Photo: Matthew P. Del Buono · CC BY-SA 3.0Panther Creek Falls
Worth the drive
Is it plungeworthy?
A 3-tier horsetail on Panther Creek.
The details
- Tiers
- 3 drops
- Type
- Tiered Horsetail
- Watercourse
- Panther Creek
- Coordinates
- 45.86731, -121.82865
About Panther Creek Falls
Panther Creek Falls is a 102-foot tiered horsetail in Washington, on Panther Creek. The water falls in 3 distinct tiers.
Fed largely by snowmelt, it runs hardest in late spring and early summer and can thin to a trickle by late season.
Plungeworthy rates Panther Creek Falls 8.4/10 — worth the drive. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.
What you'll find
A two-tiered falls in a moss-walled basalt gorge where Panther Creek meets Big Creek — the kind of dripping, green scene the Gifford Pinchot does better than anywhere. Rebuilt platforms (2019) give an upper glimpse and a full lower view of both tiers.
Getting there
- Trailhead
- Unsigned pullout on Forest Road 65 — park in the rock pit and cross the road
- Parking
- Informal gravel pullout, no facilities
- Road
- Gravel
- Hike
- 0.5 mi round trip, 100 ft of climb (easy)
- Heads up
- A five-minute walk. Stay on the platforms — the old social trails into the gorge are eroded and steep.
When to go
Year-round, fullest after rain. Quieter than anything in the Columbia Gorge an hour south — this is the one you'll have to yourself on a weekday.
Rules & fees
- Fee / pass
- None
- Dogs
- Leashed
- Hours
- None posted
- Camping
- Panther Creek Campground (seasonal USFS) nearby
- Warnings
- FR 6500 carried summer 2026 construction delays — check Gifford Pinchot alerts if visiting before fall.
Researched from USFS — Panther Creek Falls Trail #137 · WTA — Panther Creek Falls. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Panther Creek Falls recently? Post a conditions report below.
Where it is
Before you go
The pin marks the feature, not a trailhead or a legal route in. Some sit on private land or need a real hike, and conditions change with season and rain. Check local access, don't trespass, and never enter water — hot or cold — where it isn't safe.
Common questions
How tall is Panther Creek Falls?
Panther Creek Falls drops about 102 feet across 3 tiers, in Washington.
Where is Panther Creek Falls?
Panther Creek Falls is a waterfall in Washington, at 45.86731, -121.82865.
Is Panther Creek Falls worth visiting?
Worth the drive — Plungeworthy rates it 8.4/10.
Gear for the trip
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