Salt Creek Falls

This beauty is a not-so-hidden treasure in the Cascades east of Eugene. Salt Creek Falls. At 286 feet top to bottom, the second highest in Oregon and, I read somewhere, the tallest single drop falls. Multnomah Falls in the Columbia Gorge is higher, but is a two-level drop.

Part of the beauty of a falls such as this is the sound, which obviously can't be heard in a still photo. As we approached, I heard it well before it emerged into view, and what a view! I had no idea it would be so big, so spectacular.

The sad part of the day is that this is about 5000' in the Cascade Mountains in the middle of February. No snow! There are ski resorts not far from here that are closed. Bad for the local economy, but a beautiful, sunny, clear day for driving and a short walk to the falls.

A slightly different view -- showing how steeply the water flows on down the mountain.

From the top of the falls....

On the way home, a brief stop along the upper Willamette.

I was a little taken by the contrast here, between the dark firs and the lighter bare wood in the foreground.

Finished the trip with fish tacos and craft beer at a wonderful brew pub in the town of Oakridge -- in a part of the town that I'd never known existed. Of course, I'd never seen anything other than what lines the highway as it passes through town.

A nice adventure for a spring-like day.