This past weekend, I met up with my friends, Julia and Britney from Portland, just east of Salem at Silver Falls State Park.
We had been planning this for weeks, and when we learned the night before it was due to rain for the first time all summer -- not just a drizzle, but a 90% chance of downpour -- we didn’t hesitate. Hiking in the pouring rain would be a very welcome experience, as we’d been pretty much sun-dried from our atypically hot and dry Pacific Northwest summer. We packed our jackets and went for it.
I met up with them around noon, having taken the scenic route along the back roads past Albany, through tiny little towns like Jefferson and Sublimity, and enjoying the winding country roads. At one point, I almost hit a wild turkey, and I even saw a coyote.
We ate our picnic lunch and caught up, as it had been a while since we'd seen each other, before hitting the trail. Almost immediately we saw a doe with her fawn, just off into the trees. It was going to be a good day.
During most of the 7.2 mile hike around the ten waterfalls of Silver Falls there was only a light, sprinkling rain, so the trails weren't at all muddy, but based on the flow of the waterfalls, it was obvious that Oregon had, in fact, seen a drought this year. It was still a beautiful site, though.
The trail led behind some of the falls, allowing for a unique perspective.
We had started at the South Falls and made our way along the canyon trail (see link for official state park map) and over to the Upper North Falls. As we soaked our feet in the pool of Upper North Falls and snacked on homemade trail mix, the rain began. It was finally time to put on our jackets and begin the journey back to the other side of the park -- at least two miles, if not more. Based on the map, I can't quite tell how far we hiked in the pouring rain. The trail was finally muddy, we were soaked, and we couldn't be more excited about it. I'm sure the doe and fawn were nowhere near us at this point, since we were screaming and squealing with enthusiasm the entire trip back to South Falls. There's nothing like a long-awaited rain during a good hike.
Silver Falls State Park
Trail length: 7.2 miles
Number of waterfalls: 10
Tallest waterfall: 178 feet
Overall elevation change: 800 feet
Day use parking fee: $5
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