15 essential waterfalls hikes near Salem, Oregon

Waterfall season is here in Oregon.

In that awkward late autumn period, when the rain has arrived but the snow is lagging, waterfalls hit center stage.  

Here are 15 of my favorite waterfall hikes within 90 minutes of Salem. Most of these waterfalls are open year-round, except in low elevation snowstorms. A few are a bit higher. 

Cascade Foothills

Silver Falls State Park

This is the most obvious choice, of course, so we’re just going to scratch the surface. Ten waterfalls, six more than 90 feet tall all in a glorious temperate rainforest east of Salem.

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.

My favorite rainy season hike begins at Winter Falls Trailhead and travels past five waterfalls and back on a 3.6 mile tour. The highlight in Double Falls, which at 178 feet is the tallest cascade in the 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.

More silver falsl state park:

• Explore Oregon Podcast: Adventure and history at Silver Falls State Park
• Oregon Top 5: Best easy hikes at Silver Falls State Park

Directions: About a 45-minute drive from Salem. Follow Highway 22 east from Salem for 7.6 miles and take Exit 7 for Silver Falls State Park. Follow Highway 214 for 16 miles, following signs until you reach the park.

Coordinates: 44.876667, -122.64805.

Shellburg Falls

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. It's the quickest drive among the five hikes.

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.

At mile 1.3 the old road passes over a concrete bridge and just above lower Shellburg Fall's 40-foot plunge.

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. A side trail brings you down to the grotto at the waterfall's base.

It's a roughly 3-mile hike out-and-back. You can continue past Shellburg Falls for a roughly 6-mile loop.

Directions: About a 45-minute drive from Salem. Head east on Highway 22. After 22.4 miles, turn left immediately before Mehama's flashing yellow light on Fern Ridge Road. Follow it for 1.2 miles to a small gravel parking lot on the right.

Coordinates: 44.8053, -122.627335

Henline Falls

This waterfall in the Opal Creek area roars with a real fury once the rain starts falling on this short and kid-friendly hike.

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.

From the trailhead, the trail enters the Opal Creek Wilderness. Stay left at two junctions until you reach the falls plunging into a shallow emerald pool.

If you have kids, be wary toward the end as the place to view the waterfall is fairly small and steep.

More:A hidden 'family' of waterfalls in Opal Creek Wilderness

Directions: About a 55-minute drive from Salem. Head east on Highway 22 for 23 miles. Turn left on North Fork Road at the second yellow flashing light in Mehama. Drive for 16.8 miles and continue straight through an intersection, avoiding Road 2207 that leads to Three Pools. The Henline Falls Trailhead is just 0.1 mile beyond this intersection on the left.

Coordinates: 44.845821, -122.32667.

Cascade De Los Ninos (Opal Creek Trail)

The “waterfall of the children” is one of the most impressive cascades on the ever-popular Opal Creek Trail east of Salem.

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.

From the gate/trailhead, the trail crosses Gold Creek on a 60-foot-tall bridge. After 2 miles, it reaches the former Merton sawmill site which operated for just two years a half-century ago.  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. Turn back here for a 4-mile hike or continue another mile to the wilderness village of Jawbone Flats.  

Note: If you reach the log bridge crossing the river, you’ve gone too far.

Directions: From Salem follow Highway 22 east for 23 miles to the small town of Mehama. At the second flashing yellow light, turn left on Little North Fork Road. Follow this road 21 miles of pavement and then gravel as it becomes Forest Road 2209. Stay left at a junction with a sign for Three Pools Recreation Area and park at a large trailhead and parking area at a gated road.

Coordinates: 44.859828, -122.264339.

Little North Santiam Trail

My favorite trail in the Little North Santiam gets nice and quiet during the rainy season, which allows the area’s waterfalls to bloom.

The waterfalls aren’t super obvious to the uninitiated, and some require a bit of off trail scrambling.

The LNS Trail is a total of 4.5 miles one-way from the Elkhorn Trailhead to Shady Cove Campground. But here’s a few options with waterfall payoff.

At mile 0.7, you’ll reach a well-worn user trail on the left that leads to a small but powerful 10-foot waterfall sometimes called Elkhorn Falls.

Keep going a mile or so, as the trail climbs uphill, and you’ll hear the rush of Triple Falls. It’s necessary to scramble down a steep and sketchy slope to view it, but it’s a very scenic area. If you hike the full trail, you’ll eventually come to Three Pools, the uber-popular summer swimming hole that in rain is transformed into a triple rapid of mini waterfalls.

