An Oasis at Silver Falls State Park
It's kind of an oasis, even amidst the already scenic farmlands, rolling
hills and lush forests of the eastern Willamette Valley. Silver Falls State
Park literally overflows with a variety of splendid waterfalls, trails,
fascinating rock formations and greenery, all situated right in the middle
of some beautifully varied landscape.
It's the cool, green, rain-forest-like atmosphere that hits you as you approach
this 8,700-acre state park. The fauna becomes denser and the road twists
and turns a little tighter, and it isn't long before you are drawn into
the more than 21 miles of trails designed for hiking, biking, horse riding
and of course, viewing.
Interestingly enough, you wouldn't have thought much about the beauty of
this placid place 16 million years ago. Then, enormous lava flows from eruptions
as far away as Idaho pushed their way into the Salem area, eventually reaching
the sea. Yet it's that kind of volcanic destruction that ultimately created
the beauty of the park. As each new lava flow cooled, it gave birth to new
rock layers called basalt. These basalt formations were eventually cut into
their present-day pathways by the various streams in the area, and then
into the 11 waterfalls that are contained within Silver Falls State Park.
Today, the only things flowing through the park are the various creeks and
the myriad of visitors. Here, the Canyon Trail makes a seven-mile loop to
each of the 11 falls, while the park also features various viewpoints, campsites,
horse rentals, as well as trails designed for biking and equestrian pursuits.
You can choose to hike the entire trail (which takes about three hours),
or take shortcuts by stopping at any of several parking lots and viewpoints
that are near many of the falls.
The recognized center of the park is the South Falls Day-Use Area, which
features a man-made swimming pond, reservable picnic shelters, restrooms,
and the historic, rustic South Falls Lodge. Guarding the pathway entrance
to the South Falls, this beautiful log cabin structure was built in 1941
and served duty as a restaurant for a time. Presently, it's sort of an interpretive
center, equipped with a food vendor and an often welcome fireplace.
The pathway to each waterfall has a designation for degree of difficulty,
and the South Falls is designated as ``easy access.'' It's a long, somewhat
winding descent to the 177-foot-tall waterfall, but this trail, as well
as several others, allows you to walk behind the falls. There, the water
sprays you in varying degrees - depending on time of year - and you can
stand next to the awesome power of this remarkable natural wonder.
About halfway down the trail is a small path to Frenchie Falls, which is
somewhat secluded and without a doubt the most romantic of the falls.
Approximately one mile farther on the Canyon Trail is the 93-foot-tall Lower
South Falls. You can walk behind this one as well.
The gentle drop of the 30-foot-tall Lower North Falls is another mile and
a half away, or you can return to your car and drive to the Winter Falls
parking lot, which is only a little more than a mile away from Lower North
Falls.
Winter Falls is dependent on winter run-off so it is more interesting in
the spring. From there, it's not too far to many others, including the spectacular
Middle North Falls - which also allows you to walk behind it.
Nearby Drake Falls is the smallest in the park at 27 feet. Double Falls,
which is between Lower North Falls and Drake, has the unique distinction
of being one waterfall on top of another. And Twin Falls is split into two
runs by a particularly stubborn section of ancient basalt rock.
The parking lot to North Falls leads to two treasures: North Falls and Upper
North Falls. The trail to North Falls is somewhat difficult but well worth
it, as it descends below some awe-inspiring, towering black rock walls which
look much like the foreboding walls of an ancient European castle. You can
walk behind this fall, and when the sunset is just right, the sun casts
a hypnotic shadow of the tumbling water onto the back of the cave wall.
The 65-foot Upper North Falls was for a time the park's hidden secret. The
pathway there was neglected and it was actually quite unknown except by
a few park regulars. They found it secluded enough to go skinny dipping
for a time. Today, the pathway is wheelchair accessible, and with its cozy
amphitheater and welcoming pool below, it is perhaps the park's most picturesque
little waterfall.
During the fall, the colors literally explode in this area of the Willamette
Valley, and Silver Falls State Park has its lion's share of these rich and
vibrant colors. During winter, however, some trails are occasionally closed
due to ice on the pathways. But as park spokesman Rick Bauman put it, there
are still some irresistible Kodak moments to be had: ``Sometimes the falls
freeze. It's beautiful photography, but it's sometimes a matter of being
able to get back up the trail.''
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All contents (c) Andre' Hagestedt