Alsea Falls
Green Peak Falls
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Alsea Falls is a very popular hiking and mountain biking recreation area, because it is the perfect place to go in the late fall, winter and early spring, when the weather isn't the best. The parking area is not hard to find because there are multiple signs that lead you to the recreation area from the main highways. The wonderful thing about Alsea Falls Recreation Area, is that there are many trails and you can hike as long or as short as you want to. This is also a great area to do some family camping, picnicking, fishing, and swimming in the summer months. |
To do the 4.7 mile loop, you will start off crossing the bridge right by the parking lot, and heading to the left for a few hundred yards before seeing a sign to a trail that heads up into the woods. You will be hiking uphill for about .25 mile. These woods are incredibly beautiful, and even if there are a lot of people at Alsea Falls you are guaranteed to get some solitude hiking on this loop. After the woods, the trail dead ends into a forest service road. Turn right and walk on the road for about half a mile.
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There is a small sign where the trail goes back into the woods from the road, so keep your eyes open for it. The trail then meanders through the woods, taking you downhill .25 of a mile, and it then dead ends into the trail that goes along the South Fork Alsea River. At the dead end you will want to take a right, and after 0.7 miles on this trail, it will take you back you where you started the loop by the bridge.
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From here to you can go check out Alsea Falls (on the same side of the bridge as the parking lot), or you can continue on the trail for another 1.5 miles over to Green Peak Falls, which is more impressive than Alsea Falls. The trail to Green Peak Falls can be very muddy, and you are walking through a very leafy forest, so in the fall you will need to be careful, because all of those big leaves on the ground and can be incredibly slippery!
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The trail dead ends you into a gravel road, at McBee Park, but there are make-shift signs that will lead you to the trail, which continues at the far end of a large circular parking area. From there the trail re-enters the forest, and becomes very narrow, as you go up stream toward the waterfall.
Green Peak Falls is 45 feet tall, and depending on the season, it is almost just as wide. There are some logs and rocks at the edge of the falls, be careful here, they are slippery!
Green Peak Falls is 45 feet tall, and depending on the season, it is almost just as wide. There are some logs and rocks at the edge of the falls, be careful here, they are slippery!
(Green Peak Falls 45 ft.)
Once you come back from Green Peak Falls, cross the bridge and head right for 0.2 miles so that you can check out Alsea Falls before leaving. If the falls aren’t too full, there are flat rocks that create a platform leading to Alsea Falls, but these can also be slippery due to leaves and moss. Alsea Falls is only 30 feet tall, but can also be pretty loud and raging in the winter and springtime.
(Alsea Falls 30 ft.)
Overall, Alsea Falls recreation area is a fantastic place for you to bring your entire family to. Short and easy hike options are plentiful here and this is the perfect area for late fall and winter hiking.
Approximate hike time: 2 hours 30 minutes w/ an average pace of 1.9 mph
Suggested seasons: Spring, summer, fall, winter
(Best time to go is in the spring, March, April, May when the fall are flowing heavily. October is also a great time to go and see the fall foliage).
Trail usage: Light to medium (light usage especially in the late fall and winter)
Permits needed: N/A
Directions:
From Eugene
Suggested seasons: Spring, summer, fall, winter
(Best time to go is in the spring, March, April, May when the fall are flowing heavily. October is also a great time to go and see the fall foliage).
Trail usage: Light to medium (light usage especially in the late fall and winter)
Permits needed: N/A
Directions:
From Eugene
- Drive Hwy. 99 N through Junction City. At the last light in Junction City, turn left and continue on Hwy. 99 W for 8.6 miles. Just north of Monroe turn left onto Alpine Cutoff Rd. and continue for 8.9 miles. This road then turned into BLM South Fork Rd. and after another mile turn right into a picnic area entrance, and park at the far end of the loop. (Total of 36.7 miles)
- Drive I-5 south for 52.9 miles, then take exit 228 for OR-34 toward Lebanon/Corvallis. Use the right 2 lanes to turn right onto OR-34 W Corvallis-Lebanon Hwy 210 for 9.6 miles then use the left 2 lanes to turn left onto OR-34 Bypass W for 0.7 miles. Merge onto OR-99W via the ramp to Junction City/South Corvallis and continue on OR-99W for 15.6 miles. Right before the town of Monroe, turn right onto Alpine Rd. and continue for 9.2 miles. This road then turned into BLM South Fork Rd. and after another mile turn right into a picnic area entrance, and park at the far end of the loop. (Total of 68.5 miles)
- Take I-5 south for 72 miles, then take exit 228 for OR-34 toward Lebanon/Corvallis. Use the right 2 lanes to turn right onto OR-34 W Corvallis-Lebanon Hwy 210 for 9.6 miles then use the left 2 lanes to turn left onto OR-34 Bypass W for 0.7 miles. Merge onto OR-99W via the ramp to Junction City/South Corvallis and continue on OR-99W for 15.6 miles. Right before the town of Monroe, turn right onto Alpine Rd. and continue for 9.2 miles. This road then turned into BLM South Fork Rd. and after another mile turn right into a picnic area entrance, and park at the far end of the loop. (Total of 111 miles)
- Drive US-97 north then take exit 135A to merge onto US-20 W toward Sisters and Salem for 19.9 miles. In Sisters at the roundabout, take the 2nd exit and stay on US-20 W for another 25.1 miles. At the Santiam Junction keep left to stay on US-20 W for 47.6 miles. In the town of Sweet Home, turn left onto Holley Rd and then continue onto OR-228 W for 14.5 miles. In Brownsville turn left onto Washburn St. and then continue on Gap Rd. Turn right onto Creek Dr./Lake Creek Dr. for 2.7 miles and then turn right onto Lake Creek Rd. for 4 miles. Turn left onto OR-99E S for 9.2 miles and then turn right onto Lingo Ln. for 1.9 miles. Turn right onto OR-99 W N/Pacific Hwy W for 6.3 miles, just north of Monroe turn left onto Alpine Cutoff Rd. and continue for 8.9 miles. This road then turned into BLM South Fork Rd. and after another mile turn right into a picnic area entrance, and park at the far end of the loop. (Total of 149 miles)
- Drive I-5 north 165 miles to Eugene. Use the right 2 lanes to take exit 195A-195B for Randy Pape Beltline/OR-569 W. Merge onto OR-569 W for 5.7 miles then take exit 6 toward Airport Junction City/Eugene. Turn left onto OR-99 N for 9.6 miles and drive through the town of Junction City. At the last light in Junction City, turn left and continue on Hwy. 99 W for 8.6 miles. Just north of Monroe turn left onto Alpine Cutoff Rd. and continue for 8.9 miles. This road then turned into BLM South Fork Rd. and after another mile turn right into a picnic area entrance, and park at the far end of the loop. (Total of 205 miles)
*All photos are taken by Franziska Weinheimer
*Disclaimer: the trail descriptions, mileage, GPS tracks and difficulty ratings depicted on this website are never 100% accurate. Always hike at your own risk, using your own knowledge, equipment and common sense. Franziska Weinheimer/Hike Oregon are not responsible if you or anyone in your party gets injured or lost while attempting one of these or any other hikes.