27 min
Overview
This loop hike takes in a spectacular clifftop viewpoint of one of Oregon's highest waterfalls, Salt Creek Falls, and then passes above a deep gorge, visits a lake, and encounters rushing Diamond Creek. A spur trail leads to Diamond Creek Falls, one of the state's prettiest, before you complete a loop back to Salt Creek. The loop is right off of Highway 58 and is highly recommended as a leg-stretcher if you are making a road traverse of the Cascades in this area. Those wanting a longer day hike into the Diamond Peak Wilderness should see the Vivian Lake Hike. The loop is also a marked cross-country ski/snowshoe route in the winter. There’s an interpretive kiosk at the Salt Creek Falls Trailhead which explains the formation of the falls and the surrounding ecosystem. Hike a wide, paved trail through Douglas-fir, western hemlock, and rhododendrons to arrive, in short order, at the clifftop overlook down into Salt Creek Falls’ amphitheater. The waterfall is an impressive sight at any time of the year as it plunges over a 300-foot-thick basalt ledge of lava flows that issued from Fuji Mountain and Mount Yoran. Glacial action carved the ledge here and an active creek did the rest. At 286 feet, the falls are billed as Oregon’s second tallest single-drop waterfall after Multnomah Falls, but in fact Watson Falls were shown to be 2nd tallest when they were remeasured in 2009. The Northwest Waterfall Survey lists Salt Creek Falls as 14th tallest overall in the state (including waterfalls with multiple drops). You can climb the stairs to your right to get a slightly different angle on the falls, but photography is tricky on a bright sunny day. Down the Salt Creek Canyon, the prominences of Judd Mountain form the skyline. Walk down to your left along the rim of the amphitheater. An interpretive sign explains that black swifts nest under the waterfall and hatch in July. You’ll get a close view over the lip of Salt Creek Falls before you follow a trail along Salt Creek past the picnic area. At a junction with the trail th
Trail Stats
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137 m
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Photos
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