Silver Falls State Park, the Trail of Ten Falls, Oregon
The Trail of Ten Falls is the main attraction at the park. It is a 7.4-mile loop that allows visitors to see ten different waterfalls. Some are a little detour from the main trail but worth the hike. There are several places to park, and I suggest the South Falls parking lot. There is more to do in this area than if you parked at the North Falls, and parking is also limited at the North Falls, so it would make the South Falls parking lot a better choice.
Something to consider is getting here early. The earlier, the better because even though this parking lot is large, it fills up quickly. When I finished the hike, over ten cars were driving around in the parking lot, waiting for someone to leave so they could get a parking space. Silver Falls State Park is one of Oregon's most prominent hiking areas within an hour's drive from Portland. This accounts for the amount of people here. If you are looking for solitude on a hike, this is not the place to come. Parking your car is also a $5 fee unless you have an Oregon State Park pass. There are pay stations at all of the trailheads.
Things to consider before you start the hike. I recommend that you go clockwise on this hike for two reasons. First, there are a lot of steps down the side of the canyon to get to the bottom. It's easier to do this when you are starting instead of at the end when you're tired. Looking at this picture closely, you can see all the people on the stairs.
The second is the number of people at South Falls. I completed this trail counterclockwise, and when I finally got there, there were well over 200 people. Most people here just come to hike down to South Falls and leave. If you arrive early enough, you will arrive before the crowds and have better photo opportunities. Here are some pictures of South Falls.
Here is also a video I took of the falls.
As I mentioned, I did this hike counterclockwise and will take you along this route. The Trail of Ten Falls consists of the Canyon Trail and the Rim Trail. The entire loop takes you above, behind, and around ten waterfalls. It's a moderate hike at 7.4 miles on primarily unpaved trails. Taking the Rim Trail starts paved and, in some areas, follows a bike path. The thing I didn't like about the Rim Trail is that you are hiking next to a road, so there is the constant sound of traffic.
The first waterfall you visit is Winter Falls, which is 134 feet high and worth the trip. It doesn't get as much attention as South Falls or North Falls, and I think this is because it's in the middle of the hike, and most people would not hike this far.
Moving further down Rim Trail, you will next come to the North Falls Viewpoint. There is not much here because it is mainly blocked by brush and trees. Just a little further down the trail is North Falls. This is a picture of the trail.
North Falls is the second waterfall you will come to going counterclockwise so you can walk behind to hear and feel the power of the falls. Luckily, North Falls is another waterfall you can see individually if you don’t have much time—it’s only about a half-mile round trip from the North Fall parking lot. If you plan to do both waterfalls here, I suggest going to Upper North Falls first, so you don't have to backtrack. Something to consider is that there are stairs to get to North Falls, and by going to Upper North Falls first, you only have to climb the stairs once. Here are the stairs. North Falls is 136-feet.
One way to see Upper North Falls is to hike 0.3 miles, accessible from the North Falls parking lot. Upper North Falls is 65-feet
Onward to North Falls, the Canyon Trail begins here. There are so many photo opportunities along this hike, and even though there's not much solitude, I did enjoy the scenery.
Moving down Canyon Trail, you will come to Twin Falls, the next waterfall. This waterfall is 177 feet high.
In the same area not far from Twin Falls are four different Waterfalls: Middle North Falls, Drake Falls, Double Falls, and Lower North Falls. Middle North Falls is 103 feet, Drake Falls is 27 feet, Double Falls is 177 feet, and Lower North Falls is 30 feet.
Middle North Falls.
Drake Falls.
Double Falls.
Lower North Falls.
It is a little over a mile until you reach the next waterfall, Lower South Falls, which is 93 feet high.
The last Waterfall going counterclockwise on the Trail of Ten Falls is South Falls, which I mentioned above.
Things to consider:
Pets are allowed on many trails, but not all, so plan accordingly if you bring a pet.
The Trail of Ten Falls is steep in some areas, and bringing a stroller is not recommended.
There are no restrooms on the trail. They are located in the parking areas.
Bring plenty of water and proper footwear.
North and South Falls are by far the best waterfalls on the Trail of Ten Falls, so while I enjoyed my hike, I know some people don’t have the time. So, if you had to do the shortest hikes with the best reward, do the North and South Falls trails. The total distance for these hikes is about a mile and a half out and back.
South Falls is about a one-mile round trip, and North Falls is only about half a mile. You can walk behind both of these waterfalls, and they are equally impressive. Remember that you will need to drive to each parking lot to access them at different points on the hike. If you only do these two, you will miss all the other waterfalls on the hike.
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