Silver Falls State Park, March 2010

After returning from Palm Springs, I got sick so bad that I threw my back out again.  I eventually recovered, and a little too soon, I headed out on this hike (I didn't mess my back up, but my legs were not up for this).

Silver Falls State Park is near Silverton, Oregon, about 2 hours southeast of Portland.  Long logged over and formerly settled, the area now preserved by the state was originally intended by a local booster to become a National Park.  The National Park Service disagreed, finding the area too ravaged by logging.  Our gain.  Though popular, the park has less problems with overuse and over management than many National Parks.  The Park is noted for its numerous waterfalls.

The falls exist in such great number because of
1.  Large quantities of water- at a low elevation, the park happens to sit at the confluence of several large creeks bearing water from the Cascades, and receiving a good bit of rainfall, themselves, this being Western Oregon.
2.  A series of layers of hard basalt rock.  These layers are resistant to erosion.  Instead of eroding out in bits and pieces and forming a typical "V" shaped cascading creekbed, these flat layers of basalt  (laid down by volcanos spewing molten, flowing basalt) simply stay put, while the creek continues to erode the ground downstream.

My first view of the falls is of North Falls.  This viewpoint is by the side of the road on the way to the trailhead.

After I started walking, I quickly came upon this sign.  I think it's pretty funny that there's a place with so many waterfalls that a sign should be marked "No Waterfalls"

I actually took this Perimeter trail , because it makes a nice loop around to the park headquarters and the majority of the Falls.  Along the way I walked through mainly second growth forest.  There were, however, a few old growth trees.  Now that I have a wide angle lens, some of these shots should be easier.

Next I came to the park headquarters.  There weren't a whole lot of people there, (a rainy Tuesday in March), but there was a volunteer host and a ranger in the "lodge".  The furniture in this building is all made from the wood of one tree, and dates back to the CCC times when it was built- with no warping or anything.  Those CCC people really knew their woodworking!

I sat inside and got cozy for a while, but had get back into the rain, with more than half of the loop remaining.    Here's Silver Creek right before it hurls over the abyss at Silver Falls.

Voila, South Falls:

It's actually bigger than the photos suggest.  I've always seen photos of this park online, and thought, "that's pretty".  But in person, it's a more overwhelming experience.  Compared to some places I've been, where the attraction is readily apparent in photos, Silver Falls saves its best for when I'm actually there.  From this point, I walked down into the canyon and followed the stream to Lower South Falls:

This one's more of a block and drop type of waterfall.  Here's another angle:

I walked past several other falls, but none that really caught my eye, until I got to North Falls.  By starting at the north end of the loop, I saved the best for last.  It's not the most pretty, but I thought it was the best because of the amphitheater that surrounds it- the largest and most deeply in-cut.  

You can possibly see a person in this photo, to the left of the falls, to give you a sense of scale.  The trail hugs the back of the cave, and gives you the opportunity to walk behind the fall:

There's even a tree growing underneath the overhang!  It's visible here on the far left of the photo:

I hope you enjoyed reading.  Thanks!