Overview
Explore a 3.0-mile forested trail system to two impressive waterfalls with gushing flows in winter and spring. These falls are among the largest and most powerful in the Coast Range of Oregon.
- Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
- Distance: 3.0 miles
- Terrane: 570 feet elevation gain
- Open: All year. Best in winter and early spring
- Trailhead: Golden and Silver Falls State Natural Area (43.482586596109265, -123.93316810413619)
- Contact: Oregon State Parks
Highlights
Powerful waterfalls; old-growth forest; interesting geology.
Need to Know
Roads to the trailhead are passable but narrow at times. There is no parking pass required at the trailhead. There is a good amount of parking. Vault toilet available at the trailhead. The picnic area along the creek is inviting.
Hike Description
Silver Falls
Three different trails lead to unique views of Golden and Silver Falls.
Starting at the parking lot, first, take a trail to the left to get your first glimpse of Silver Falls—plunging 223-feet down a bulbous sandstone rock face.
The trail follows an old roadbed, paralleling wood-choked Silver Creek at the forest edge. As you near the falls, a thick mist hangs in the air—soaking anyone who lingers—and the trail turns to mud during winter months. In contrast, the waterfall dries up to trickle during dry summer months.
Golden Falls
Next, cross the bridge over Silver Creek and take the trail leading right to the base of Golden Falls. Hike through a grove of ancient Oregon myrtle trees (Umbellularia californica) with spicy-pungent leaves and ridged trunks covered in moss .3 miles along Glen Creek before reaching views of a massive horsetail style falls.
Dropping through a narrow slot canyon at the stop, water rushes 254-feet down with impressive force. Watch it tumble over and around large boulders and rocks as it splashes its way down to your feet.
Trail of Two Falls
To reach the last, and longest stretch of trail, head back to the junction after the bridge and head left.
Follow a trail up through old-growth Douglas-fir and western redcedar trees as you rise above the banks of Silver Creek. The trees are massive with deeply furloughed bark. Climb over a large down log with notches cut in for easy climbing.
Younger Oregon myrtle trees and bigleaf maple grow also along the trail, along with an understory of sword fern, evergreen huckleberry, and wood sorrel. Look for salmonberry set in prickly patches in the floodplain of the stream.
Soon you will reach the base and thundering roar of Silver Falls. Soak in the view and get soaked in the process—it’s worth it.
At Silver Falls, the trail switches back to the right and continues up passing massive moss-covered rocks and sandstone cliffs. A large boulder lays in the center of the trail at one point. Western Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum aleuticum) with its dark delicate stem and whorl of leaflets grows abundantly on this section of trail.
The trail traces the rockface up to the top of Golden Falls for a unique birds-eye view of the falls and surrounding terrain. Wildflowers bloom here. Look for Baby Blue-eyes (Nemophila menziesii) in late winter. A dead tree hangs off the side of the cliff ominously. Water drips off the rock overhead and the falls roars. Views down the falls and into the canyon are vertigo-inducing and spectacular.
Having fully explored the steep-walled canyons of Golden and Silver Falls State Natural Area, retrace your steps to return.
Mini-Field Guide
