Early April at Silver Falls

Silver Falls State Park is one of my favorite places in Oregon. Last weekend we hiked the Canyon Trail, from South Falls to Upper North Falls, then the Rim Trail back to the South Falls parking lot. Reggie proposed to me at Upper North Falls, February 1982, so that's our favorite one.

These two pics are of South Falls, from the top of the trail:

When the trail turns back towards the falls, there's a little trail to take to see Frenchie Falls. Frenchie is one of the ones that's just a bare trickle come the end of summer:

Back to the South Falls trail on a rainy, April day:

Going behind the falls!

There are all kinds of volcano holes and crawl spaces and climbing nooks and crannies under here. Going all the way around and down is the bridge that loops up to the trail, and the picture from the bridge. This is one of the postcard places.

Next, the trail goes down the south fork of Silver Creek, way down to Lower South Falls.

I didn't get pics behind this waterfall -- we were getting wet, for the trail is right behind the water. It's wet and LOUD and fun!

The next big falls on the Canyon Trail is Lower North Falls. Even though many of the trees aren't leafed out yet, they are still green with moss and lichens.

This fall is on the way to Lower North Falls. There's a bridge to cross the creek on the trail leading to Lower North -- the bridges have all been replaced in the last few years, when severe winter storms have damaged the old ones.

Here's Lower North Falls!

Right after Lower North is a side trail to Double Falls. Double Falls is another one that's barely there in the late summer and fall:

Along the Double Falls trail was a patch of just-opened trillium:

Next comes Drake Falls, then Middle North Falls:

Next is the bridge leading to Winter Falls. This is the hardest one to see, later is a picture from the top on the Rim Trail. After the bridge comes Twin Falls, and some trail section with water features and skunk cabbage and more winter forest.

Next come North Falls. You can hear it way before you see it. There is lots of winter/spring green in the canyon, and many huge boulders, now moss and fern covered, that you know made a big noise and splash when they came down the waterfalls.

The salmon berries are starting to bloom! And here's another trillium:

Now comes North Falls -- big and noisy, with another passage behind the falls:

After going behind the falls, the trail climbs UP to the rim:

Next comes the short trail to Upper North Falls -- our favorite one, for that's where Reggie proposed to me in February 1982. :) There were still ice pellets from the snow/hail we got this week...

Then, the Rim Trail goes back along the top of the canyon, back to the South Falls area. It's a beautiful trail, with views looking back to North Falls, then the trail going down to Winter Falls (can see the very top and the very bottom, but have to hike down the trail to see the whole falls).

When we got back to South Falls parking lot, there was almost no one there. But there was a small herd of deer munching the wet grass.

So a wet, but fun, afternoon!