Why We Return to Oregon’s Silver Falls State Park Every Spring

A few years ago, Oregon’s Silver Falls State Park was not on our radar at all. Now we find ourselves looking for excuses to come back every spring.

Silver Falls State Park, located about 25 miles east of Salem in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, feels more like a national park with its historic “parkitecture-style” buildings and massive waterfalls.

Take a hike through the park

The heart of the park is the Trail of Ten Falls (made up of the Canyon and Rim Trails). This loop passes a series of major waterfalls, several of which you can walk behind. The trail stays low in the canyon, which keeps the elevation gain to a minimum while still giving you the feeling that you are in a world far away.

The entire loop is about 7.6 miles round-trip with 1,200 feet of elevation gain. Plan on it taking you 2 1/2 to 3 hours to complete. But when we are short on time, we head out on the Canyon Trail from the main parking lot and hike directly toward South Falls. This is our favorite viewpoint in the park. Then, we keep hiking to the other falls, turning around whenever we need to.

Spring is the time to be here

While the park is worth a visit in any season, March and April bring higher runoff from winter rain and melting snow. And the falls are louder, wider, and more forceful. They really are impressive, especially the closer you get. Walking behind South Falls is an otherworldly experience when the flows are high.

Planning your visit

• Park fees: A day-use fee is required. As of now, it is $5 per vehicle, payable at self-service kiosks.
• Hours: The park is open daily, generally from dawn to dusk. Trails close at night.
• Pets: Leashed dogs are allowed on some of the trails, but are not permitted behind the waterfalls.
• Coffee shop: Be sure to stop in South Falls Cafe for light dining, ice cream, and coffee
• Book store: The Nature Store is one of the best we’ve seen in all our park trips. Proceeds support the park.