Tumalo Falls Loop
​to Happy Valley
​Hike details:
Mileage: 2 miles round trip w/ 357 ft. elevation gain (to Double Falls)
6 miles round trip w/ 1,062 ft. elevation gain (to Middle Fork Tumalo Falls)
8.2 mile loop w/ 1,552 ft. elevation gain (to do the whole Happy Valley Loop)
WINTER: 5.2 miles round trip w/ 400 ft. elevation gain (from the snow gate to Tumalo Falls overlook)
Approximate hike time: 52 minutes (for the 2 mile round trip hike to Double Falls)
2 hours 36 minutes (for the 6 mile round trip hike to Middle Fork Tumalo Falls)
3 hours 33 minutes (for the 8.2 mile Happy Valley Loop)
Difficulty: Easy to difficult
Trail usage: Very heavy on late spring and summer weekends, medium on weekdays and in the late fall and winter.
Highest elevation: 6,400 ft. Lowest elevation: 4,980 ft.
General location: 14 miles southwest of Bend - Deschutes National Forest
Accessible: Year-round
(This trail has its perks in the early season (May & early June) because you get to hike without mosquitoes and you will see early wildflowers, but you might also have to hike through some patches of snow up to Happy Valley. In mid-June and July the wildflowers are at their peak, but you also have to deal with some mosquitoes and hoards of people. September and October is when the tourists start to die down and you will get some beautiful late season coloring here but the waterfalls won't have much flow to them).
Permits required: Northwest Forest Pass for parking
Pit toilet at trailhead: Yes
Trail allows: Camping, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, mountain biking, no dogs allowed on the Bridge Creek Trail which means if you have a dog you will NOT be able to do the Happy Valley Loop hike.
6 miles round trip w/ 1,062 ft. elevation gain (to Middle Fork Tumalo Falls)
8.2 mile loop w/ 1,552 ft. elevation gain (to do the whole Happy Valley Loop)
WINTER: 5.2 miles round trip w/ 400 ft. elevation gain (from the snow gate to Tumalo Falls overlook)
Approximate hike time: 52 minutes (for the 2 mile round trip hike to Double Falls)
2 hours 36 minutes (for the 6 mile round trip hike to Middle Fork Tumalo Falls)
3 hours 33 minutes (for the 8.2 mile Happy Valley Loop)
Difficulty: Easy to difficult
Trail usage: Very heavy on late spring and summer weekends, medium on weekdays and in the late fall and winter.
Highest elevation: 6,400 ft. Lowest elevation: 4,980 ft.
General location: 14 miles southwest of Bend - Deschutes National Forest
Accessible: Year-round
(This trail has its perks in the early season (May & early June) because you get to hike without mosquitoes and you will see early wildflowers, but you might also have to hike through some patches of snow up to Happy Valley. In mid-June and July the wildflowers are at their peak, but you also have to deal with some mosquitoes and hoards of people. September and October is when the tourists start to die down and you will get some beautiful late season coloring here but the waterfalls won't have much flow to them).
Permits required: Northwest Forest Pass for parking
Pit toilet at trailhead: Yes
Trail allows: Camping, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, mountain biking, no dogs allowed on the Bridge Creek Trail which means if you have a dog you will NOT be able to do the Happy Valley Loop hike.
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Description:Tumalo Falls is one of the most iconic destinations in Central Oregon and for good reason. Tumalo Creek is located at the base of Broken Top in the Deschutes National Forest and this hike offers a moderate 8.2 mile loop up to Happy Valley, or you can opt to make it a 4 mile out and back hike to one of the upper waterfalls where the bridge crosses Middle Fork Tumalo Creek. Or if you're only looking for something very short but still scenic, take the North Fork Trail 1 mile up to Double Falls.
This hike is not only very popular in the summer, but it is also a scenic winter destination. Once the snow falls there is a gate that closes the access road to the main parking lot so you can cross-country ski or snowshoe 2 miles up to the Tumalo Falls viewpoint. The rest of the trail however, is not recommended in the winter because it is not marked for snow travel. Parking can be a serious issue here during the summer season (weekends from May through September), and oftentimes cars are parked a good 1/2 mile or more down the gravel road. The trail starts at the parking lot right by the pit toilets. |
Shortly after the parking lot, you will come to a trail split. If you are hiking the loop to Happy Valley, you will take the Bridge Creek Trail to the left. Please adhere to the rule of no dogs allowed on this trail! Dogs are allowed on the other trails but must be kept on leash at all times. The Bridge Creek trail is less crowded and takes you along Bridge Creek where Bend gets its drinking water from. After about 1.3 miles of walking through a young forest and lots of snowbush, ignore the first trail split that crosses the creek to your left and continue straight, shortly after you will come to another trail split. Here the Bridge Creek trail continues straight to Tum Lake (an option), but you will go right and take the Swampy Lakes trail.
