7.1 hr
Overview
The lollipop loop from Angels Rest to Devils Rest encapsulates a variety of experiences at this western end of the Columbia River Gorge . Angels Rest indeed offers heavenly vistas from its exposed promontory 1,500 feet above the Columbia River. Devils Rest , ironically 900 feet above Angels Rest , offers no views whatsoever at its mossy rock summit although there are commanding views east from clifftop perches nearby. The two destinations do have something in common, however, as both are manifestations of the Boring Lava Field, only a million or so years old compared to the 15 million-year-old Columbia River Basalt flows. Angels Rest is an andesite lava flow from Larch Mountain , while Devils Rest is one of the 99 Boring volcanoes. Most of the area you will be traveling through was affected by two recent fires. The 1991 Multnomah Falls Fire scorched the slopes between Angels Rest and Multnomah Falls ; the 2017 Eagle Creek Fire was more extensive, but your descent from Devils Rest will be on user-maintained unofficial trails that were undamaged or little damaged by that blaze. Throw in a couple of waterfalls and gushing Wahkeena Spring , and this loop offers an eminently satisfying outing. There are two parking areas, one above the other at the Bridal Veil intersection on the Historic Columbia River Highway. The trails from each converge just above the lower parking area. Hike up a forested slope where the bases of large Douglas-firs bear scorch marks from the 2017 fire. Vine maple, thimbleberry, and sword fern form the understory, and occasionally there are patches of poison oak. Cross an open talus slope to get views to down to sheep paddocks below, the Columbia River, Phoca Rock , Cape Horn , the Prindle Cliffs, and Silver Star Mountain . A clifftop viewpoint gives you a look down to 150-foot Coopey Falls , which spills down to property owned by the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist. Hiking up, you'll see a short spur leading left to get a view up the creek of Upper Coopey Falls . The trail leads up through
Trail Stats
17.4 km
927 m
742 m
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Photos
Trail photo
The mossy rockpile at Devils Rest (Jeff Statt)
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Wahkeena Creek below Wahkeena Spring (bobcat)
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Looking north from the Angels Rest summit (Jeff Statt)
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Scorched woods on the Angels Rest Trail above Dalton Creek (bobcat)
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View from a rockfall on the Angels Rest Trail (Steve Hart)
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Mt. Adams, Table Mountain, Hamilton Mountain, and Beacon Rock from the Devils Rest Overlook (bobcat)
Trail photo
View to Silver Star Mountain from the Angels Rest Trail (bobcat)
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No caption provided.