Height and type: A 15-foot segmented horsetail falls. There once was a smaller falls known as “Upper Scappoose Falls” just upstream.
Water body: Scappoose Creek
Access: Bonnie Falls are off of Scappoose-Vernonia Highway about 4 miles west of Highway 30. There is a turnoff for parking on the southwest (creek) side of the road 300 yards before you reach Walker Road. From there, a trail takes you within easy view of the falls. Getting down to the water is a dicey proposition and can require climbing (or wading in from downstream if the water is low enough) and is not recommended for inexperienced persons, or anyone at all when the cliffs are wet.
Trip Reports: A description of the adjacent Crown Z Trail is at CZ Trail: Pisgah Trailhead to Ruley Trailhead overview
Property status: The area next to the road is part of the highway right-of-way. The status of the falls themselves is unclear.
Notable Wildlife: American dippers, coastal giant salamanders, coho salmon, steelhead, Pacific lamprey, sculpin
Interesting History: In 1952, Bonnie Falls recieved one of the first two fish ladders built in Columbia County (the other was on the Clatskanie River). This ladder is still used to monitor fish populations on Scappoose Creek. Data from 1999 to 2010 showed Coho Salmon, Steelhead, Cutthroat Trout, Brook Trout, and Pacific Lamprey coming up the stream.
In the 1950s, a store at Bonnie Falls sold smoked fish and other meats. You can see photos of the signs at the Crown Z website.
Wild Columbia County 