Trails & Ales: Silver Falls, OR Edition – Trail of 10 Waterfalls
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TRAILS: TRAIL OF 10 FALLS, SILVER FALLS STATE PARK
Trailhead: 20024 Silver Falls Hwy SE, Sublimity, OR 97385
Alternative Trailheads: Winterfalls Trailhead | Northfalls Trailhead
Parking: $5 Day Use, Self-Pay at Kiosk, or free with camping
Fees: No other fees
Distance: 7.2 – 10 miles
Elevation Gain: 800 ft – 1,200 ft
Other: The alt. trailheads are small and fill quickly. Camping is available at Silver Falls State Park but also fills fast so book early (book here).
I love being outdoors so I enjoy almost every hike or walk in the park, but I’ve also been on a number of truly spectacular hikes, from Colorado alpine lake hikes to pretty much every hike in Banff, BC Canada. So for me to be blown away, takes a lot. The Trail of Ten Falls at Silver Falls State Park, Oregon blew me away.
You literally see ten waterfalls in one hike! And they are not the two-foot “waterfalls,” I’ve seen in drier regions. They are each true waterfalls ranging from just under 30 feet to over 100 feet tall. You get views from all angles – above, behind, eye-level, and depending on flow, even walking right up to and touching some of the falls. If I had to choose a favorite, I’d say the North Falls. Sitting in a cave behind the majestic falls felt like a moment out of a movie.
Distance and elevation gain depend on how much you “add-on,” to the hike. Doing just the loop will put you at about 7.2 miles and 800 feet of gain. There are multiple spots where you can walk down a side trail to explore a little more such as walking behind Middle North Falls. I find it difficult to resist seeing what’s around the next corner so my hike ended at about 10 miles and 1,200 feet total elevation gain.
You can easily adjust the hike to fit your fitness level and desires. If you don’t want to put in 7 – 10 miles, just do part of the loop, or walk to a few of the falls. The Winter Falls Trail can be used as a cut-across to make a shorter loop on either side of the full loop. If 7 – 10 miles isn’t enough for you, you can connect to the 25 miles of back-country trails within the park.
And now, I will let the photos of all ten falls do the talking:
Note: I visited in late September. Fall flow is at its highest in the middle of rainy season (but of course, that means wet weather hiking!) or right after (think: June.)
Additional Resources for Planning Your Silver Falls Hike
OregonHikers.Org: Trail of Ten Falls Loop Hike
Oregon State Parks: Silver Falls State Park
AllTrails: Best Waterfall Trails in Silver Falls State Park
Hikespeak: Trail of Ten Falls
Rootsrated.com: Silver Falls State Park in Winter: 3 Reasons Why You Should Visit Now
Sortoflegal.com: Ten Essentials for Day Hikes
REI: Day Hiking Checklist
ALES: SILVER FALLS BREWERY
Address: 207 Jersey St, Silverton, OR 97381
Phone: (503) 873-3022
Website: Silver Falls Brewery
Instagram: @silverfallsbrewery
Parking: Parking lot or street parking
Beer Offerings: Rotating taps of Silver Falls own small-batch brews.
There’s really only one beer choice after a day of exploring at Silver Falls, State Park: a brew from Silver Falls Brewery, a truly local, small-batch craft brewery that seeks to “capture the essence and beauty of the park in every pint.” The adorable ale housethat offers food in addition to beers is located about a twenty-minute drive from the park in Silverton, Oregon. If you time it right, you could even catch some live music or another one of the brewery’s other events.
If you don’t feel like driving post hike, or perhaps are camping at the state park, you can opt to enjoy Silver Falls’ brews at its namesake park. Its brews are available at Silver Falls State Park’s café and lodge. There is a lovely outdoor porch as well as cozy indoor seating complete with fireplace, I chose to split my time between both seating areas.
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