Directions

Lower Trailhead — Elkhorn: Travel east on Highway 22, toward Detroit, for 23 miles. Turn left on North Fork Road at the second yellow flashing light in Mehama. Follow the road to just past mile marker 13 and turn right onto Elkhorn Drive (also marked on maps as FSR 201). Follow this paved and gravel road half a mile to a trailhead and parking area on the left.

Trailhead coordinates:44.821159, -122.355351.

Upper Trailhead — Shady Cove Campground: From Elkhorn Drive, follow Little North Fork Road (FSR 2207) for 2.4 miles. Turn right at a sign for Three Pools and Shady Cove Campground (still FSR 2207), and follow it 2.1 miles, passing Three Pools Day Use Area, to a bridge over the river at Shady Cove Campground. Just across the river is the trailhead (on the right) and a parking area (on the left).

Trailhead coordinates: 44.845983, -122.298683

Pup Creek Falls (Clackamas Trail)

Old-growth rainforest along the Clackamas River Trail is the primer, but 200-foot Pup Creek Falls is the real stunner, especially during the rainy season.

The hike is a longer one at 7.5 miles with around 1,000 feet of climb, and it’s fairly popular even in the off-season. Even so, it’s well worth a 90-minute drive northeast of Salem.

The hike begins at Fish Lake Trailhead (right next to a campground of the same name). After following the river and climbing above it, keep an eye out for a “falls” pointer around the 3.5 mile mark and drop down to Pup Creek Falls.

Directions: From Salem, drive north on I-5 to exit 271 in Woodburn. Follow Highway 211 east through Molalla toward Estacada. Turn right on Highway 224 and follow it 14 miles before turning right onto Fish Creek Road. Go 0.3 miles up Fish Creek Road and pull into the large parking area on the right.

Coordinates: 45.15728, -122.15105

Butte Creek Falls

These two waterfalls just outside the tiny hamlet of Scotts Mills are both stunners — though in different ways — and require only a quick and easy hike. The driving directions have recently changed following instillation of a gate, so take note below.

As for the hike, it’s short and sweet. A 1.5-mile loop heads into temperate rainforest and, starting the loop going left, reaches 78-foot Butte Creek Falls dropping into a small pool viewed overhead from the trail. Be careful here with young children. The trail travels to a narrow point with steep cliffs dropping away on both sides, and there are no guardrails.

Just beyond, staying left on another side trail, Upper Butte Creek Falls drops small (26 feet), wide (40 feet) and pretty into a small splash pool. Paths lead behind the falls into the deep grotto.

More:New Weyerhaeuser gate forces alternate route to popular Butte Creek Falls and campground

Directions: Directions to Butte Creek Falls have recently changed following instillation of a gate on Crooked Finger Road. Now, drive into Scotts Mills. On the far side of town, turn left onto Maple Grove Road (instead of right onto Crooked Finger Road). After 4.4 miles, turn right at a "T" intersection with Groshog Road to stay on Maple Grove Road. 3 miles beyond that, turn right on Sawtell Road. Sawtell Road becomes Family Camp Road after 5.2 miles, then becomes Butte Creek Mainline after about 3 more miles. Half a mile after a crossing of Fall Creek (or 8.4 miles after leaving Maple Grove Road), turn right on BC 500 Road; turn right again onto CF 400 Road after 1.2 miles. Follow CF 400 Road for 1.8 miles to the trailhead.

- Directions courtesy of Oregon Department of Forestry and OregonHikers.com.

Coordinates: 44.92088, -122.51123

Abiqua Falls

The trek to Abiqua Falls is an adventure, but those willing to make the trip are rewarded with one of Oregon’s most scenic (and popular) waterfall views.

The waterfall is on private property but is available to the public via the Abbey Foundation of Oregon. Stay on marked routes and make sure to have correct directions.

The hike is only 0.8 miles but feels longer due to a steep trek down to the creek and a rocky, slippery trudge upstream to the waterfall.

From where you parked, walk 100 feet back along the road where there is a metal sign on a tree stating that the land is Abbey Foundation of Oregon. This is the trail.

The path leads steeply downhill to Abiqua Creek in 0.2 miles. At the steepest points in the trail, there are lengths of rope tied to tree trunks for handholds that people can use. Turn upstream along the creek, following a rough trail for another 0.2 mile. You will have to climb over and around rocks and logs (tough in high water). Eventually, you'll reach the falls.

