Triple Falls is a 64-foot segmented plunge waterfall on Oneonta Creek in the Columbia River Gorge, Multnomah County, Oregon. The creek splits into three streams that fall side by side, and the hike to the overlook passes the Oneonta falls on the way.
The falls
Oneonta Creek divides around knobs of basalt into three parallel channels, each dropping straight into a rock amphitheater; the whole face is about 40 feet wide. An in-person survey measured the height at 64 feet as a single segmented drop. Earlier figures of 100 to 135 feet came from judging the falls at a distance. Springs keep the creek running all year, with around 75 cubic feet per second at high water.
Getting there
The hike starts at Oneonta Trailhead #424 on the Historic Columbia River Highway, about 2 miles east of Multnomah Falls; the trail leaves from across the road from the parking pullout. Eastbound drivers leave I-84 at exit 28 (Bridal Veil) and follow the highway 5 miles; westbound drivers take exit 35 (Ainsworth) and drive 2 miles west. No pass or permit is required, and there are no restrooms. The Waterfall Trolley, which runs hourly from Corbett, has a Triple Falls stop.
The hike is rated moderate: 3.2 miles out and back with 1,142 feet of gain, following Oneonta Creek; the overlook is 1.7 miles from the trailhead. Another count gives 3.1 miles with 859 feet of gain. A 3.6-mile loop with 1,446 feet of gain starts instead at Horsetail Falls and climbs past Ponytail Falls.
When to go
Winter and spring bring the best flow; March through July is the suggested season, and the trail is very popular.
On site
The overlook sits above the falls on the opposite side, looking across at all three streams. Beyond it, the trail continues to a bridge over the creek; in March 2026 reports indicated that this bridge had been knocked off its abutments, so check with the Forest Service before planning to cross it. Hikers encounter rocky, exposed stretches with steep drop-offs and wind hazards in the Eagle Creek Fire burn area. On September 7, 2026, rescuers brought out a hiker injured on the Oneonta Trail near Triple Falls. Dogs must be leashed.
History and name
The bridge was replaced as part of trail repairs after the Eagle Creek Fire.
Nearby
Upper Oneonta Falls is about 0.3 mile away, downstream on the same trail, and Middle Oneonta Falls and Oneonta Falls about 0.5 mile. Ponytail Falls, on the loop from Horsetail Falls, is about 0.7 mile.
Distances are straight-line.