Hall Creek

A nice short canyon that could be combined with nearby Change Creek to make a more full day. Aesthetic rock with fun rappels and slides/downclimbs. The Hall Creek trail allows for quick access and exit. The rock is slippery and the canyon has chilly water, but is overall a fun and easy descent. Hall Creek is rigged as a training canyon. There are short rappel stations on the boulder at the drop-in, and there are multiple options for many of the obstacles. (note that at one point this was a ghosting/natural-anchor-only canyon, but high use was leading to substantial erosion. The current anchors are designed to keep canyoners in the creek) To help steward this important natural resource for everyone to enjoy please:

From I-90, take exit 38. Drive to the parking location marked on the map (a small pullout just east of where Hall Creek crosses the road). This pullout is just uphill of the Olallie State Park parking lot, which requires a Discover Pass. This pullout, as well as the larger pullout for Change Creek and Deception Crags, does not require a Discover Pass. The trail starts from a small gate marked with a 'no shooting or motorized vehicles' sign. Hike up the trail and under the railroad grade bridge. You can get a good view of the creek from where the trail starts to switchback uphill just after the bridge. Go left at a fork to climb these switchbacks. The right side of the fork will take you to the exit. Follow the trail up to the Iron Horse Trail, then wrap around to the right to continue up until you come to the fork marked with the Zig Zag trail on the left and the Hall Creek trail on the right. Go right. The next fork will lead to the bottom of Hall Creek Falls (right) or above the falls (left). Go left, or use this spur trail to check out Hall Creek Falls (a large slab of a waterfall) and the flow. On the left trail, you will soon come to yet another fork. Here, go right, and you'll soon come to the creek a little ways above Hall Creek Falls. You can walk up the creek a little, but this is the location for the entrance to the technical section.

All directions are given looking downstream. Early Exit right at 47.4296,-121.65989 Downclimb some slippery slabs. Where it gets steep, there are 12mm holes for temporary bolts for anyone uncomfortable downclimbing (or for more practice rappelling). Continue down a series of a few more cascading falls, all of which can be downclimbed near the watercourse, or rappelled using natural anchors. Exit Right at 47.4323,-121.65910. Once you come within sight of the bridge, look for cairns and a small trail on the right that heads up the bank.

On the small trail on the right, continue down the right side of the creek a short ways to reconnect with the main trail that leads quickly back to the pullout.