Salt Creek Falls
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Hike details:
Mileage: 4.5 mile loop w/ 750 ft. elevation gain OR 8 mile lollipop loop w/ 2,500 ft. elevation gain
Approximate hike time: 1 hour 57 minutes w/ an average pace of 2.3 mph (for the shorter hike) OR 3 hours 28 minutes w/ an average pace of 2.3 mph (for the longer hike) - For snowshoeing add another hour!
Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Trail usage: Medium to high during the summer months short loop, low usage to Vivian Lake. Medium usage on winter weekends, low on winter weekdays.
General location: 22 miles east of Oakridge - Willamette National Forest
Suggested seasons: Summer and fall (hiking), winter and early spring (snowshoeing)
(Best time to go is September and October. Avoid mid-June through August due to mosquitoes. For snowshoeing ideal times to go are late December, January and February, depending on the snow year).
Permits required: Northwest Forest Pass for required for parking May 1 - October 31, Sno-Park Pass required from November 1 - April 30.
Pit toilet at trailhead: Yes
Trail allows: Dogs on leash, snowshoeing/nordic skiing
Possible dangers: Steep trail down to the bottom of Salt Creek Falls which can get slippery. The bridge across Fall Creek only has a railing that goes half way. If the bridge is icy or snowy avoid crossing this bridge!
Approximate hike time: 1 hour 57 minutes w/ an average pace of 2.3 mph (for the shorter hike) OR 3 hours 28 minutes w/ an average pace of 2.3 mph (for the longer hike) - For snowshoeing add another hour!
Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Trail usage: Medium to high during the summer months short loop, low usage to Vivian Lake. Medium usage on winter weekends, low on winter weekdays.
General location: 22 miles east of Oakridge - Willamette National Forest
Suggested seasons: Summer and fall (hiking), winter and early spring (snowshoeing)
(Best time to go is September and October. Avoid mid-June through August due to mosquitoes. For snowshoeing ideal times to go are late December, January and February, depending on the snow year).
Permits required: Northwest Forest Pass for required for parking May 1 - October 31, Sno-Park Pass required from November 1 - April 30.
Pit toilet at trailhead: Yes
Trail allows: Dogs on leash, snowshoeing/nordic skiing
Possible dangers: Steep trail down to the bottom of Salt Creek Falls which can get slippery. The bridge across Fall Creek only has a railing that goes half way. If the bridge is icy or snowy avoid crossing this bridge!
(Salt Creek Falls observation platform, July 2014)
Description:
Salt Creek Falls is a short but spectacular Oregon hike, which offers views of some of the most amazing waterfalls in the area. This hike is great for summer and fall hiking, as well as winter and early spring snowshoeing or nordic skiing.
Salt Creek Falls is Oregon's second tallest waterfall (at 286 ft.) and quite a sight to see! What's great about this hike, is that you can choose to hike a 4.5 mile loop or you can add some extra mileage to the loop by taking an out and back trail to see Fall Creek Falls and Vivian Lake. (*Keep in mind you can only do the shorter loop in the winter, as the trail up to Vivian Lake is not marked with snow season tree markers).
Salt Creek Falls is Oregon's second tallest waterfall (at 286 ft.) and quite a sight to see! What's great about this hike, is that you can choose to hike a 4.5 mile loop or you can add some extra mileage to the loop by taking an out and back trail to see Fall Creek Falls and Vivian Lake. (*Keep in mind you can only do the shorter loop in the winter, as the trail up to Vivian Lake is not marked with snow season tree markers).
(Salt Creek Falls observation platform, February 2016)
You can start the loop from the parking lot (there will be a sign on the west end of the lot), or you can start by heading west (downhill) from the observation platform. Regardless of which way you start, you will have to cross a bridge to get to the other side of Salt Creek.
After crossing the bridge, there is another very small footbridge and then the trail splits. Since this is a loop, you can choose to go either way. This write-up describes the hike clockwise.
For 0.6 miles you will traverse through the woods with a slight incline and only about 3 switchbacks. It is easy to find your way through the woods even when there is snow because of the bright blue diamonds that are posted to trees about 30-50 feet apart. As you can see in this photo of the trail, you can always see one in the distance. |
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After the 0.6 miles, you will come to a road crossing. In the early spring on snowshoes this can be tricky because the center of the road melts first, so then you are left with 5 foot snow banks on either side and it is also much harder to see the trail on the other side of the road. In the summer this is not a problem at all. Just cross the road and continue another 0.6 miles to a second road crossing.
