Tumalo Falls Loop

Welcome to Travel Tuesday! We went on a Pacific Northwest roadtrip a few years back and this straggler post somehow escaped being published! So…I’m publishing it now — we’re going to a different national forest, this time to check out the Tumalo Falls Loop in Deschutes National Forest!

Distance: 6.8 miles (loop)
Elevation: 1217 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Duration: ~3 hours
Trailhead Address: 44.03200, -121.56640
Parking: Lot available*

*There was a fairly ginormous pothole on the way to the parking lot so we parked further down the road and walked up to the trailhead so as not to murder the car. If you have a high clearance vehicle, you should be fine! There are bathrooms at the trailhead, so be sure to do your business before you head out!

The Tumalo Falls Loop is a super popular trail located in Deschutes National Forest, only 13 miles from Bend–you’ll need a $5 day pass, Northwest Forest Pass or the interagency pass to park there.

Tumalo Falls is close to Bend, Oregon, and is considered to be one of the tallest + prettiest waterfalls located in Central Oregon! There are viewing points in two areas that are pretty easy to get to — one at the top (about 1/2 a mile up the trail) and the other by the base of the falls.

We decided to do the whole hike because…well, why not!? This loop brings you up the North Fork Trail where you’ll eventually pass a log bridge. You’ll pass by a few more waterfalls and then get to Swampy Lake Trail!

There’s a creek crossing without a bridge later on — we used some downed trees to get across since the water was reallyyy cold and we didn’t want to have to wade through it (it probably would’ve been ~waist-deep for me).

Afterward, you can loop back from the Bend Watershed to the Bridge Creek Trail until you get back to the North Fork Trail!

There were picnic benches across the way near the trailhead if you want to have a picnic!

Please note that dogs are only allowed on the first part of the loop! Camping isn’t allowed either!

• Have you ever been to the Pacific Northwest?
• Have you gotten to do any traveling this year?