About this spot
Punchbowl Falls sits about 2.1 miles up the Eagle Creek Trail from the trailhead off I-84 Exit 41 near Cascade Locks; park at the first lot (self-pay, $5 day-use) and walk in along a cliffside path with cable handrails in places. The pool below the falls looks inviting, but cliff jumping and diving here is explicitly illegal — the Forest Service bans it after multiple serious injuries and deaths from jumpers striking submerged rock and debris, with fines up to $300 for violators. Trail access reopened after the long 2017 Eagle Creek Fire closure, but the jumping prohibition remains in force. Come for the hike and the turquoise pool view, not for jumping.
Safety first. Cliff jumping is inherently dangerous and can cause serious injury or death. Conditions — water depth, submerged hazards, and access — change constantly. CliffScout is community-sourced reference information, not a guarantee a spot is safe. Always assess the conditions yourself before jumping, and never jump where you're unsure. You assume all risk.
Watch & read
- r/ Reddit — Eagle Creek Trail, OR. USA. From a few days ago.
- r/ Reddit — Oregon's Best Waterfall Hike-Columbia River Gorge-Eagle Creek Loop-OR, USA
- ▶ Watch — Eagle Creek — cliff jump video
- ↗ Read — Eagle Creek — guide & info
