We were excited to complete the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway and visiting Tumalo Falls was our first stop. We visited in late September and the temperature was pretty perfect. Be sure to arrive early to grab a good parking spot. The lot is small and fills up very quickly. Once parked, we walked up to the viewing area and took in these gorgeous falls. They are located within the Deschutes National Forest and the falls head over a cliff face of 97 feet. Tumalo Creek continues down the mountain. We followed the trail up further and discovered more waterfalls which I believe are called Middle Tumalo Falls. I believe we hiked a total of 4 miles and we really enjoyed hanging out here. I love and seek water hikes of all types and this one just kept providing us a good time. It was a great way to start our day and prepared us for a whole day of experiencing the beauty of Central Oregon. Always remember when visiting these natural areas to pack in/pack out and LEAVE NO TRACE. read more

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Beautiful Falls. We went to Tumalo Falls and Deschutes National Forest with our family (locals) and loved it. We started our hike at the trailhead just steps from the parking lot. The path is well-maintained and leads directly Tumalo Falls. It is incredible and cascades from a height of 89 feet. So impressive. The sound and power of the Falls is such an outstanding sight. It took us 2 1/2 hours-but it was worth every view. See you next year! read more

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Tumalo falls is one of the must see spots when in the area, I have gone here every summer for as long as I could remember, so when I am in the area visiting I always make a point to come see the falls. The trail to the top of the falls look out is about a quarter mile. There is a bit farther you can walk past the look out, where you can get access to the river. There is also a trail that goes in the opposite direction of the falls thats a pretty flat trail. We only did about a mile total between the two as it started to rain. This is a great sight to see and a fairly easy hike at least the trails I have been on. read more

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2 mile hike, took 38 minutes. Make sure to bring bug spray! There are excessive amounts of mosquitos on this trail- it does not get any better towards the end. Come prepared! The parking lot is small and can easily get crowded. There are restrooms available but beware that the mosquitoes are also in there as well. The trail is short, easy, and dusty. There are some wiley roots and boulders to be aware of. There is a little overlook deck built that looks over tumalo falls. Tumalo falls is definitely the big attraction- I didn't personally find it worth it to continue on to double falls. read more

Tumalo Falls - Tumalo falls - Hiking Near Me - Bend, Oregon

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Tumalo falls was worth the walk in visit. Being that we're outside of their normal visiting months, sounds like they close October/November, we did the Tumalo Creek Trail to find this beauty. Once you get to the falls, they still have restroom access & you're able to hike up to the top of the falls, the views from the top is incredible. read more

Tumalo Falls - Hiking Near Me - Bend, Oregon

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Favorite hike in Bend so far. You walk a quarter mile in through the forest to the first waterfall. Then hike another mile to the Double Falls. You can go even further to see more waterfalls but this is where we turned around. The trail is very well maintained with plenty of water access areas. Dogs are allowed on this trail but not on all the trails there. The bathrooms were very dirty. Parking was almost full but we found a spot midday on a Thursday. The views are so amazing! I highly recommend this area for a hike with stunning views! read more

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Beautiful waterfall! It was a short hike from the parking lot and had many viewpoints. There are longer hikes available in the area. Can easily walk to the viewpoints in sandals. read more

Tumalo Falls - Waterfall - Hiking Near Me - Bend, Oregon

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PARKING At 10:30am on Tuesday, July 2, the small parking lot (~8 official spots) at the Tumalo Falls Trailhead was full. However, a few of us started parallel parking, adding a few spots. There were plenty of spots along the road about 100 feet away across the bridge, and the official overflow parking lot was basically empty. DRIVING ACCESS The few miles of the drive is on gravel roads. COST $5 day pass - get it at the station at the overflow parking lot. Credit card or Apple/Google Pay only. AMENITIES Bathrooms. Nice trail maintenance. TRAIL We did the Tumalo Falls and Double Falls on AllTrails: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/oregon/tumalo-falls-and-double-falls?sh=leya4s AMOUNT OF TIME The ~3.5-mile round trip took us 2 hours 40 minutes with four kids ages 3.5 to 6.5. DIFFICULTY It's a medium grade uphill on the way out, all downhill on the way back. All of our kids made it with minimal carrying and maximal encouragement. SHADE The trail is fairly shaded throughout. There are several "water access" points between the two waterfalls. Go to the 2nd one after Tumalo; it takes you to a shallow, protected creek area (whereas the others you can't walk in the water because it's pretty strong rapids). CROWDS On Tuesday, July 2, from 11am to 2pm, it was somewhat crowded, where we would pass a group at least every few minutes. But we were able to get some shots with the waterfall without other people in the photo. CELL SERVICE None throughout the hike, and starting when we were about a 10-15 minute drive away. read more

