Ruckel Creek

Current Status: Open (sort of). The area around Ruckel Creek is open, but the Ruckel Creek trail has not reopened. Be aware: Ruckel Creek was overrun by the Eagle Creek wildfire in 2017. Check on local closures before planning a trip to this area. When the area reopens, use extreme caution when descending the creek. Between landslides, fallen trees, and loose rocks, this area may be unstable and dangerous for years to come. The canyon may have changed dramatically. Do not rely on the beta below being accurate. Ruckel Creek is the major drainage just north of the Gorge's famous Ruckel Ridge trail - a classic conditioning hike. Ruckel has a number of majestic falls beginning around 1200' elevation although they are somewhat widely spaced apart. This creek would be run more frequently if one did not have to hike up some 2000ft before dropping into the creek. Ruckel's flow likely drops significantly most years in July. Expect a long-ish day out if you are not accustomed to bushwhacking and stream-walking. Beware poison oak throughout the area.

Park as per Eagle Creek in the parking lot just south of the Fish Hatchery. Follow the Gorge bike trail north and east about 0.5mi to the bridge crossing Ruckel Creek. A good checkpoint on the flow is Lower Ruckel Falls (R6), located directly north / under the bridge. Follow the Ruckel Creek trail upwards about 1.75mi, gaining over 2000ft of elevation. Where the trail bends around the nose of a ridge at about 2180' elevation (45.6402, -121.8976), leave the trail and descend towards the creek. Follow the path of least resistance (e.g. bushwhacking), losing about 900ft to reach the creek. Head downstream. You should drop in just above R1.

A number of the drops on Ruckel Creek, particularly Mossy Grotto, are frequently visited by off-trail waterfall photographers. Please do not leave brightly colored / visible webbing atop the falls. It's a 1.3mi hike downstream to the next rappel. It is 0.2mi downstream to R3 with a short slide along the way. Continue down canyon. Before long the canyon narrows up as you enter the Cedar Slot. The rappel drops into an amazing grotto of giant boulders, old growth trees, and lush ferns looking like something out of the Lost World. Further downstream at lower flow, the creek will vanish as you enter a second boulder garden signaled by a 15ft dryfall. Bypass via a dirty gully DCL. Continue through a maze of house-sized boulders through a couple cave-like areas. Apparently this area got trashed during the winter of 2017; expect lots of blowdown in the creek. May be easier to exit the creek entirely. About 20-30min below R5, look for the Ruckel Creek trail on the right. One can bail out and walk down to the historic bridge where you started. There is one optional final rappel: