Three Corner Creek
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| | Raps:3, max ↨120ft
Red Tape:No permit required Shuttle:Optional 4.75mi Vehicle:Passenger | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Best season: | mar-Sept
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45.7510, -122.0178
45.7454, -122.0218
45.7544, -122.0107
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Introduction[edit]
Three Corner Creek is a lesser tributary of Rock Creek located about 6mi northwest of Stevenson, WA. The creek is named for Three Corner Rock: a nearby landmark and former lookout site above Rock Creek Pass. Three Corner has three nice waterfalls and a beautiful upper canyon; it's a nice short adventure near Portland, and an excellent training creek.
Three Corner is visited regularly by waterfall photographers. If leaving anchors, please use natural colors or black to blend in. A bright red sling atop a waterfall is most irksome to photographers.
- Watershed: 1.65mi^2. Highest point in the watershed is ~3400ft. North-facing slopes will hold snow longer.
Approach[edit]
The standard approach is to drop a car at the bottom and shuttle up. The roads are rocky, but 2WD friendly if driven carefully. Upon reaching the parking area at the end of the road, hike north down the ridge directly to R1. The route passes through an older clear cut area.
- If you don't have a shuttle, there's an alternate bushwhack approach.
Descent[edit]
R1a – Traverse Line / Optional Downclimb
- Drop: ~8 ft
- Description: Easy stemming downclimb into a short slot. A rope or handline may be appreciated by some, especially in wet or slippery conditions.
R1b – Main Falls
- Drop: 90 ft
- Anchor: 2 bolts, river right at the lip (installed May 2025)
- Notes: Rappel is *royally* in the flow — clean start from new bolts. Avoid the older tree anchor river left.
Tributary Bypass (Alternate R1)
- Location: ~100 ft downstream, DCR
- Anchor: Tree, DCL, ~50 ft back
- Notes: May be helpful in high flow or alternate entry.
Creek Confluence The tributary and main canyon merge at the base of R1. Continue downstream.
Short Drop
- Description: Small step. Can be bypassed DCR or rappelled.
R2 – Main Falls
- Drop: 80 ft
- Anchor: Tree, DCL
- Notes: In low flow, sculpted chutes and potholes become visible. Several small arches at the base. Adventurous parties may rappel into the chutes.
R3 – Final Drop
- Drop: 60 ft
- Anchor: Boulder mid-creek; in high water, use a tree DCR
- Hazards: Loose rock near anchor.
Exit[edit]
Downstream from R3, you'll reach a confluence with another tributary entering from DCL. Continue downstream from the confluence. Watch DCL for a user trail that leads directly up to the parking area.
Red tape[edit]
Beta sites[edit]
Trip reports and media[edit]
Background[edit]
While waterfall hunters have visited the falls for many years, the first known descent was in August 2014 by Keith Campbell, Wim Aarts, Kevin Clark, and Karrin Mullendorff.
Anchor History[edit]
- R1 bolts installed May 2025 by local team to improve rappel start