The falls were easy to access and parking was plentiful. We visited last September during the terrible forest fires and this place was a nice refuge from the bad air quality. The falls purified the air and made the hike down to them comfortable, with lots of small areas to sit and dip your feet in the water. You can get super close to the falls to cool off, the water wasn't too cold either. Outside of the falls, the trails themselves were pleasant, not too much incline or mud, so simple hiking or tennis shoes worked fine. Overall we stayed here for a couple of hours just wandering and really enjoyed it, we'll be back to visit these falls on our next trip to Bend! read more

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Another fabulous PNW waterfall for sure. The positives: spectacular falls, gorgeous surroundings, nice trails, epic pictures, beautiful waters, picnic tables The negatives: dusty road in when it's dry, if you have anyone in your party with limited mobility you must arrive very early...parking is quite limited at the base (more spots avail down the road), well known = very busy A couple weekends ago we took the trail past the main falls up to the next couple of drops. Beyond that we had to turn around as we were stupid and unprepared for traversing the trail snow beyond. While I prefer the lesser known, and therefor less busy falls deeper into the forests, it's definitely a stunning falls and easily accessible for the masses. read more

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Tumalo Falls is a spectacular 97 foot waterfall that was worth the drive! 2 miles off of a gravel road, so go slow and enjoy nature along the way. The waterfall is easily accessible from the nearby closest parking area, making it even more appealing for all kinds of people and families to enjoy. There was a friendly Forest Ranger present to answer any questions who was asking patrons if they would like to participate in a survey. Many different hiking trails, picnic areas, and camping grounds. We would definitely be up to visiting this area again! read more

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We went here last year in June. It is a must see if you are in Bend, Oregon. Omg! What a beautiful hike this was. We were able to see 3 beautiful falls. This is hands down one of my favorite hikes. Absolutely stunning. FYI....go early! We started our hike at 8:30 am and by the time we were done at 10 am the crowd had arrive. We will definitely come back here this year. We were crunching for time the day we went so we weren't able to go further but this year for sure! Absolutely breathtaking! You want to go early so you can get your parking and to beat the crowd. It starts getting crazy by 10 am. We don't mind the crowd. We just like to start our hikes early. You can get a parking spot, plus the later it gets the warmer it gets and sometimes that can get uncomfortable during Spring and Summer. read more

Tumalo Falls - Tumalo Falls - Hiking Near Me - Bend, Oregon

The ~2.5mi gravel road was blocked/ gated when we arrived on a Friday in May. On Google Maps: (44.0323279, -121.5216311) this is the furthest you can drive. We started from Bend, drove on Skyliners Rd and we started to lose cell service before approaching the gate. At the gate, there were numerous cars parked along the sides and around the bridge. We were able to find a spot and started our trek to the falls. There's little shade on the gravel road so it was very hot. There's also not much to look at - just rocks and trees. Once you arrive at the "Tumalo Falls Trailhead & Viewpoint" (you can type into google maps), the view is beautiful. There's a bathroom. We were short on time so we had to turn around at this stopping point. Roundtrip from the start of the gravel road to the trailhead was ~2hrs. read more

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In A Nutshell: -Tumalo Falls is a beautiful waterfall in a state (Oregon) full of beautiful waterfalls! -This easy to get to waterfall offers you a viewpoint to take photos of w/ it as the background. -In addition, you can walk along the path to get several angles of the waterfall to include being literally on top of it. Overall, this is very nice waterfall that you can get up close & personal. read more

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One of my favorite hikes! You'll need a parking pass Northwest Forest Pass or be prepared to pay a $5 day use fee. I agree with the other reviews that the maps vs trail signature do not align or in general there isn't the best signage. Both times I hiked the North Fork Trail which I think is the only option at the start then turned around at the 3.5 mile fork in the trail for that reason that the map I took a photo of at the start of the trail, it's trail names didn't match any of my options. But that didn't bother me for when in doubt, just turn around! Lots of great waterfalls, shaded trail and wasn't crowded at all on a November Tuesday. read more

