Tumalo Falls takes two minutes to see from the parking lot, and the trail behind it hides four more waterfalls
Tumalo Falls drops 97 feet into a pine-lined valley about 14 miles west of Bend, and you can see the whole thing in about two minutes flat — it’s a short walk from the parking lot to the viewing platform. That’s exactly why most people never see the better part of the hike.
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The trail that keeps going past the falls is the North Fork Trail, following Tumalo Creek upstream below Broken Top. Walk about a mile past Tumalo Falls and the crowd from the parking lot thins out fast.
First up is Double Falls, dropping in two tiers — 30 feet, then 20 — through actual trees instead of off a viewing platform. We’ve always liked it more than the main event; it’s quieter and easier to get a clean shot of. Getting to Tumalo Falls and Double Falls and back runs about 2 miles round trip with roughly 350 feet of climbing, an easy outing for most fitness levels.
Keep going and the hike gets more real. There’s no bridge past Double Falls, so reaching Upper Falls, North Fork Falls, and Spring Creek Falls means fording Tumalo Creek — bring shoes you don’t mind getting wet, or watch for a fallen log. The full loop back to the trailhead covers about 7.1 miles with roughly 1,100 feet of elevation gain, moderate but not brutal.
Mountain bikers share the North Fork Trail too, heading uphill from the parking lot toward the falls, so give them room if you hear tires on gravel behind you.
Our complete Tumalo Falls hiking guide breaks down the full loop and the bike routes if you want more detail before you go.
Getting there from Bend takes about 30 minutes: head west on Skyliners Road, then follow gravel Forest Road 4603 for the last stretch — it’s washboard, so ease off the gas. Parking runs $5 a day, or a Northwest Forest Pass covers it at the gate.
The road and day-use area close for the season once snow moves in, typically sometime between November and May, so this is a summer-into-fall trip. Go on a weekday morning if you can — the lot is small, and it fills up fast on summer weekends.
Trip tips: grab a rental car to get out here, lock in your hotel before Bend fills up for the weekend, or skip both and book a camper van instead.
Rules and fees change — always confirm current requirements before you go.
