Winter Falls

Last updated
Winter Falls
Winter Falls.JPG
Winter Falls in the Fall
Location Silver Falls State Park
Coordinates 44°53′04″N122°38′27″W / 44.8844°N 122.64083°W / 44.8844; -122.64083 Coordinates: 44°53′04″N122°38′27″W / 44.8844°N 122.64083°W / 44.8844; -122.64083 [1]
Type Plunge
Elevation1,370 ft (420 m) [1]
Total height134 ft (41 m) [2]
Average
flow rate
100 cu ft/s (2.8 m3/s)

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.

Waterfall Place where water flows over a vertical drop in the course of a river

A waterfall is an area where water flows over a vertical drop or a series of steep drops in the course of a stream or river. Waterfalls also occur where meltwater drops over the edge of a tabular iceberg or ice shelf.

Silver Falls State Park

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.

Salem, Oregon State capital city in Oregon, United States

Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood of West Salem is in Polk County. Salem was founded in 1842, became the capital of the Oregon Territory in 1851, and was incorporated in 1857.

Contents

Location

Winter Falls is created along the course of South Silver Creek and it sits on the north section of Silver Falls State Park Trail of Ten Falls, along Winter Falls Loop, half a mile south of Middle North Falls. [3] Winter Falls is the fourth tallest waterfall in the Silver Falls State Park.

Description

The falls drops in a straight plunge down approximately 100 feet (30 m) to a steeply slanted protrusion of basalt which causes veiling of the cascade the remaining distance to the pool. Winter Creek, from which the waterfall is produced, only flows during the winter months, hence the name of both the stream and its cascade. Despite being one of the tallest waterfalls in the park, it is the one with the lowest flow volume. During the summer months, Winter Falls tends to be but a dribble of water spattering over the cliff of basalt.

Basalt A magnesium- and iron-rich extrusive igneous rock

Basalt is a mafic extrusive igneous rock formed from the rapid cooling of magnesium-rich and iron-rich lava exposed at or very near the surface of a terrestrial planet or a moon. More than 90% of all volcanic rock on Earth is basalt. Basalt lava has a low viscosity, due to its low silica content, resulting in rapid lava flows that can spread over great areas before cooling and solidification. Flood basalt describes the formation in a series of lava basalt flows.

See also

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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

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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: South Falls, Drake Falls, Middle North Falls, and Winter Falls—among others.

Upper North Falls

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.

North Falls

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 South 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.

Annie Falls

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Fishhawk Falls, is a waterfall located along the Fishhawk Creek in Clatsop County, in the U.S. state of Oregon. It totals 72 feet fall in one wide cascade and is the centerpiece attraction of the Lee Wooden Fishhawk Falls trailhead and Recreation Site. Fishhawk Falls is located a mile from the Jewell Meadows Wildlife Area off of Highway 202 between Jewell and Astoria.

References

  1. 1 2 "Winter Falls Marion County, Oregon". Northwest Waterfall Survey. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  2. "Winter Falls". World Waterfall Database. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
  3. "Silver Falls State Park Trail of Ten Falls" (PDF). Oregon State Parks. Retrieved 6 May 2017.