Salt Creek Falls

I hope you can stand another rhododendron post.  As an added bonus, I've included photos of a fabulous waterfall! 

 

Salt Creek Falls

 

As you probably guessed by the title, the cascade is actually this post's main attraction.  Last June my hubby and I snagged a campsite reservation at Odell Lake in Central Oregon, just east of Willamette Pass.  Having never spent any time here, I found out that Odell Lake is near lots of great attractions - the Pacific Crest Trail, Diamond Peak, Willamette Pass Ski Area, and.....Salt Creek Falls.

Lovely rhodie-lined path to the waterfall's bottom

 

Billed as Oregon's third-highest waterfall, Salt Creek Falls drops an astounding 286 feet from the top of a columnar basalt cliff.  (For many years it had the distinction of being the state's second-highest cascade until 2009 when Watson Falls was re-measured and declared seven feet higher)

 

Pink rhodies brightening a gloomy forest

 

 

I'd passed by Salt Creek Falls a few times traveling on Highway 58 but never had time to stop.  Now staying at a campgound a mere 5 miles away, I pestered my hubby to go visit.  Finally on the final morning before packing up to go home, we drove over to check it out.

 

The short trail was lovely

 

 

Rain had fallen overnight (helping us to pinpoint all the leaks in our old tent) making for a foggy, overcast morning.  Perfect conditions to photograph a waterfall.  Pulling into the parking area, I was delighted to discover rhododendrons blooming in the nearby forest.  A flowing cascade and pink flowers - I felt as if I'd won the photographer lottery!

 

 

I spy the waterfall though the trees!

 

 

At the parking lot, there was a nice interpretive board outlining the geologic history of the area and a map of the local trail system.  There were loop trails to a couple other waterfalls nearby and a lake called "Too Much Bear Lake." (Which go me wondering what the story was behind such a funny name.)  However, we didn't have time for a long hike today, and opted to take the short, steep path to the canyon bottom and Salt Creek Fall's base.

 

It was even more impressive at it's base

 

 

We first walked along the observation platform at the waterfall's very top.  Salt Creek Falls was so tall it was hard to fit the entire cascade in my camera frame.  The platform wasn't sited very well, and it was difficult to get a good photo without including a bit of the railing.  (And I wasn't about to lean out too far - it was a long ways down!)

 

 

Due to a trail washout this was as close as we could get

 

 

So hubby and I decided to follow a paved path downhill to check out the waterfall's bottom.  The pavement ended after the first switchback, leaving us to trudge through a muddy trail.  But the foggy, rhododendron-lined forest was lovely and I didn't mind.

 

Climbing back up through the foggy forest

 

 

About halfway down, we were treated to a few teaser glimpses of Salt Creek Falls through the trees.  Then we came upon a huge washout that had obliterated the trail.  At these high elevations, winter weather can be extreme and it appeared a landslide had tumbled down the steep canyon walls, reducing the trail to a muddy boulder field.  The rocky, slippery slide area didn't look safe, so hubby and I wisely decided to go no further.

 

One more view from the top

 

 

Luckily the slide had also cleared a path through the forest and giving us a great view of Salt Creek Falls.  And we were close enough the waterfall's base that I could fit the entire cascade into the frame.  I happily snapped away, capturing the falls from every angle.  I had decided against lugging my tripod down the trail, so instead of silky water images, I used a fast shutter speed to produce splashy action shots.  The freeze action of water tumbling down looked kind of like a lacy bridal gown.  I was pleased with the results.

 

 

Rhodie beauty

 

 

After a good 10 minutes of gazing at the waterfall's base, a return of the rain got us moving back uphill towards the parking area.

 

 

Rhodies were thick at the top

 

 

Back at the observation area, I wandered around snapping photos of the prolific rhodie blooms lining the forest.

 

 

Raindrop-speckled blooms

 

 

Despite the rain, I had fun trying to capture a few more images of Salt Creek Falls, as well as the deep, foggy canyon far below.

 

 

Looking into the canyon below the falls

 

 

Salt Creek, just above the waterfall, was especially scenic. 

 

Beautiful creek above the falls

 

 

I love standing at the top of waterfalls, watching the water plunge over the drop.  Salt Creek Falls had a great place to stand and observe the rushing cascade.

 

 

The very top of Salt Creek Falls

 

 

With rhodies blooming everywhere, Salt Creek Falls won the prize for the prettiest observation platform. 

 

Gorgeous observation deck

 

 

As waterfalls go, I gave Salt Creek Falls a big thumbs up and "10" on my scale of impressive, beautiful Oregon cascades.

 

 

One more rhodie - just because!

 

 

Next time I visit (and there will be a next time!) I'm going to hike the trails to see Diamond Creek Falls and Fall Creek Falls.  Oh yeah, and I'll have check out that "Too Much Bear Lake."