thorny maple brush, rock slides/avalanche chutes and finally back to Hemlock and Douglas fir forests as you begin to meet up with Eagle Creek. This 5 mile cut-off trail has a lot of brush so long nylon "fishing pants" would be advisable for this portion of the hike. There are several camp sites on or near this route averaging every 3-4 miles. After crossing Eagle Creek hike another mile until you reach the Eagle Creek Trail. Here you will see 8 miles of waterfalls that make the gorge famous including Tunnel falls just two miles ahead.