Oregon · Trail 400

Gorge

Gorge Trail is a 28.3-mile trail in Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, Oregon. The Forest Service rates it trail class 4, highly developed. The forest has not published allowed uses for it. It enters Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness.

Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area official page carries current alerts and closure orders.

Map

One end Other endLine simplified to about 100 metres. Basemap from the USGS National Map.

One end45.6120° N, 122.0047° W · Directions ↗
Other end45.6884° N, 121.8124° W · Directions ↗

The ends are the two ends of the longest connected chain of segments. The record does not say which is the usual start. The trail is recorded as 5 segments.

The trail

Length28.3 miles
Trail class4, highly developed
Typeland trail
Surfacenative material
Typical grade12-20 percent
Typical tread width18-24 inches
AccessibilityNot evaluated
Trail numbers400
ForestColumbia River Gorge National Scenic Area (unit 0622)
StatesOregon
Detail publishedbasic characteristics

Values are the set across all segments. Class 1 is minimally developed and class 5 is fully developed. Grade and width are the forest's typical values, not measured extremes.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Gorge Trail30°40°50°60°70°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 37.6°F averageFebruary: 40.9°F averageMarch: 45.1°F averageApril: 50.7°F averageMay: 57.3°F averageJune: 62.6°F averageJuly: 68.4°F averageAugust: 69.3°F averageSeptember: 63.7°F averageOctober: 53.9°F averageNovember: 44.6°F averageDecember: 37.8°F averageTemp °F
The line is the average temperature at Cascade Locks, 2 miles from the trail midpoint at 142 feet, station USC00351407 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020.

Wilderness

Inside a designated wilderness, bicycles and motor vehicles are prohibited by law regardless of the trail record, and permits or group limits may apply.

Trailheads

Eagle Creek Day Use Area
No season published
Aircraft/UAS/drone takeoffs and landings are prohibited at this site. Wilderness restrictions apply within Mark O Hatfield Wilderness. Jumping and diving off of Punchbowl Falls is prohibited and constitutes a $300.00 fine. All dogs must be on leash.
0.1 mi
Bridge Of The Gods Trailhead
Open Year-round · listed closed
Wilderness restrictions apply within Mark O Hatfield Wilderness.
0.1 mi
Herman Creek Trailhead
Open Year round - snow dependent
Please do not park in trailer sites unless you have a horse trailer.
0.2 mi

Distance is from the point to the nearest part of the trail line. Season text is what the forest wrote and is often a season name rather than a date.

Trails nearby

Camping nearby

Campsite Atlas cards carry site counts and booking links from Recreation.gov. Forest Service cards come from the recreation layer and link the agency page.

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Bull Piles Rx East

    12 mi from the trail midpoint

  • Prescribed
    Bronco Piles Rx East

    13 mi from the trail midpoint

  • Prescribed
    Tyee Piles Rx - South

    15 mi from the trail midpoint · 329 acres

  • Prescribed
    66Rd PCT Pile Rx - South

    18 mi from the trail midpoint · 167 acres

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.

Explore

Guidebooks for Oregon

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Pacific Crest Trail: Oregon and Washington
    Andy Selters, 2019
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Oregon's Ancient Forests
    Chandra LeGue, 2019
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Backpacking Oregon
    Douglas Lorain, 2018
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Best dog hikes Oregon
    FalconGuides (Publisher), 2017
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Best hikes near Portland, Oregon
    Fred Barstad, 2016
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

How long is the Gorge Trail?

The Forest Service records 28.3 miles under this name in Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, the sum of 5 segments.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

What is allowed on the Gorge Trail?

Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area has not published allowed uses for this trail. The forest office can say what is open.

Source: Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area official page

Where does the Gorge Trail start?

The line begins at 45.6120° N, 122.0047° W and ends at 45.6884° N, 121.8124° W. The nearest recorded trailhead is Eagle Creek Day Use Area, 0.1 miles from the line. The record does not say which end is the usual start.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Is the Gorge Trail in a wilderness area?

Yes. It enters Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.

Source: Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness

Where can I camp near the Gorge Trail?

Eagle Creek Campground (under 0.1 mi), Eagle Creek Overlook Grp Site (0.2 mi) and Herman Creek Campground/Horse Camp (0.2 mi) are within five miles of the trail. The camping section lists all 4 with site counts and booking links.

Source: Campsite Atlas

How developed is the Gorge Trail?

Trail class 4, which the Forest Service describes as highly developed. Class 1 is a minimal, unimproved route and class 5 is fully developed, often paved.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

How steep and how wide is the Gorge Trail?

The typical grade is 12-20 percent. The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Who manages the Gorge Trail?

Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, Forest Service unit 0622. The trail is in Oregon.

Source: Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area official page

Is there a fire near the Gorge Trail?

The interagency feed shows 4 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Bull Piles Rx East at 12 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.

Source: Fire nearby

Source

This page is built from 5 segments named Gorge in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0622. Wilderness overlap is tested against the National Wilderness Preservation System layer from Wilderness Connect. Trailheads and Forest Service campgrounds come from the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer. Data refreshed November 1, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.