Silver Falls State Park is the largest state park in Oregon and only 20 miles southeast of Salem in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. The 9,000+ acre park offers more than 35 miles of backcountry trails for mountain biking, hiking or horseback riding.
Depending on the first frost, mid-October is usually the peak for Silver Falls State Park’s spectacular fall color season. Best known for its legendary Trail of Ten Falls, where hikers can walk beside and even behind ten spectacular waterfalls, this park also dazzles in autumn. By mid- to late October, maples and alders along the trail burst into brilliant color. The foliage show is no longer a secret, so plan to arrive early, mid week is best, if you want to avoid the heaviest crowds.
The Trail of Ten Falls is a 7.2-mile loop that passes behind four of Silver Falls State Park’s waterfalls, but the massive recess behind North Falls is especially unique. The undercut cliff extends back from the falls for at least 100 feet, and the ceiling runs anywhere from 20 to perhaps as much as 75 feet above the trail as it passes behind the falls.
In the Willamette Valley you can spend your entire day doing nothing. Relax on a comfortable front porch at one of bed and breakfasts or in their gardens. Or head out on a day trip Silver Falls State Park, the “crown jewel” of the Oregon State Parks system.
With winter and spring come winter storms and snow pack melt, supplying Oregon scenic rivers the water needed to create our wildly beautiful and renowned waterfalls. And it’s certainly not too early to start planning your Oregon vacation that should involve chasing waterfalls. Come feel the mist of Oregon waterfalls on your face!
Our Chasing Waterfalls and Oregon Waterfall Wednesdays series continues. According to Northwest Waterfall Survey there are well over 1000 waterfalls in Oregon! We’ve set out to witness the beauty of as many as we can. We’ll share our finds with you, our guests, so you too can set out to Chase Waterfalls.
Peruse Chasing Waterfalls on our blog and while there explore Where To Stay. What To Do. Where To Eat. Where To Play. You’ll find a mountain of epic trip ideas for your next outdoor, cultural or culinary adventure in every corner of the state. Now more than two dozen inns are ready to help you plan your most EPIC Oregon road trip!
Since 1989, the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild has served as a statewide information network for its member properties, providing a unified voice for the industry with state regulatory and tourism agencies.
Now known as The Oregon Association of Independent Inns, we’re the same trusted organization, with a new name, a fresh look, and an expanded focus on independent lodging properties beyond traditional bed and breakfasts. Member properties represent a wide range of accommodations, from small guest cottages, cabins, and intimate two-room B&Bs to larger country inns, boutique hotels and dude ranches.
Oregon Association of Independent Inns are ready to share Oregon with you: it’s environment, culture, and heritage. Combine gracious hospitality with ambiance at an inspected and approved member of the Oregon Association of Independent Inns.
