Silver Falls State Park, Oregon – Part Three

2013.05.03

A quarter-mile west from Middle North Falls, I arrived at a viewing platform below the 27-foot Drake Falls, named for local photographer June Drake (b. 1880) who used his photos of the falls to promote the idea of a park.

Drake Falls (27 feet), Silver Falls State Park, Oregon
North Fork Silver Creek below Drake Falls, Silver Falls State Park, Oregon

By another quarter-mile north, the trail was down near the water level again, where a footbridge crosses tributary Hullt Creek.  A short side trail to the east took me to Double Falls.  Officially this two-part drop is 178 feet, though the unofficial Northwest Waterfall Survey has measured the upper falls at 43 feet and the lower falls at 141.  Either way, this is the tallest waterfall in the park, officially beating the South Falls by one foot.  The upper falls are barely visible at the top of the first photo.

Double Falls (officially 178 feet, unofficially 184), Silver Falls State Park, Oregon
Double Falls (officially 178 feet, unofficially 184), Silver Falls State Park, Oregon

Hullt Creek empties into North Fork Silver Creek just above the 30-foot Lower North Falls.  This waterfall marks the approximate center of the Canyon Trail, about two miles from either the South or North trailheads.  It is the last waterfall on the North Fork, and about a mile downriver to the west is the confluence with the South Fork.

Lower North Falls (30 feet), Silver Falls State Park, Oregon
Lower North Falls (30 feet), Silver Falls State Park, Oregon
Lower North Falls (30 feet), Silver Falls State Park, Oregon
Lower North Falls (30 feet), Silver Falls State Park, Oregon

After seeing Lower North Falls, I turned around and went back up the trail about a mile, then another quarter-mile climb to the North Falls Group Camp.  I drove on to the main entrance of the park near the South Falls.