North Falls

Last updated
North Falls
North Falls (Marion County, Oregon scenic images) (marDA0136).jpg
North Falls in the Spring
Location Silver Falls State Park
Coordinates 44°53′06″N122°37′22″W / 44.88489°N 122.62267°W / 44.88489; -122.62267 Coordinates: 44°53′06″N122°37′22″W / 44.88489°N 122.62267°W / 44.88489; -122.62267
Type Plunge
Elevation1,416 ft (432 m)
Total height65 ft (20 m)
Average
flow rate
100 cu ft/s (2.8 m3/s)

North Falls is a waterfall located in the Silver Falls State Park at the east end of the city of Salem, in Marion County, in the U.S. state of Oregon. [1] It is located in a privileged area on the west foothills where Mount Hood National Forest meets with the Middle Santiam Wilderness. Several prominent waterfalls are located in the Park along Trail of Ten Falls: South Falls, Drake Falls, Lower South Falls, and Winter Falls—among others.

Contents

Location

North Falls is created along the course of North Fork of Silver Creek and it sits on the east section of Silver Falls State Park Trail of Ten Falls, along North Falls Trail, approximately a quarter mile of Upper North Falls. [2] It received its name because it is the primary waterfall along North Silver Creek.

Description

North Falls is the third tallest along the Trail of Ten Falls and the only one in the park that can be viewed from highway 214. The falls drops in a straight plunge down approximately 136 feet (41 m) channeled through a narrow crack in the basaltic bedrock to a steeply slanted protrusion of basalt which causes splashing of the cascade into the pool.

Trail

The Silver Falls area contains multiple popular hiking trails. The North Falls trail is a 1/4 mile trail with a moderate elevation gain approximately 80 stairs that lead behind North Falls through a large cutout on the rock. It continues west and roughly follows North Creek through the Canyon Trail, passing several waterfalls, including Twin Falls, Middle North Falls, Drake Falls, and Lower North Falls. [3] On the opposite direction from the North Falls trailhead is the short, flat trail to Upper North Falls.

The North Falls trail passes behind North Falls in massive undercut cliff that extends back from the falls for at least 100 feet. The ceiling of therecess runs anywhere from 20 to approximately as much as 75 feet above the trail as it passes behind the waterfall. The large size of the undercut rock allows the roar of the falls to be considerably amplified.

See also

Related Research Articles

Multnomah Falls United States historic place

Multnomah Falls is a waterfall located on Multnomah Creek in the Columbia River Gorge, east of Troutdale, between Corbett and Dodson, Oregon, United States. The waterfall is accessible from the Historic Columbia River Highway and Interstate 84. Spanning two tiers on basalt cliffs, it is the tallest waterfall in the state of Oregon at 620 ft (189 m) in height.

Oneonta Gorge

The Oneonta Gorge is a scenic gorge located in the Columbia River Gorge area of the American state of Oregon. The U.S. Forest Service has designated it as a botanical area because of the unique aquatic and woodland plants that grow there. Exposed walls of 25-million-year-old basalt are home to a wide variety of ferns, mosses, hepatics and lichens, many of which grow only in the Columbia River Gorge. Oneonta Gorge has been described as "one of the true dramatic chasms in the state. "

Latourell Falls waterfall

Latourell Falls is a waterfall along the Columbia River Gorge in the U.S. state of Oregon, within Guy W. Talbot State Park.

Silver Falls State Park United States historic place

Silver Falls State Park is a state park in the U.S. state of Oregon, located near Silverton, about 20 miles (32 km) east-southeast of Salem. It is the largest state park in Oregon with an area of more than 9,000 acres (36 km2), and it includes more than 24 miles (39 km) of walking trails, 14 miles (23 km) of horse trails, and a 4-mile (6.4 km) bike path. Its 8.7-mile (14.0 km) Canyon Trail/Trail of Ten Falls runs along the banks of Silver Creek and by ten waterfalls, from which the park received its name. Four of the ten falls have an amphitheater-like surrounding that allows the trail to pass behind the flow of the falls. The Silver Falls State Park Concession Building Area and the Silver Creek Youth Camp-Silver Falls State Park are separately listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

Wahclella Falls waterfall

Wahclella Falls is a waterfall along Tanner Creek, a tributary of the Columbia River, in the U.S. state of Oregon. It enters the river within the Columbia River Gorge.

Eagle Creek waterfalls

Eagle Creek is a tributary of the Columbia River in Multnomah and Hood River counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. It cuts through a narrow canyon in its 3,200 feet (980 m) descent to the Columbia River Gorge and is known for its concentration of 13 waterfalls in about 5 miles (8.0 km) distance. Eight major falls are on Eagle Creek and the East Fork Eagle Creek itself, while five are on its tributaries.

Salt Creek Falls waterfall

Salt Creek Falls is a cascade and plunge waterfall on Salt Creek, a tributary of the Middle Fork Willamette River, that plunges into a gaping canyon near Willamette Pass in the Willamette National Forest, near Oakridge, Oregon. The waterfall is notable for its main drop of 286 feet (87 m) which makes it the third highest plunge waterfall in Oregon after Multnomah Falls and Watson Falls the second highest, which was re-measured in 2009 and found to be 293 feet rather than an earlier measurement of 272 feet passing Salt Creek Falls. The pool at the bottom of the waterfall is 20 metres (66 ft) deep.

