Starvation Creek, Waterfall and hiking trail

May 30, 2014 Rick

Starvation Creek

Oregon’s Starvation Creek State Park is home to one of my favorite hiking trails in the Columbia River Gorge. It encompasses two pieces of local history, three waterfalls, a wonderful hike along a secluded creek, and one of the most best views of of the scenic Columbia River Gorge.

Starvation Creek is at Exit #55 on I-84, 50 miles East of Portland. It can only be accessed when driving west bound on the I-84, so eastbound drivers will need go down to the next exit and turn around. The park has a new rest room, and two important history signs. The first says:

“The wind howled and snow swirled through the Columbia River Gorge on the blustery winter night of December 18, 1884. The Pacific Express, bound for Portland, rounded a nearby curve and plowed into a 25-foot-high snow drift. The train stopped dead in its tracks stranding 148 holiday passengers and the crew.”

“Valiant relief efforts were organized when news of the train’s plight reached “civilization.” The railroad hired Gorge residents to walk or ski provisions to the stranded train, while passengers shelved snow for $3 per day. Conductor Edward Lyons rummaged in the baggage car to glean three cases of oysters, two quarters of beef, some mutton, and 75 jackrabbits. Women cooked over coal until it ran out, then over wood gathered from under the snow.”

“When the weather finally improved, the train and its weary passengers steams into Portland three weeks late on January 7, 1885. Despite newspaper reports, nobody starved to death, but it was a holiday to remember.”

Luckily, that incident did not become a black spot on tourism in the Columbia River Gorge. Only a few decades later this same spot became the birth place of the Columbia River Highway.

The real reason to come here though is for the waterfalls, Starvation Falls, Cabin Creek Falls, the unique Hole in the Wall Falls, and a small unnamed falls that likes to wash the trail out. And the view of the Columbia River Gorge from the top of the hill, nearly 1000 feet.

The trail to Starvation Mountain parallels the highway for a little ways before going into a nice wooded area. Soon you’re climbing upwards as the trail meanders along the hill.