(the base of Broken Top in the clouds)
The Swampy Lakes trail takes you along an open ridge for a little while where on a clear day you can catch glimpses of Broken Top straight ahead and the Tumalo Valley to your right. Soon the trail will take you through a dense forest where in late June through mid-July, the mosquitoes are horrendous. After about 2.1 miles you will come to a creek crossing. This is the Middle Fork Tumalo Creek and later in the season (late August, September, early October) you will be able to cross this creek with no issues, however early in the season (May, June, July) you might have to go up or down stream a bit to find a down log where you can cross safely. Please be careful here! This water is swift and very cold!
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(crossing the Middle Fork Tumalo Creek)
(white marsh marigold in late May)
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Once you have safely crossed the creek, it is only a few hundred yards to the next trail split. If you would like to check out Happy Valley and possibly camp there, continue on the Swampy Lakes Trail to the left. If you'd like to cut 1.4 miles off the trip, you can complete the loop and take the North Fork Trail to the right.
Happy Valley is aptly named and it is incredibly beautiful with lush meadows and wildflowers blooming in June and July. 
(Happy Valley)
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0.7 miles after the trail split there is a wooden bridge that crosses North Fork Tumalo Creek and here you will see a very large camping area. This would be a great first time backpacking trip for you and your kids, or if you're bike-packing or horseback riding the Metolious Windigo Trail which passes right along here as well, this is a wonderful large camp spot.
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(camping area at Happy Valley)
(Middle Fork Tumalo Falls 53 ft.)
After back-tracking the 0.7 miles from Happy Valley back to the trail split, take the North Fork Trail to complete the loop. Here the forest gets very lush and also darker and a bit cooler if you are doing this hike in the afternoon. The trail skirts the edges of Middle Fork Tumalo Creek and here you will see a series of beautiful waterfalls that are not nearly as talked about as Tumalo Falls, the feature of this area. Middle Fork Tumalo Falls is especially spectacular at 53 feet tall and featuring two large and impressive drops.
(Middle Fork Tumalo Falls)
(water shrew at Middle Fork Tumalo Falls)
(Lower Middle Fork Tumalo Falls 15 ft.)
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After another mile of hiking next to the creek, you will come to a log bridge with only one railing. If you have small children, please be careful here. From here you have about 2 miles to go until you get back to the parking lot. Here the trail gains a little bit of elevation, and you walk at the edge of the canyon, looking down about 200 feet at Tumalo Creek below.
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Another very beautiful waterfall is well-known Double Falls (89 feet tall), featuring two drops with an impressive flow especially early in the season. Looking down on it, you can get many different unique angles, perfect for those folks who love taking waterfall photos.
Once you've seen Double Falls it is less than a mile to Tumalo Falls and then only 0.2 to the parking lot. Tumalo Falls has two viewing platforms, one right above the falls, so you can watch the water go over the edge, and one a little bit further down so you can see the falls and a little bit of the creek as well. Tumalo Falls is 98 feet tall and is absolutely beautiful in any season. The valley that the river creates here really adds to the spectacular beauty of the area. 
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(Double Falls 89 ft.)
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The Tumalo Falls to Happy Valley loop hike is absolutely amazing and perfect for those who want to get away from the crowds that swarm the Tumalo Falls lookout platforms. It is rated moderate because of the distance, elevation gain and the slight exposure risk that parts of the trail have, as well as the possible river ford/crossing. If you do this loop with younger children, it is recommended to do it a bit later in the season when the creek is easier to cross.
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(Tumalo Falls 98 ft.)
Directions:
From Bend
- Drive on NW Galveston Ave. which turns into Skyliners Rd. just after NW 17th Ave. Stay on Skyliners Rd. for 8.7 miles then make a slight right onto Tumalo Falls Rd. for 2.6 miles to the parking area. (Total 13.6 miles).
- Total of 141 miles via Bend.
- Total of 145 miles via Bend.
- Total of 187 miles via Bend.
- Total of 186 miles via Bend.
-This trail write-up was last updated in May 2018-
*All pictures are taken by Franziska Weinheimer
*All pictures are taken by Franziska Weinheimer
*Disclaimer: The trail descriptions, mileage, GPS tracks and difficulty ratings depicted on this website are never 100% accurate. Always hike at your own risk, using your own knowledge, equipment and common sense. Franziska Weinheimer/Hike Oregon are not responsible if you or anyone in your party gets injured or lost while attempting one of these or any other hikes.