South Falls (Marion County, Oregon)

South Falls, is a waterfall located in the Silver Falls State Park at the east end of the city of Salem, in Marion County, in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is located in a privileged area on the west foothills where Mount Hood National Forest meets with the Middle Santiam Wilderness. Several prominent waterfalls are located in the Park along Trail of Ten Falls: Lower South Falls, Drake Falls, Lower North Falls, and Winter Falls—among others.

Lower South Falls

Lower South Falls, is a waterfall located in the Silver Falls State Park at the east end of the city of Salem, in Marion County, in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is located in a privileged area on the west foothills where Mount Hood National Forest meets with the Middle Santiam Wilderness. Several prominent waterfalls are located in the Park along Trail of Ten Falls: South Falls, Drake Falls, Middle North Falls, and Winter Falls—among others.

Drake Falls

Drake Falls, is a waterfall located in the Silver Falls State Park at the east end of the city of Salem, in Marion County, in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is located in a privileged area on the west foothills where Mount Hood National Forest meets with the Middle Santiam Wilderness. Several prominent waterfalls are located in the Park along Trail of Ten Falls: South Falls, Upper North Falls, Lower North Falls, and Winter Falls—among others.

Middle North Falls

Middle North Falls, is a waterfall located in the Silver Falls State Park at the east end of the city of Salem, in Marion County, in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is located in a privileged area on the west foothills where Mount Hood National Forest meets with the Middle Santiam Wilderness. Several prominent waterfalls are located in the Park along Trail of Ten Falls: South Falls, Lower South Falls, Drake Falls, and Lower North Falls—among others.

Winter Falls

Winter Falls, is a waterfall located in the Silver Falls State Park at the east end of the city of Salem, in Marion County, in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is located in a privileged area on the west foothills where Mount Hood National Forest meets with the Middle Santiam Wilderness. Several prominent waterfalls are located in the Park along Trail of Ten Falls: South Falls, Lower South Falls, Lower North Falls, and Drake Falls—among others.

Moon Falls

Moon Falls, also spelled Moonfalls, is a waterfall located on the west edge of the Umpqua National Forest in Lane County, in the U.S. state of Oregon. It totals 100 feet fall in one wide veiling cascade and is 1.5 miles from Spirit Falls trailhead.

Lower North Falls

Lower North Falls, is a waterfall located in the Silver Falls State Park at the east end of the city of Salem, in Marion County, in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is located in a privileged area on the west foothills where Mount Hood National Forest meets with the Middle Santiam Wilderness. Several prominent waterfalls are located in the Park along Trail of Ten Falls including South Falls, Drake Falls, Middle North Falls and Winter Falls.

Upper Butte Creek Falls

Upper Butte Creek Falls, is a waterfall located in the south edge of the Table Rock Wilderness at the east end of the city of Salem, in Marion County, in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is located in a privileged area on the east foothills of Drake Crossing. Several prominent rivers and waterfalls are located in the Butte Creek Falls trail system.

Upper North Falls waterfall in Silver Falls State Park, Marion County, Oregon

Upper North Falls, is a waterfall located in the Silver Falls State Park at the east end of the city of Salem, in Marion County, in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is located in a privileged area on the west foothills where Mount Hood National Forest meets with the Middle Santiam Wilderness. Several prominent waterfalls are located in the Park along Trail of Ten Falls: South Falls, Drake Falls, Lower North Falls, and Winter Falls—among others.

Twin Falls (Oregon)

Twin Falls is a waterfall located in the Silver Falls State Park at the east end of the city of Salem, in Marion County, in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is located in a privileged area on the west foothills where Mount Hood National Forest meets with the Middle Santiam Wilderness. Several prominent waterfalls are located in the Park along Trail of Ten Falls: South Falls, Drake Falls, Lower South Falls, and Winter Falls—among others.

Double Falls (Oregon)

Double Falls, is a waterfall located in the Silver Falls State Park at the east end of the city of Salem, in Marion County, in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is located in a privileged area on the west foothills where Mount Hood National Forest meets with the Middle Santiam Wilderness. Several prominent waterfalls are located in the Park along Trail of Ten Falls: South Falls, Drake Falls, Middle North Falls, and Winter Falls—among others.

Yocum Falls, is a waterfall located in the heart of the Mount Hood National Forest, in Clackamas County, in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is located in a privileged area in Zigzag canyon with several waterfalls including Little Zigzag Falls and Ramona Falls. The name, as well as Yocum Ridge, the south ridge of the Sandy Glacier on the west slope of Mount Hood, comes from businessman Oliver C. Yocum.

Eagle Creek Upper Falls

Eagle Creek Upper Falls, also called Upper Eagle Creek Falls, is a small waterfall located in Clackamas County, in the U.S. state of Oregon. The waterfall is known for a fish ladder that bypasses the waterfall to assist fish navigate the waterfall. Eagle Creek is known for being a point for fishing chinook salmon, bull trout, and steelhead trout.

References

  1. "North Falls Marion County, Oregon". Northwest Waterfall Survey. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  2. "Silver Falls State Park Trail of Ten Falls" (PDF). Oregon State Parks. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 May 2017. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  3. "North Falls Hike". OregonHikers.org. Retrieved 20 May 2017.