Directions: From Scotts Mills, drive south on Crooked Finger Road for 9.5 miles to where the pavement ends, and continue 1.4 miles on gravel to a road poorly marked as CF300 (the road goes downhill and has a wooden sign for an ORV/ATV area).

Turn right on CF300 and follow it downhill, ignoring all deviations from the path for 2.25 miles to the end of the road at a gate and park. This is the trailhead. The road down is rough and steep in places and is not well suited to low-clearance vehicles.

Coordinates: 44.93127, -122.56800

McDowell Creek Falls

Whether it's the lack of notoriety or remote location, the feeling you get arriving at McDowell Creek Falls Park is that of stumbling upon a hidden gem.

Located 10 miles north of Sweet Home, the unassuming park is home to four spectacular waterfalls found on an easy, fun, trail home to unique bridges and viewing platforms. Dogs on leashes are welcome.

A 1.8-mile loop passes Royal Terrace Falls, Majestic Falls and Crystal Pool.

There's a map at the trailhead and the trails are well maintained.

Directions: About an hour and 10 minute drive from Salem. Follow Interstate 5 south to Exit 233 for Lebanon/Sweet Home. Follow Highway 20 east for 19 miles, through the town of Lebanon. Turn left onto McDowell Creek Road and follow signs about 9 miles to the park. If you reach Sweet Home on Highway 20, you've gone too far.

Coordinates: 44.464232, -122.682278.

Soda Creek Falls

A very quiet and pretty trail leads from the South Santiam River to a tiny crystal stream with a thin, 150-foot waterfall. In summer, Soda Creek Falls is little more than a dribble, while in winter, it thunders down the canyon.

The hike begins at Cascadia State Park, east of Sweet Home, and is 1.4 miles total with a 575-foot elevation gain, making it an easy but sometimes a steep trek.

The path begins on the far side of the parking area and follows the creek upstream (there are wooden signs that are easy to follow).

The farther you hike, the more narrow the canyon becomes. The forest also becomes denser.

Once you reach the waterfall, there are a few scramble trails worth exploring through a slit in the rock walls — although this can be fairly dangerous and slippery.

Directions: From Salem, drive south on I-5 to exit 228 for Lebanon. Follow Highway 34 and 20 east, past Sweet Home, to Cascadia State Park on the left.

Coordinates: 44.398182, -122.472862

Columbia Gorge waterfalls

There are too many waterfalls in the Columbia Gorge to name them all. But these are the closest to Salem and are currently open. Many trails are still closed due to the Eagle Creek Fire damage.

Latourell Falls

One of the few classic waterfall hikes in the Gorge that was relatively unscathed, this 2.3-mile loop takes in two beautiful waterfalls in a lush environment.

But to actually enjoy this hike on a weekend, officials recommended arriving by 8 or 9 a.m.

“If you arrive later than 10 a.m. on a weekend, there’s a good chance you’ll find yourself driving around looking for a place to park,” said Glenn Littrell, park ranger supervisor for state parks in the western Gorge. “It can get really congested.” 

Bridal Veil Falls

Another classic Gorge waterfall, the full hike to Bridal Veil and back totals about 1 mile. It’s just up the road from Latourell, and the same rules apply: Arrive early on weekends. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck with nowhere to park and no shoulder space during the hike.

Coast Range Waterfalls

Niagara Falls

Despite the famous name, and despite its close location to Salem, few people have even heard of this spectacular hideaway, home to a pair of 120-foot waterfalls.

An easy trail of 2 miles round-trip takes hikers into a remote box canyon where Pheasant Creek and Niagara Falls roar like neighbors attempting to outdo each other.

Located northwest of Willamina, and about 10 miles east of Hebo Mountain, the drive from Salem requires navigating a series of county, BLM and Forest Service roads, but it can be reached in an hour-and-20-minute drive. I often take my daughter and dog here. I’ve seen a total of five other people in all my times traveling there.

One other fun thing about this hike is that there's actually some controversy in the waterfall world about which cascade is named Niagara and which is called Pheasant.

