Hike the Cline Falls Trail

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Length: 0.8 miles

Elevation Gain: 60 feet

Cline Falls is a beautiful little waterfall on the mighty Deschutes River located just outside of Redmond, Oregon. While the flows over the falls can drop drastically during the summer when much of the flow of the river has been diverted for irrigation, seeing an actual waterfall on a river the size of the Deschutes is magical in itself. Plus, the short and easy stroll makes this trip doable for almost anyone.

Cline Falls drops a total of 20 feet through multiple channels carved in the basalt. There are multiple cascades as the river makes the total drop over a span of less than 50 feet. There used to be a dam and powerplant located at site of the falls, with water from the river being diverted around the dam to create electricity for Redmond and Prineville. The power plant was demolished in 2015 and the dam removed in 2017, giving free reign of the river to flow over Cline Falls.

Begin your hike from the northern shoulder of Highway 126, on the east side of the bridge, just across from the entry way into Cline Falls State Park. The only tricky park about this hike occurs right off the bat as you have to make your way down the road embankment. If you head to the far east side of the bridge, there will be a trail that works its way down. Just be careful, because it is very steep for a little bit.

Once down, trails seem to go everywhere and you could really wander on any of them you choose. To get to the falls, you want to head north, down river for a little less than half a mile. If you stay on the most obvious trail, you will cross an old, closed paved road about halfway to the falls. A little later, the trail you are following will have a series of boulders across it and the trail will switchback to your left. If you follow that, you will come out at a nice little scenic overlook, staring straight at the falls.

Directions

To find Cline Falls, take Highway 126 four miles west of Redmond towards Sisters. The beginning of the trail is located along the side of the road on the east side of the bridge, just across from the entry to Cline Falls State Park, NOT in the park itself.