Tumalo Falls is an 89-foot waterfall on Tumalo Creek in the Deschutes National Forest west of Bend, Oregon. The creek drops in a single sheer leap over a ledge of lava, and both the base view and the brink overlook are a short walk from the day-use area.
The falls
In-person measurements in July 2010 recorded the drop at 89 feet, in one tier averaging about 25 feet wide, whereas older estimates cited 97 feet. The creek flows all year. The water pours over an overhanging lip of resistant lava into a gorge carved by glaciers, the product of volcanism and repeated glaciation in the central Cascades. The slopes around the falls burned in 1979 and are now covered in young fir.
Getting there
To reach the day-use area from Bend, travel west on Skyliners Road (Forest Road 4601) for 11.6 miles, then continue west on Forest Road 4603 for 2.6 miles. Vehicles longer than 27 feet are not allowed, and the lot fills early. The fee is $5 per vehicle per day; a Northwest Forest Pass or accepted interagency pass covers it. The access road closes for snow, generally from November through May.
The lower viewpoint is about fifty yards from the parking area. The walk to the upper overlook covers 0.5 mile round trip with 105 feet of elevation change, taking about 15 minutes.
When to go
Tumalo Creek flows all year, so the season depends on road access: the trailhead is typically reachable from May through October. The parking area regularly fills early in the day.
On site
The site has vault toilets but no drinking water, and it is day use only. From the lower viewpoint the trail climbs to an overlook at the brink with a stone wall and metal railing. The North Fork Trail continues upstream past more falls: Double Falls adds 1.7 miles round trip and Middle Tumalo Falls 3.6 miles with 450 feet of gain. The trails enter the Bend Municipal Watershed, where regulations prohibit dogs, bikes, stock and camping; on the North Fork Trail, bikes may only ride uphill. In June 2016 an injured mountain biker was rescued about half a mile from the parking area.
History and name
Accounts list three possible Klamath origins for "Tumalo": temelo (wild plum), temola (ground fog) or tumallowa (icy water).
Nearby
Bridge Creek Falls is about 0.7 mile away, Double Falls about 0.8 mile upstream on Tumalo Creek, and Middle Tumalo Falls about 1.6 miles. Bend lies about 12.6 miles to the east.
Distances are straight-line.