Look for a spur trail on the right leading a short distance to a view of the 30-foot falls roaring out over a wide rock outcropping. ![]() After 2 miles, it reaches the former Merton sawmill site which operated for just two years a half-century ago. The hike follows a gravel road that’s so pretty it’s more like a trail, winding below hundred-year-old trees along the Little North Santiam River.įrom the gate/trailhead, the trail crosses Gold Creek on a 60-foot-tall bridge. The “waterfall of the children” is one of the most impressive cascades on the ever-popular Opal Creek Trail east of Salem. View Gallery: Henline Falls Cascade De Los Ninos (Opal Creek Trail) The Henline Falls Trailhead is just 0.1 mile beyond this intersection on the left. Drive for 16.8 miles and continue straight through an intersection, avoiding Road 2207 that leads to Three Pools. ![]() Turn left on North Fork Road at the second yellow flashing light in Mehama. More: A hidden 'family' of waterfalls in Opal Creek Wildernessĭirections: About a 55-minute drive from Salem. If you have kids, be wary toward the end as the place to view the waterfall is fairly small and steep. Stay left at two junctions until you reach the falls plunging into a shallow emerald pool. The trek is two miles round-trip, climbing just 200 feet through evergreen forest carpeted with ferns and moss, to the 126-foot vertical curtain of Henline Falls.įrom the trailhead, the trail enters the Opal Creek Wilderness. This waterfall in the Opal Creek area roars with a real fury once the rain starts falling on this short and kid-friendly hike. Follow it for 1.2 miles to a small gravel parking lot on the right. After 22.4 miles, turn left immediately before Mehama's flashing yellow light on Fern Ridge Road. You can continue past Shellburg Falls for a roughly 6-mile loop.ĭirections: About a 45-minute drive from Salem. A side trail brings you down to the grotto at the waterfall's base. Turn left and you'll shortly arrive at the main attraction, Shellburg Falls, a 100-foot waterfall where you can hike behind the falls in a narrow, dark cave. The trek begins on an old gated road, passing farmland that usually has a few cows grazing, before winding up into the dense, temperate rainforest, where wildflowers can be found in spring.Īt mile 1.3 the old road passes over a concrete bridge and just above lower Shellburg Fall's 40-foot plunge. It's the quickest drive among the five hikes. The overlooked little brother of more famous Silver Falls State Park is home to three waterfalls - including one 100-footer - small crowds and dog-friendly trails. View Gallery: Silver Falls State Park: Trail of Ten Falls Shellburg Falls Follow Highway 214 for 16 miles, following signs until you reach the park. Follow Highway 22 east from Salem for 7.6 miles and take Exit 7 for Silver Falls State Park. Oregon Top 5: Best easy hikes at Silver Falls State Parkĭirections: About a 45-minute drive from Salem.Explore Oregon Podcast: Adventure and history at Silver Falls State Park.Shameless plug: If you’ve wondered whether anyone has ever taken a canoe off 177-foot South Falls - or about how Silver Falls became a park - you should listen to our podcast on Silver Falls. The highlight in Double Falls, which at 178 feet is the tallest cascade in the state park. My favorite rainy season hike begins at Winter Falls Trailhead and travels past five waterfalls and back on a 3.6 mile tour. If you don’t want to hike the entire Trail of Ten Falls - a challenging 8 to 9 miles - consider the shorter loops detailed in this story. Ten waterfalls, six more than 90 feet tall all in a glorious temperate rainforest east of Salem. This is the most obvious choice, of course, so we’re just going to scratch the surface. Cascade Foothills Silver Falls State Park Most of these waterfalls are open year-round, except in low elevation snowstorms. ![]() Here are 15 of my favorite waterfall hikes within 90 minutes of Salem. In that awkward late autumn period, when the rain has arrived but the snow is lagging, waterfalls hit center stage. Watch Video: Silver Falls, Five Falls Route
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