Trail: Trail of Ten Falls
Hike Location: Silver Falls State Park
Geographic Location: east of Salem, OR (44.87644, -122.65155)
Length: 8.1 miles
Difficulty: 7/10 (Moderate/Difficult)
Date Hiked: July 2021
Overview: A classic semiloop passing 10 waterfalls.
Park Information:
https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=park.profile&parkId=151
Hike Route Map:
https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=880578Photo Highlight:
Directions to the trailhead: From Salem, take SR 22 east 7.5 miles to SR 214 (exit 9). Exit and go east on SR 214. Drive SR 214 north/east 12 miles to the South Falls Day Use Area parking lot. Park in this large parking lot.
The hike: Consisting of more than 9000 acres in the Cascade Mountains' western foothills, Silver Falls State Park is Oregon's largest state park and the crown jewel of Oregon's state park system. Before it became a park, the area was a center for logging activity, and a small lumber town known as Silver Falls City stood near today's South Falls Day Use Area parking lot. In the 1920's, the area was considered for inclusion in the United States' newly formed national park system, but it was rejected due to the large number of ugly tree stumps left by recent logging activity. The state park officially opened in 1933.
In 1935, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) designated this land a Recreational Demonstration Area, and they built several structures near South Falls that today comprise the Silver Falls historic district. The scenery remains as good as many national parks, but recent attempts to make this park into a national park have failed to advance in legislatures. The park offers a 91-site campground, 14 cabins, and a horse camp, but most of the park's visitors drive in from outside the park. Thus, be sure to arrive at the park early to secure a parking spot, even in the vast parking lot near South Falls. When I came here on a mild Friday in mid-July, the lot was 95% empty when I arrived at 9am but 80% full when I departed at 3pm.
The park offers more than 24 miles of hiking trails, but by far the park's most popular and famous trail is the Trail of Ten Falls. True to its name, the Trail of Ten Falls passes 10 major waterfalls, 8 of which lie in Silver Creek's two main tributaries and 2 of which lie in smaller side streams. Taking in all 10 waterfalls requires an 8.1 mile loop hike with some side trips, but the well-built trail avoids most steep areas, thus making the journey doable for people in decent physical condition.
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| Trailhead: South Falls Day Use Area |
From the north end of the South Falls Day Use parking area, head down the paved trail marked as leading to South Falls with the restroom building on your left. Pass several stone and log structures built by the CCC, and turn left when you reach the Stone Circle to begin the Canyon Trail. Ignore the Maple Ridge Trail that exits right and soon reach the rim of the canyon. You can barely see your first waterfall, 177-foot South Falls, pouring over the rim of the canyon to your left here.
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| Side view of South Falls |
To get a better view of South Falls, stay on the Canyon Trail as it descends into the canyon via several switchbacks. Where the Canyon Trail splits, you can go either way. The trail going straight goes behind South Falls, but the trail going right gives a better view from the front of South Falls and a shorter route to the rest of the Canyon Trail. From in front or behind, South Falls is an impressive ledge-type waterfall with a huge plunge pool lined by vertical and undercut basalt cliffs.
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| South Falls |
The Canyon Trail exits the South Falls area by heading north downstream along the west bank of the South Fork of Silver Creek. Some huge pine trees live in this canyon, and the wide dirt trail with gradual grade makes for easy going. Just past 1 mile into the hike, you descend a long set of stone steps that leads down to Lower South Falls, the second waterfall on this hike. At 93 feet high, Lower South Falls is another ledge-type waterfall, though the water takes a short cascade before reaching the plunge pool.
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| Lower South Falls |
The trail passes behind Lower South Falls and continues its downstream journey. At 1.4 miles, you top a small rise and reach a trail intersection. The Maple Ridge Trail exits right here, and you could use it if you wanted a shorter 2.3 mile hike that passes only two waterfalls. To see all ten waterfalls, angle left to stay on the Canyon Trail.
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| Hiking along North Fork of Silver Creek |
For the next 2.8 miles the Canyon Trail heads upstream along the North Fork of Silver Creek. This section of trail is narrower than the initial section, but overall the grade remains gradual and the going fairly easy. The remoteness of this section of trail allowed me to do some good bird watching that included some woodpeckers and a wide variety of common woodland birds. At 2.2 miles, you cross over to the north bank of the North Fork of Silver Creek via an iron bridge. Next you pass Lower North Falls, a 30-foot cascading waterfall with a large plunge pool. Lower North Falls would be a show-stopping waterfall at some parks, but it seems rather pedestrian compared to the two you have already seen here.
