Tumalo Falls is no secret to locals and visitors to Central Oregon; the picturesque 97-foot-tall waterfall spills over a dramatic cliff face just a few miles west of Bend. The North Fork trail, which follows the North Fork Tumalo Creek upstream and passes several other waterfalls, is one of Bend’s most scenic and accessible hikes, but also one of its most popular and most crowded.

However, one doesn’t need to look too far to find a trail that provides similar views of scenic waterfalls, but with a bit more seclusion. Bridge Creek Trail begins from the same parking lot but veers to the west at a nondescript trailhead just below the Tumalo Falls overlook. It was the perfect place for a short hike on a warm October day. I took my first few steps onto the trail and quickly found myself alone.

The hike begins in a ponderosa pine forest but quickly transitions to a mixed conifer forest full of lodgepole, mountain hemlock, Engelmann spruce, subalpine fir and white fir. It wasn’t long before I came across the first of several waterfalls I would see that day cascading and tumbling down the Bridge Creek canyon. Though much of the trail follows the creek closely and under a relatively dense forest canopy, overlooks with sweeping views of the surrounding forest and watershed are present within the first couple of miles.

The trail can be done as a short out and back, or as a longer hike with several trail junctions allowing for loops back to Tumalo Falls. To maximize the number of waterfall encounters, take the 7.2-mile loop that connects the North Fork, Swampy Lakes, and Bridge Creek trails.

The trail is closed to bikes, dogs, horses, and camping to protect this important watershed and prevent potential contamination. As a result, the trail stays relatively quiet as these other user groups are contained to other trails in the area.

Mountain biking the Deschutes River Trail to Benham Falls

Even with these user restrictions in place, many are advocating for increasing the protections for Bridge Creek and other important watersheds as they become threatened by the impacts of climate change and prolonged drought. A recent Oregon Wild report analyzed the potential benefits Senator Ron Wyden’s proposed River Democracy Act would have on drinking water sources across the state. The analysis showed the legislation would add safeguards to watersheds that provide over 1.3 million Oregonians with drinking water.

That includes Bridge Creek, which supplies over 100,000 people in Bend with clean drinking water. Bridge Creek, and the larger Tumalo Creek watershed, are part of the 3,200 miles of waterways that would become protected under the National Wild & Scenic Rivers System if the River Democracy Act becomes law. This system, established in 1968, seeks to preserve rivers with exceptional natural, cultural, and recreational values. By designating protective buffers along designated rivers, the designation prevents activities that degrade water quality and the river’s natural values.

Approximately 71% of Oregonians rely on surface waters (rivers, streams, lakes) for drinking water. Many of these surface water sources flow through forested public lands, which, when intact, act as a natural filter to absorb, store, filter, and cool water before it reaches our taps. The River Democracy Act aims to protect these public waterways and their natural processes that benefit water quality, water quantity, and wildlife habitat.

“By safeguarding watersheds that flow through public lands from reckless mining and logging, the River Democracy Act would provide important safeguards to drinking water,” said Erik Fernandez, Wilderness Program Manager for Oregon Wild.

Compare Bend’s drinking water with almost any other city in the U.S., and you will realize how fortunate we are to have tasty, clean water. I was certainly grateful for it as I stopped for a break and took a long gulp from my bottle. I stood on a rocky outcropping, the bright sun high overhead and the clear, turbulent waters of Bridge Creek below, flowing into Tumalo Creek and toward Bend in the distance.