Forest Service closes all access to Tumalo Falls

The Deschutes National Forest has closed the Tumalo Creek Trail due to people crossing the city of Bend’s construction zone to get there, agency officials said Friday.

“This closure has been put in place for safety reasons,” the announcement said. “The only legal route to viewing the falls during construction of the city of Bend Waterline Replacement Project was a 14-mile round-trip hike from Skyliners Trailhead.”

“After numerous individuals were observed accessing the falls through the construction area, forest officials have decided to close all access to the Tumalo Falls area to prevent injury,” they said.

The new closure follows ones already in place to let the city of Bend complete improvements to their surface water supply system including Forest Road 4603, Tumalo Falls parking lot, and Farewell trail, North Fork trail at Swampy trail intersection and Tumalo Creek trail at South Fork trail intersection.

While construction is taking place, forest users are encouraged to visit alternative easily accessible scenic falls on the Deschutes National Forest: Paulina Falls, located within the Newberry National Volcanic Monument; Benham and Dillion Falls on the Deschutes River accessed off the Cascade Lakes Highway; and the Head of the Metolius and Wizard Falls located on the Metolius River.

Both the Deschutes and Metolius rivers are Wild and Scenic Rivers on the Deschutes National Forest.

The closures affecting the area are anticipated to last through the summer, and the public will be notified when they are lifted.

For more information about the City of Bend’s Bridge Creek Pipeline Replacement Project, please contact Justin Finestone with the City of Bend at 541-388-5516.