willamettevalley.org | 17 SAHALIE AND KOOSAH FALLS Some 3,000 years ago, a pair of thick lava flows dammed Clear Lake in the Cascade Range and created a pair of Oregon’s most beloved waterfalls: Sahalieand Koosah falls. (Translated from Chinook, Sahalie means “heaven” and Koosah means “sky.”) Today both waterfalls can be accessed via a scenic loop trail that parallels the McKenzie River. Most visitors park at the Sahalie Falls parking area, which a ords almost immediate views of the 100-foot waterfall, before following the McKenzie River toward Koosah Falls—which itself drops 70 feet into a pool below. (If Sahalie Falls looks vaguely familiar, fun fact: It was featured in the Disney film “Homeward Bound.”) SPIRIT FALLS, MOON FALLS AND PINARD FALLS At the far southeastern edge of the Willamette Valley, in the Cascade Range foothills, sit three impressive waterfall hikes within a short drive of each other. The undeniable star is Spirit Falls, which drops 60 feet in a mossy basalt amphitheater into a pool populated by frogs and salamanders. Nearby quick treks head through lush old-growth forests and to the base of the 100-foot Moon Falls and the 105-foot Pinard Falls. Given the remote nature of the waterfalls, chances are good you’ll have the views all to yourself—even on sunny summer weekends. If you do all three hikes on your outing—and if you’ve driven this far into the woods, why wouldn’t you?—you’ll tally about 3 miles of hiking and 600 feet of elevation gain. MCDOWELL CREEK FALLS COUNTY PARK At the eastern edge of the Willamette Valley, where farmland gives way to rising hillsides and towering forests, sits McDowell Creek Falls County Park. The wooded park hosts a 2-mile (round-trip) loop hike (gaining just 230 feet) that passes a pair of impressive cascades, both accessible by boardwalks and viewpoints for an easy yet rewarding outing. The highlights here are the 120-foot, two-tiered Royal Terrace Falls and the 40-foot Majestic Falls, both of which fall in rocky amphitheaters and are surrounded by towering Douglas fir, hemlock and maple trees. Keep an eye out along the way for the 15-foot Crystal Falls and the 20-foot Lower McDowell Creek Falls for even more scenery. A lack of winter snow makes the trail a popular o -season destination, and the park positively glows with colorful fall foliage in September and October. ALSEA FALLS RECREATION SITE Sitting along the South Fork Alsea River in the heart of the Oregon Coast Range, the Alsea Falls Recreation Site has a bit of everything for outdoor enthusiasts of all stripes, including its namesake waterfall. Alsea Falls tumbles just 30 feet, but it does so while cascading over smooth rocks in the river, creating a staircase-like flow that’s unique among waterfalls in the region. A short path from the dayuse area leads to a viewpoint at the base of Alsea Falls. A longer hike through a mossy forest of Douglas fir, maple and alder leads to views of the 45-foot Green Peak Falls. There’s no bad time to see Alsea Falls, but aim for a visit March through May to enjoy the waterfall at its thundering peak—or September through October to appreciate the colorful fall foliage lining the riverbanks. Visit willamettevalley.org/guide-to-waterfalls for more information, safety tips and seasonal updates. Alsea Falls Recreation Site Sahalie Falls
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