West Fork Falls Hike

Overview

The West Fork of the Salmon River rises from a series of springs in dry montane forest on the southern slopes of Mount Hood. Although this area is surrounded by downhill and cross-country ski trails, few hikers venture into here in the summer. Thus, the falls on the West Fork are little visited, and would be even less so had this hike not appeared in Douglas Lorain's comprehensive guide Afoot & Afield: Portland/Vancouver. This short walk can be extended into a more adventurous loop by finding an old trail alignment that extends up the gully of the West Fork and then getting expansive views of the Oregon Cascades as you hike down Westleg Road. Note that these trails are unmaintained, overgrown, unofficial, and unsigned, so keep your bearings at all times. Head past the boulders on the Eastleg Road (Tie Ski Trail #674A) in a forest of mountain hemlock, Engelmann spruce, western white pine, and silver fir. Reach a campsite where Eastleg Road crosses Still Creek, rise, and then drop around a turn. Bear-grass, huckleberries, grouseberry, and lupine line the route. The road keeps dropping. You may have to step over or around some blowdown. The unmarked trail to West Fork Falls takes off up into the woods on your left. Huckleberries form the understory and have overgrown the trail. You may have to negotiate several downed trees. You will get partial views of West Fork Falls through the trees. Make a traverse to the right and drop slightly to the West Fork Salmon River at the top of the waterfall. In order to get a full-frontal photo, you'll need to head back and skid down the steep slope. You may want to turn back before crossing the West Fork. If not, you can add elevation and length to the hike by fording the creek above the falls, following a sketchy trail tread, making a short bushwhack, and then strolling down Westleg Road to your car. The total loop would be five miles with 900 feet in elevation gain. After fording the creek, try to find the trail bench that heads up the east side of the stream. It is ver

Trail Stats

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