Mount Hood: Eliot Branch & Compass Creek Falls

August 2005

On the northeast side of Mt. Hood is a great access point for many viewpoints up to the mountain and out to the surrounding mountains and countryside. Following the Timberline Trail just a couple miles from a road-end campsite provides a pleasant walk through a fir forest, which then opens up to barren expanses on the slopes of Mt. Hood. First crossing the glacier fed Eliot Branch in its own valley, there is rock hopping and scenery watching in all directions. After passing over to the next valley, Compass Creek crashes down over a rock wall as a flowing waterfall.

 

The glaciers on Mt. Hood above form the rushing waters of Eliot Branch below

 

Compass Creek Falls cascade over the rocky wall just left of center in this picture