Pup Creek Falls
- Tina McLain
- 12 minutes ago
- 3 min read
How to see Pup Creek Falls post-fire with the Clackamas River Trail #715 remaining closed.
Waterfall Name: Pup Creek Falls
Waterfall Coordinates (not accessible, but is viewable): 45.14678, -122.10563
Waterfall Elevation: 1290'
Access: Road walking - highway shoulder
Distance: 0.25 miles (round trip)
Elevation Range: 1027' to 1050'
Ascent/Descent: +22 ft/-38 ft
Route Type: In and out
Route: Road walking shoulder of highway from pull-off 45.15041, -122.10482 to 45.14992, -122.10217
Permits/Fees: None
Notes: The waterfall is visible when driving along Highway 224, but there is no place to stop where the waterfall is visible. So it requires parking at noted pull-off and walking to the place the view is visible to be able to see the falls for any length of time.
There is no way to access the waterfall after the Riverside Fire in 2020. The trail that used to go past it is still closed.
Location: Near Sunstrip Campground in Mount Hood National Forest, Oregon, U.S.A.
Administration: Mount Hood National Forest
Ranger District: Clackamas River Ranger District
Other Posts: The trail is no longer accessible, but this post does show what the waterfall looked like pre-fire. Clackamas River Trail #715
Date Accessed: April 9, 2025
Before the 2020 fires, I hiked the Clackamas River Trail to see Pup Creek Falls. But since the fires that trail has been closed. The silver lining has been that with how extensively the fire burned the area round Pup Creek Falls it is now visible from highway 224.
The section of highway the waterfall is visible from doesn't have any pull-offs or places to stop with a direct view, but I figured out a way to be able to walk to the point the waterfall is visible to take pictures.
When driving east towards Ripplebrook, there is an pull-off past Sunstrip Campground on the southwest side of the highway at 45.15041, -122.10482. There are room for multiple cars to park. I parked here and then walked east on the shoulder of the highway. Initially I walked on the road side of the guard rail until there was enough space on the other side of the guard rail to safely walk along the top of the slope. I hiked to 45.14992, -122.10217 which has a full view of Pup Creek Falls to the south/southwest, across the Clackamas River.
Pup Creek Falls is considered a tiered plunge form and its tallest drop is 203 ft according to Waterfalls Northwest.
Map
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