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| Lower North Falls |
Just past Lower North Falls, a spur trail leads left a few hundred feet to Double Falls, this hike's fourth waterfall. Double Falls lies on a tributary of Silver Creek rather than on one of its main forks, and thus the water volume will be rather low except during snowmelt or after a good rain. Nevertheless, at 178 feet tall, Double Falls is the tallest waterfall on this hike.
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| Double Falls |
Back on the Canyon Trail, next you pass Drake Falls, a 27-foot cascading waterfall, before the spur trail to Middle North Falls exits right. Middle North Falls is a 106-foot ribbon-type waterfall, and hiking down the spur trail will take you behind the waterfall. It is hard to get a good view of this impressive waterfall without hiking the spur trail, so detouring a few hundred feet down the spur trail is highly recommended.
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| Middle North Falls |
Just past 3 miles, you reach another trail intersection. We will eventually go straight to continue the gradual climb up the floor of the canyon, but to see all 10 waterfalls, you need to take a detour to the right on the Winter Trail. The Winter Trail crosses the North Fork of Silver Creek on another iron bridge before beginning a gradual climb up Winter Creek's ravine.
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| Bridge at start of Winter Trail |
At 3.4 miles, you reach the base of Winter Falls. True to its name, this 134-foot waterfall was barely a drip when I came here, but it can be rather spectacular during a winter snow melt. At this point, you need to make a decision. You can continue up the Winter Trail to the Rim Trail for a shorter loop of 5 miles that passes only seven waterfalls. To hike the full Trail of Ten Falls, retrace your steps back down to the Canyon Trail and turn right to continue your journey up the Canyon Trail. |
| Winter Falls |
Just shy of 4 miles, you pass Twin Falls, a 31-foot waterfall with parallel cascades; it is hard to get the right angle for a good picture of this waterfall. Ignore the Twin Falls Trail that exits left and continue on the streamside Canyon Trail. Road noise comes within earshot as you approach North Falls, a 136-foot ledge waterfall that comes across as South Falls' little brother. The trail passes behind the waterfall, and some benches behind the waterfall make nice places to sit, rest, and have a snack just past the midpoint of this hike. |
| North Falls |
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| North Falls |
Next comes the steepest climb of this hike: the trail climbs out of the canyon using numerous stairs and switchbacks. The trail is somewhat narrow here, but fences protect you against falling back into the canyon. Just past 5 miles, you reach the end of the Canyon Trail where it intersects the Rim Trail, which goes hard right. We will eventually take the Rim Trail, but good mathematicians will observe that we have only passed 9 waterfalls, and the Rim Trail does not visit any creekside areas, hence passes no waterfalls. To get your tenth waterfall, continue straight and follow signs along a spur trail for Upper North Falls.
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| Rim and Canyon Trails intersect |
The spur trail passes under a SR 214 bridge before the Perimeter Trail exits right. Stay left to keep following the North Fork of Silver Creek. At 5.4 miles, you reach the highest elevation of this hike and the viewpoint for Upper North Falls. Upper North Falls is only 65 feet tall, but it is an attractive waterfall with several drops and cascades.
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| Upper North Falls |
The spur trail ends at Upper North Falls, so having completed your 10 waterfall quest you have to retrace your steps under SR 214 and then angle softly left to begin the Rim Trail. The last 2.2 miles of this hike follow the Rim Trail, which as its name suggests undertakes a rolling course along the rim of the canyon you hiked up earlier. After all of the waterfalls and aquatic action along the Canyon Trail, the Rim Trail seems almost boring, but the trail's old growth pine forest with a dense understory of ferns is second to none. SR 214 lies just feet to the left, and while the road noise can be distracting, it also offers an easy bail-out option if you get too tired.
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| Hiking the Rim Trail |
At 6.8 miles, you pass the Winter Falls Trailhead, where the Winter Falls Trail enters from the right. A moderate climb comes next, and soon you cross an asphalt bike path. Both the bike path and the Rim Trail head to the Stone Circle and the Silver Falls historic district, so you can choose either route you wish. After crossing two park roads and a small parking area, a gradual descent brings you to Stone Circle. Turn left to walk the paved trail back to the parking lot and complete the hike.
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