I came here on a weekday morning for a run. I took the Tumalo Creek Trail on the way to the waterfall and the road back. The Tumalo Creek Trail had packed snow along some parts on the trail, but I just had trail runners and they were fine. The trees and creek were great, and the waterfall was quite big. Didn't see anyone until I got to the waterfall, and I saw some people on the road when going back down. Not too crowded at all! read more

Tumalo Falls - Hiking Near Me - Bend, Oregon

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Beautiful waterfalls and it's an easy trail! Lots of people so get there EARLY! Bring mosquito spray! read more

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Slightly embarrassed none of the locals corrected my pronunciation of Tumalo until after I'd said it about 14 times. Getting the opportunity to check out Tumalo Falls, though, is worth the embarrassment! It's about 1/4 mile one-way to the top of Tumalo Falls from the base by the parking lot. You have the option to walk further to check out additional waterfalls. Talk about chasing waterfalls! The "hike" to the next falls after Tumalo Falls is about 1 mile, not difficult, and is kid-friendly. The trail is also mostly shaded so it was comfortable and not too hot despite it already being 3 in the afternoon. I can see why this trail is a cult classic for locals. I would recommend this to my family and friends who want a hit of nature that's not too far from downtown Bend. I'd come back again to hike further and check out more waterfalls. read more

Tumalo Falls - From the parking lot area - Hiking Near Me - Bend, Oregon

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Tumalo Falls is kind of like the northern version of Benham Falls located to the south of Bend. A really scenic spot that's easy to get to from the city, both in terms of driving and hiking. And because of that, like Benham, Tumalo Falls is also quite popular (aka crowded). Provided the access road off Skyliners Rd is open (it closes in the winter), if you just want to see the falls, it's a piece of cake. Just drive to the National Forest parking lot at the end of the road (about 2 1/2 miles from Skyliners), walk up the trail a couple hundred yards to the overlook (which might get your heart pumping if you're not in great shape) and there you are. If the access road is closed, you still can get to the falls but you'll obviously be looking at a longer hike. If you're looking for more than a scenic view of the falls, you're in luck there, too. The area is covered with hiking trails is just about every direction. In particular, you can hike upstream along Tumalo Creek and see more falls! The next set - Double Falls - is less than a mile along an easy path and there are several more beyond that. If you keep going, you may end up summiting Broken Top. Alternatively, you can hike downstream along Tumalo Creek or hike up Bridge Creek, or up and over the ridges to the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway, or north of Tumalo Creek along the Farewell trail. So many options. The only criticism I have is that the trail markers have different trail names than what are shown on the trail map. Navigation can get a bit confusing. If the parking lot at the end of the road is full and you don't want to find a spot along the road, there's also a trailhead parking area back along the road (you passed it coming in) that connects to the downstream Tumalo Creek trail and will take you to the falls area on an easy if a bit longer path. Note that the Bend Watershed Area lies west of the Tumalo Falls and if you hike through there, no dogs allowed. The Deschutes National Forest - a Central Oregon treasure. read more

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This place is incredible. It's hard to find parking but if you go early in the morning it's easier. Simple walk up a path to see the lower falls and a more challenging hike up to see the upper falls. read more

This was our most favorite adventure of our trip to Bend. It was only about 20 mins from our hotel. We were very fortunate that we got parking at the very last lot of parking at the start of the trail. We used AllTrails to navigate the trail and was alerted at every scenic view point, which was awesome. 5 mins into the hike you come to the big falls which are breath taking. Some people turn around after they see the big falls, don't do that, keep hiking ahead. We hiked 4.25 miles in to Happy Valley and turned around and hiked back. We saw about 7 spectacular water falls, much better and close up than the first big one. We hiked across bridges, climbed down to the water and even jumped into a crystal clear pool beneath one of the falls. The water was so clear and crisp, it made our hike I've hiked all over the world and I've got to say this might be my favorite hike of all time. The Narrows in Zion was my favorite but this might have beaten it. You must take 2-4 hours out of your trip to Bend and experience this hike for yourself. Trails are wide, powder, super safe and doable for all ages and levels of hikers. Allow plenty of time for stopping at each falls for photos. Enjoy read more