Directions:

• From Salem, cross the Marion Street bridge and head west on Highway 22 for 15.8 miles 

• Turn right on Highway 18 and continue 1.8 miles into Willamina 

• Turn left on Willamina Creek Road and follow it, passing Hampton Lumber Mills, a total of 6.2 miles 

• Turn left onto Coast Creek Road and follow it 1.3 miles 

• Veer right onto Gilbert Creek Road and follow it 4.1 miles, heading north 

• Turn left at Bible Creek Road, at a sign for Niagara Falls, and follow it 1.3 miles 

• At another sign for Niagara Falls, turn left and then veer right onto gravel Forest Road 14 (the road also has a notation 4-7-21.3). Follow Forest Road 14 a total of 3.5 miles. 

• At a T-junction, with signs for South Lake/Niagara Falls, turn right onto Forest Road 8533. Follow it 0.6 miles. 

• At a sign for Niagara Falls, turn left onto Forest Road 131 and follow 0.7 miles to trailhead and parking area on the left.

Coordinates: 45.214674, -123.617342 

More:Explore Oregon Podcast: Escape the crowds with Coast Range hikes

Chitwood Creek Falls (Harts Cove Trail)

One of the most beautiful hikes on the Oregon Coast ends with views of a dramatic cove with a small waterfall dropping into the ocean.

The trail is Harts Cove Trail, located on Cascade Head north of Lincoln City. The waterfall is Chitwood Creek Falls.

The hike, only open July 16 through Dec. 31, begins at a trailhead at the end of Forest Road 1861.

The first part of the trail highlights Cascade Head's giant sitka spruce trees and dense, lush forest. The sound of barking sea lions begins to drift onto the trail near the 1.4 mile-mark and after 2.7 miles, the forest opens into a meadow about 200 feet above the ocean.

Follow the trail to the left toward a grove of spruce for the trail's best view — Harts Cove. Surrounded by oceanfront walls, this cove encircles a turquoise pool and thin waterfall.

Directions: From Lincoln City (or Highway 18 from Salem), go north on Highway 101 and continue 3.7 miles. Keep an eye out as you head uphill on Highway 101 for Forest Road 1861 on the left. Turn onto Road 1861 and follow it all the way to the road's end for Harts Cove Trailhead.

Coordinates: 45.06491, -123.99545

Munson Creek Falls

Of the hikes mentioned so far, the trip to Munson Creek Falls is by far the easiest.

Located south of Tillamook, a short 0.3-mile hike winds through old-growth coastal forest to a waterfall that, at 319 feet, is the tallest in the Coast Range.

The creek tumbles over a fern-covered wall of stone, splashing into a tree-encircled pool.

The trail follows the creek from the base of the falls to an open grove, where the swiftly rushing water laps the creek banks beside a picnic table. The best time to visit is winter and spring after a nice heavy rain.

Directions: From Tillamook, follow Highway 101 south for seven miles and turn left onto Munson Creek Road and follow it a short trip to its end.

Coordinates: 45.365692, -123.774676

Drift Creek Falls

Easy and flat enough to wheel a stroller, but with a dramatic 80-foot waterfall and swinging bridge at its end, Drift Creek Fall is among the great family-friendly hikes in the Lincoln City area.

The hike is moderately difficult at three miles round-trip, heading downhill on the way in (and uphill on the way out).

After crossing the bridge, a half-mile hike leads down to the creek-level view of the falls. The view once at the bottom has may require some slippery rock hopping to enjoy.

Note: The suspension bridge does move somewhat and can make some kids (and adults) nervous.

Open: Year-round, but best in spring after a good hard rain. $5 trailhead fee or Northwest Forest Pass

Directions (from Salem): From Salem, travel west on Highway 22 and merge onto Highway 18 toward Lincoln City. After passing Grande Ronde / Spirit Mountain Casino, continue another 18 miles. Near Rose Lodge, turn left on Bear Creek County Road for 3.5 miles. Continue straight seven miles on Forest Service Road 17 to trailhead.

Directions (From Lincoln City area): From Highway 101 on the south end of Lincoln City, turn east on Drift Creek Road, turn right on South Drift Creek Road about a quarter of a mile. Turn left onto Forest Service Road 17. Stay on Forest Service Road 17 to trailhead, approximately, 10 miles.

Trailhead coordinates: 44.9361268, -123.8546705

Zach Urness has been an outdoors reporter, photographer and videographer in Oregon for 12 years. To support his work, subscribe to the Statesman Journal.

Urness is the author of “Best Hikes with Kids: Oregon” and “Hiking Southern Oregon.” He can be reached at zurness@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6801. Find him on Twitter at @ZachsORoutdoors.