After having crossed the gravel road for the second time, you will see a sign to Vivian Lake on your left. This trail is not marked with blue diamonds, so unless you are an expert navigator, snowshoe expert, or an expert cross-country skier, I DO NOT recommend doing this in the winter. |
If you want to add on an additional 4.6 miles (out and back) onto your hike in the summer go ahead and head up the hill and cross the train tracks to get to where the Vivian Lake trail officially begins. *Please keep in mind that before you get to the train tracks, you will have to cross Fall Creek on a very low slab of cement, which in the summer is no problem, but in the winter and spring, the creek will be flowing over the road. Please be careful here.
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After a fairly steep 1.3 mile uphill climb, you reach Upper Fall Creek Falls. The falls are 40 ft. tall and tumble into the creek below. This is a beautiful sight after hiking up the hill through a very dry forest. The mosquitoes can be really bad here in mid-June, July and early August, so Vivian Lake may not be a good idea in those months. The lake is a slightly marshy lake with Mt. Yoran in the background.
(picture of Vivian Lake taken by Jason Marshall)
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(Upper Fall Creek Falls 160 ft.)
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If you have not chosen to hike to Vivian Lake, you will continue straight on the Diamond Creek Falls loop, and you will reach Diamond Creek Falls within a few hundred downhill yards. There is a small lookout platform which is safe in the winter. If you are hiking in the summer, you can take the little side trail down the hill, cross the log bridge, to get to the bottom of the falls. Diamond Creek Falls cascades angelically down 100 feet and creates a wonderful cooling spray in the air. It is about 0.2 miles to get to the bottom of Diamond Creek Falls from the actual trail, and the steep jaunt is definitely worth it!
(Diamond Creek Falls from the lookout platform)
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(Diamond Creek Falls 120 ft.)
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From the lookout platform you will hike 1.4 miles along Fall Creek (which later joins Salt Creek). This stretch of woods is incredibly beautiful, especially in the winter time. After a little while in the woods, the views open up to your left and you can see some magnificent views of the steep Salt Creek Falls canyon below. You can also see the hills beyond to the north, and on a clear day you can see the ski runs of Willamette Pass.
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After catching some breathtaking views, you will hike another 0.2 miles and come across Too Much Bear Lake. If you are just doing the loop, this is a great place to have a picnic lunch. In the winter the lake is pure white covered in snow. Right after the lake, you will end the loop and cross the bridge again.
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(Salt Creek Falls 286 ft.)
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If you are hiking this in the summer, it is highly suggested that you take the small scramble trail that leads down to the bottom of Salt Creek Falls. It's an absolutely beautiful sight from down at the bottom. The basalt lava rocks have broken off over the years and have left amazing shapes underneath the overhang of the waterfall. The rocky scramble is definitely worth it.
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The Salt Creek Falls area is highly recommended for hiking and sight seeing. There is something here for all ages and activity levels, even if you just want to park the car and go to the waterfall lookout platform. In the prime of summer it is hot, there are lots of people, and the mosquitoes are out in throngs! Try this hike in early June (if the snow has melted but before the mosquitoes hatch) or in September/October. If you are into snowshoeing, you can do the shorter loop any time during the winter, as this trail is marked with blue diamonds along the entire loop.
Directions:
From Oakridge
- Drive OR-58 E for a total of 21.6 miles, then turn right onto NF-5893 and drive 0.3 miles down to the Salt Creek Falls Trailhead. (Total of 22.8 miles)
- Drive US-97 S for a total of 46.9 miles, then turn right onto Crescent Rd/Crescent Cutoff Rd. for 12 miles. Turn right onto OR-58 W for 15.8 miles, then turn left onto NF-5893 and drive 0.3 miles down to the Salt Creek Falls Trailhead. (Total of 80 miles)
- Drive OR-62 E for a total of 49.5 miles, then at a Y junction, take a slight left onto OR-230 N for 23.8 miles. Turn right onto OR-138 E for 17.7 miles, then turn left onto US-97 N 17.8 miles. Use the left lane to take the OR-58 W exit toward Eugene and stay on OR-58 W for 17.8 miles, then turn left onto NF-5893 and drive 0.3 miles down to the Salt Creek Falls Trailhead. (Total of 146 miles)
- Total of 65.2 miles via Oakridge.
- Total of 127 miles via Oakridge.
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*All pictures unless otherwise marked 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.
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To get a more in-depth and personal view of this hike, watch the YouTube video.
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