This was the only falls we were able get pictures of in Silver Falls State Park.
Then on to Silver Falls State Park, where the day really turned bad. I had done all my homework before this trip and used Microsoft Streets and Trips to lay out turn-by-turn driving directions. I figured that not being able to use my Garmin Nuvi-350 GPS unit for some on the trip, due to lack of a true address, this would help. In this case the GPS we had asked to go to "Silver Falls State Park" and it found it and was leading us there. And, my wife has been watching and reading directions for me and I have been watching my GPS to know where to go and when to turn. Now comes the most unbelievable part. The directions she had printed out AND my GPS unit were both WRONG! They sent me off the main highway at a small side road that went up the hill a quarter mile and stopped at the end of the road where the pavement stopped and a heavy gate was locked across the trail that continued.
I believe it is South Falls. 177 feet high and 15 feet wide.
There was a lady and her five dogs out in her garden just down the hill a hundred yards and we stopped to ask what we had done wrong. She smiled, “Got your information off the internet huh?” she said with a smirk. “Get that every once in a while. We can ride our horses up there to the falls but that’s the only way. You’ll have to go on about twenty miles west, then north (10 miles) through the town of Silverton and then east (20 miles) to get to the park.”
We couldn’t believe the news, but had to do the entire trip to get to the park, which took another hour and a half. Now we were really behind schedule, so any hiking was out. I did get pictures of one falls from a road-side overlook and then we headed out and on to Oregon City.
Visible from a roadside parking area.
And we were sure that thru one group of trees we could see that lady and her five dogs giggling at us from the back of her property about fifty yards away.
Just an added note here. We did go by one house on the way to Silverton that gets our “Show Off Award”. Remember, we on the way to see waterfalls. This ultra-expensive new home had not one, but two waterfalls as part of the landscaping near the road. Both falls were about twenty feet high. Talk about flaunting!
For people who are looking for waterfalls, this is a wonderful place to visit. It is also the states’ largest State Park. You can enjoy a day or a week here. Campgrounds are available, horse trails, bike trails and more.
The Ten Falls Trail, an eight mile hike, is the parks most famous feature. The trail leads along both the north and south forks of Silver Creek.
Just make sure that when you go, make sure you enter from the west. Salem and Silverton are the best. If you are coming from the east, do not use GPS or any travel software. They all will lead you to a road that does not exist. Make sure you have plenty of time to enjoy yourself.
Just one of the many waterfalls
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