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A 5 star review for hiking the Tumalo Falls Loop trail as described on website AllTrails. Basically a 7 mile loop, beginning with the North Fork Trail #242 and one that is supposed to return via the Swampy Lakes trail #23. 2 IMPORTANT TIPS: 1 -- Have a $5 bill and a pen with you: otherwise risk a parking ticket; one is required to put $5 in an envelope and write your car info on the envelope, and there is nobody there to make change. 2. Print out or download the trailmap prior to heading out. There is no data service in the area, and the Falls Loop is not denoted on the poorly marked trail map posted at the trailhead. Okay, now that that is out of the way, the hike from the trailhead up the North Fork Trail #242 is nothing short of absolutely beautiful. I lost track of how many waterfalls we passed, but it seemed like it was around 10 or so. Also, the North Fork Trail is replete with tall trees, providing not only beauty but quite a bit of shade. Now, onto that printing out of the trailmap I had mentioned.... we forgot to do that, and when we took a break at the four-way trail junction at Happy Valley, I had told my friends that I felt confident that the Loop trail was to head back 0.3 miles to the previous 2-way fork and take the split trail back to the car. Unfortunately for me, a trail map existed at the 4-way junction to Happy Valley and we were not seeing the Swampy Lakes Trail denoted. Not only that, but a biker asked us if we needed help, and one of my friends said yes... the biker said the only way back was to take the Metolius to the Mrazek Trail, and my companions voted to do this. This turned our 7 mile hike into an 11 mile hike, and although parts of the Mrazek opened up to truly majestic views (reminiscent of the Blue Mountains of Australia IMHO), the bulk of the Metolius and Mrazek Trails were nothing special. Next time I come, I'll have a printout of the trailmap with me so that I can't be talked out of heading back via the Swampy Lakes Trail. :) read more

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If you are in the area, this is definitely a must-see. If you don't want to hike to the top of the falls, take Skyliners Road (which turns into Tumalo Falls Road) for about 12 miles, and it's about a half mile hike from the trailhead to the top of the falls (see pictures below). Just be mindful that the road going up is a dirt road, so your car will get very dirty. I wouldn't recommend biking or running up this dirt road because there are a substantial amount of cars driving along the road that will kick up lots of dirt/dust into your face. The waterfall is beautiful, and very close to the parking area, but the trail still goes further up if you want to continue hiking. **You have to buy a $5 adventure pass to park in the parking lot right near the trailhead, but the machine there only accepts debit/credit card.** read more

Tumalo Falls - Waterfall - Hiking Near Me - Bend, Oregon

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An amazing waterfall and picnic area. There is a 2 mile gravel road that takes you to the picnic parking, but you can also hike or bike up... It is an easy creek side trail. Once at the picnic area, there is a short but steep 1/4 trail to an amazing scenic view point. Also, about another 1 mile up river from the waterfall, are 2 more smaller but just as great waterfalls. A must see. read more

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Great hike and worth the 5 mile round trip! Still lots of snow on the ground! Just beautiful!

Loved this easy hike to a stunning waterfall. The main view point was under construction but still was beautiful. You need park pass, pay there or use a National Park pass. 2 bathroom at base of parking. I would have liked to see somewhere to eat/picnic there. Main view (below parking area) is stroller and wheelchair accessible. Parking on dirt road and crowded. read more

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Underwhelmed. ‍ We got SO lucky to get parking right at the bottom of the path. If we hadn't I would have hated this in total as I was really unimpressed. I mean I live by Multnomah Falls, Horsetail Falls, etc. This was okay. I love the lush greenery of the Columbia River Gorge. I don't dig the brown and dry atmosphere all around this fall and on the hike up. The bathroom was absolutely disgusting. I was so very unimpressed. It's pretty but it's average on a scale compared to what we have in Portland area. The trees nearer the top are green but the landscape is much more desert like than I imagined. Not for everyone I guess! read more

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This is a beautiful waterfall. I just wish it hadn't been so crowded, there were a ton of people, so it made viewing the falls difficult. read more

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This hike is truly grand. I'd pick late Spring if possible. Go early. Of course that applies to almost everything in our world anymore. You have to feel sorry for the late (after 7:30 AM) arrivers as parking is at a premium. The falls you encounter shortly after starting are pretty dry this time of the year, but still refreshing to see. There are more waterfalls if you're up to hiking further, and the rewards are well worth it. read more

I absolutely loved our hike here, prior to checking out the Deschutes brewery. There isn't a ton of parking, although there is room along the road. We lucked out with a spot, paid for our parking (bring cash), and continued on our way. It is quite beautiful and the weather was fairly mild in mid-June. We enjoyed a quick photo op near the falls and then continued up a couple miles from there. I found it so peaceful, with the water running alongside us. Lots of trees make for decent shade, even on a sunny day. This is an up and back deal, which means you can easily decide how far you feel like going before you make a u-turn back down the trail. I would rate this as easy for a semi-regular hiker. I told my honey that if we lived in Bend, I think we'd be regulars here. He agreed. read more

