Munra Creek
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| | Raps:7, max ↨150ft
Red Tape:No permit required Shuttle:Optional 2min Vehicle:Passenger | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Condition Reports: | 11 May 2025
"Munra Creek is currently in very poor condition and not recommended unless youre prepared for intense bushwhacking and hazardous terrain. Since the f |
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| Best season: | Mar-June
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45.6265, -121.9450
45.6343, -121.9483
45.6306, -121.9540
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Weather forecast
Waterflow
Introduction[edit]
Be aware: Munra Creek was overrun by the Eagle Creek wildfire in Sept 2017. It is not what it was (post-fire, it's now a 2.5-3 star creek), and has become overgrown with brush/briars. Best run in the winter/early spring for less briars and more water. Please use caution when descending the creek as there's a lot of loose rock and woody debris. That said, access is great and the falls are still fun.
Munra Creek is a lesser tributary of Tanner Creek and sports some seven rappels, three of them over 100ft high. With a small, relatively low elevation watershed (0.7mi^2), it's a good choice early in the season. Waterflow is best in the spring and reduces substantially heading into summer.
Best Practices[edit]
Prior to the Eagle Creek fire, Munra Creek was seeing increased visitation and signs of abuse. Please use anchors in or adjacent to the watercourse as much as possible. Climbing to trees higher on the sides is attractive, but risks trampling vegetation and eroding the banks. Riparian environments in the Pacific NW are extremely fragile. Munra has been the site of several rescues in the past. Don't be one of them.
- Teaching people to rappel for the first time in an aquatic canyon is not a good plan. It's much safer to become fully proficient with rappel devices outside the canyon in a safe dry environment.
- Wrapping the rope around trees for a two strand rappel is efficient, but is not good for the tree when you go to pull your rope. Friction damage around the back of the tree cuts into the bark. Done too many times by too many people and the tree will become girdled and eventually die. It's often kinder to the tree to set an anchor (or use a retrievable system).
- Beginners "leading" beginners is a common cause of accidents in canyoneering. Enthusiasm is not a substitute for training by a qualified instructor.
Approach[edit]
Parking / Shuttle[edit]
From I-84, take exit 40. South of the highway, the road splits: the right fork leading to the Wahclella Falls Trailhead, and left up and over the hill to the Tooth Rock Trailhead. You can park at either one. Canyon groups will usually hike (or shuttle) between the two. The bike trail alongside I-84 is less strenuous than hiking up and over the hill.
- WARNING: This area is extremely popular and high risk for car break-ins. Do not leave anything valuable (or anything that looks valuable - ex: packs, bags, purses, etc.) visible in your car. Parking at the Tooth Rock Trailhead is likely a little safer, but it's still best to leave nothing of value in your car.
Hike[edit]
From the Tooth Rock Trailhead, walk back up the hill to the water tower where you'll find Forest Road 777 (gated). Follow FR 777 for ~2mi to a sharp right bend where it crosses Munra Creek. This was the old trailhead for Tanner Butte (#401).
- Since the fire, some teams are dropping directly off the road to the top of R1.
Descent[edit]
The hiking between rappels is still brushy post-fire. If everyone visiting brings some clippers & does a little tending, hopefully the route will slowly improve over time.
- R1: 110ft via dead, but sturdy tree DCR. Beware the large, yet mobile, old-growth log in the center of the creek. Watch for rockfall.
- R2: 130ft from tree DCL. Beware rockfalll. Once at the bottom, stay well back from the base of the pitch.
- R3: 70ft from a snag DCL about 30ft back from the edge. (This rappel should probably be bolted.)
- R4: 30ft from a log. Climb down across the logjam mess at the bottom, and scoot your way down the big old-growth log.
- R5: 50ft from log DCR. Beware getting snagged on the rootball at the bottom of the falls.
- R6: 80ft from a dead snag DCR. This drop is a good candidate for bolting. Two-tier drop with a pocket in the middle, channeling flow. It's possible stem over the pocket with some fancy footwork.
- R7: Munra Falls: 130ft from a tree set well back DCR. Beware throwing your rope or rope bag down the pitch. The Wahclella Falls trail crosses the creek on a bridge right at the bottom and throwing ropes may endanger hikers. Also beware knocking down rocks. You will likely have an audience while rappelling.
Exit[edit]
Follow the trail downstream/north to the Wahclella Falls Trailhead (5min).
Red tape[edit]
A NW Forest Pass is required to park at the Wahclella Falls but not at the Tooth Rock Trailhead as of Dec 2023.
Wahchella Falls is a major tourist draw in the Columbia Gorge. Most weekends you will find the trail crowded with visitors. Be aware that canyoning is less well-known in this area, and, sometimes, hikers may react inappropriately to canyoning activities, leading to degraded relations with land managers. Do your best to make a good impression.
Beta sites[edit]
CanyoneeringNorthwest.com (archive.org) : Munra Creek- RoadTripRyan.com : Munra Creek
- Super Amazing Map : Murna Creek
Trip reports and media[edit]
- Karl Helser's NW Adventures : Munra Creek Canyoneer 4-22-17
Background[edit]
Munra has been descended at least once in the dead of winter when it was entirely frozen. Bring your crampons.