Beautiful falls with an easy uphill 1/4 mile walk to the overlook. Visited it today, and through the parking lot was full, there was plenty of parking on the side of the road. read more

Tumalo Falls - On the way up looking down over the fence on the beautiful landscape. - Hiking Near Me - Bend, Oregon

Note: I don't think we were officially at the park, but at the falls a little south of the park. Parking: $5 in drop box - bring correct change and a pen Dog friendly! I'm one of those people that like to work for my big pay off. Hike 8 miles and be near death's bed when all of a sudden you see an incredible, pristine alpine lake flanked by snow capped peaks. There was no working for this Falls )unless you count 2 miles driving on a bumpy road) turn into the parking lot and bam! Definitely walk up to see the falls from the top. It's really cool to see the falls from behind and really feel the rushing gusts of water pouring over the falls. Keep heading along the trail to come to a couple more falls (marked with a view point sign) after about a mile or so. We kept going and eventually saw another falls and turned back when we got to the Spring Trail sign. Trail was easy to navigate, probably the straightest trail I have ever been on. Not much elevation change aside from the initial ascent to the first falls. A few trees to jump over or limbo under, and the occasional root trying to trip you, but a great trail for even the most novice hikers. Even got an "IO" to go with my "OH" from a guy in a Buckeyes hat, so yeah, nice little hike. Bring the whole family. Those that want to hike can go a little farther, those that can't can get a view from the lot and picnic at the tables. Trail is supposed to be uphill bike only but we ran across a guy cruising down so be aware. read more

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I love the beautiful hike by the river and kayaking the river. Very convenient to be able to use credit/debit for the daily parking pass. Just beware that restrooms are unavailable during the off-season, and masks are required on trails due to COVID (as if 03/21/2021). read more

Very cool off the beaten path sight. Short hike up to the waterfall with a fantastic view. read more

Tumalo Falls - Hiking Near Me - Bend, Oregon

LOTS of mosquitos! Beautiful views/waterfalls, but you might have to snap a quick photo and run back to the car if you forgot heavy duty bug repellent. read more

I have yet to visit this place in the summer, but it's on my bucket list for this year... We came hear for the first time over this last holiday vaca to Bend, we snowshoed our way in and out to see the falls. What a beautiful site it was! Lots of snow and ice all around, a very picturesque place. As we snowshoed our way to the falls, we passed many cross country skiers and dogs. This is a dog friendly place. The trail is marked with coloured ribbons on the trees so you know you're on the right path. But be prepared for a long afternoon and start early. It took us over 4 hours for a 5 mile round trip! We were told by many that the best time to see these falls, is in the winter...it was definitely worth the hike in. Now I want to visit in the summer! read more

Tumalo Falls - The falls in Dec, frozen and beautiful - Hiking Near Me - Bend, Oregon

Never made it - waste of time. Gravel road was incredibly hard to navigate due to the massive potholes and very risky for low cars like a Prius or standard sedan. On top of that the road was slammed with cars parked on both sides. Clearly marked no parking signs were ignored and we didn't want to risk getting stuck without a turn around area. Incredibly frustrating - do not waste your time dealing with the massive crowds. Crowds can me managed but if no one follows the rules it becomes a zoo. If people would of parked correctly we would of at least tried to get to the main parking lot. Wonderful waste of time. read more

This hike was really wonderful, the scenery was amazing and breath taking. We were surprised how long it took us to hike there but we were sure the snow had something to do with it lol It was overall a beautiful hike and worth while to take the time to visit if in the bend area. The hike is about 2 1/2 -3 hours in the winter time from the lot before the first gate and about 2 1/4 mile to the top of the falls lookout. Bring water, warm jacket and Headlamp if u leave in the late afternoon, have a great time! read more

The gate is still closed here. But it was still fairly busy. The snow along the road to get to the falls was pretty clear until you reach the bridge. The trail was pretty snow covered and muddy. It was still worth the trip. But it is nice to travel up the trail past the falls to escape the crowds. Even in the spring, it can be pretty busy. But you can't beat the commute (7min drive) on this hike ha ha read more

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Very nice hike in the winter. Quiet, peaceful a few other people on the trail, so I imagine it would be busy during the hiking season. We parked at the bottom and walked up, but it looks like you might be able to drive closer and thus hike further up river. read more