Difference between revisions of "McDowell Creek Falls Loop Hike"
From Oregon Hikers Field Guide
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=== Description === | === Description === | ||
− | Tucked into the Cascade foothills near Sweet Home, Linn County's McDowell Creek County Park offers an entertaining family loop at every season. The loop trail here takes you to two impressive waterfalls as well as a couple of smaller cascades and a popular summer swimming hole. Hiking through the lush mixed woodland here, you are almost always within earshot of the sound of rushing water. | + | Tucked into the Cascade foothills near Sweet Home, Linn County's McDowell Creek Falls County Park offers an entertaining family loop at every season. The loop trail here takes you to two impressive waterfalls as well as a couple of smaller cascades and a popular summer swimming hole. Hiking through the lush mixed woodland here, you are almost always within earshot of the sound of rushing water. |
− | Mossy big-leaf maple, red alder, Douglas-fir, western hemlock, grand fir, western red-cedar, sword fern, and salmonberry compose the woodland at the parking area. The trail crosses a footbridge over McDowell Creek. Look for a small waterfall downstream from the bridge. Continue on a graveled trail a junction, where you go left to a footbridge that allows a view of two-tier [[Royal Terrace Falls]], | + | Mossy big-leaf maple, red alder, Douglas-fir, western hemlock, grand fir, western red-cedar, sword fern, and salmonberry compose the woodland at the parking area. The trail crosses a footbridge over McDowell Creek. Look for a small waterfall downstream from the bridge. Continue on a graveled trail a junction, where you go left to a footbridge that allows a view of two-tier [[Royal Terrace Falls]], 120 feet high, on Fall Creek. After viewing these falls, backtrack and head left up a stone staircase with a clearcut to the right. At the top of the falls is a small viewing platform. Continue on this loop trail over a small footbridge on Fall Creek. The trail heads up into woods of Douglas-fir and hemlock, vine maple, red huckleberry, salal, Oregon grape, trailing blackberry, thimbleberry, and sword fern. You are now high above McDowell Creek on a canyon rom which offers partial views towards the Willamette Valley through the screen of Douglas-firs. Where the trail splits, go right. Cross McDowell Creek Road and continues for 0.3 miles through the forest to reach the [[Majestic Falls Trailhead]]. |
− | Stone steps lead down from the parking lot to viewing platforms at | + | Stone steps lead down from the parking lot to viewing platforms at 40-foot [[Majestic Falls]]. Loop down above [[Majestic Falls]] on a short trail and reach a slippery wooden staircase leading up for more views of the falls. Continue on the trail to cross a wooden footbridge, and switchback down under moss-draped trees. Come to small Crystal Falls in their mossy amphitheater. These falls are 15 feet high, and the Crystal Pool at their base is a summer swimming hole. The trail continues along the north bank of McDowell Creek under cedars, Douglas-fir, big-leaf maple and hemlock. |
− | Cross the road and keep on the trail down the creek. There are a couple of trail junctions with paths that lead right to the middle parking area. Between them, there’s another junction where the old trail leads down and has been washed out, so it’s left, right, left at these three junctions. The trail leads over the creek again on another solid footbridge to [[Royal Terrace Falls]]. Then, back at the [[Royal Terrace Falls Trailhead]], take a short loop at the western end of the parking lot down to the streamside for a view of Lower McDowell Creek Falls, with its three drops of a total of 20 feet. | + | Cross the road and keep on the trail down the creek. There are a couple of trail junctions with paths that lead right to the middle parking lot and main picnic area. Between them, there’s another junction where the old trail leads down and has been washed out, so it’s left, right, left at these three junctions. The trail leads over the creek again on another solid footbridge and passes spur trails leading right to the creek. Cross a footbridge over Falls Creek below [[Royal Terrace Falls]] and go right at the junction. Then, back at the [[Royal Terrace Falls Trailhead]], take a short loop at the western end of the parking lot down to the streamside for a view of Lower McDowell Creek Falls, with its three drops of a total of 20 feet. |
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=== Maps === | === Maps === | ||
− | * [http://www. | + | * [http://www.linnparks.com/documents/McDowellCreekFallspdf.pdf McDowell Creek Falls County Park (Linn County Parks & Recreation)] |
{{TripReports|{{PAGENAME}}}} | {{TripReports|{{PAGENAME}}}} | ||
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=== More Links === | === More Links === | ||
− | * [http://www. | + | * [http://www.linnparks.com/pages/parks/mcdowell.html McDowell Creek Falls County Park (Linn County Parks & Recreation)] |
− | * [http:// | + | * [http://oregonwaterfalls.net/mcreekf.htm McDowell Creek Park Waterfalls (Oregon Waterfalls)] |
− | * [http://www. | + | * [http://blog.oregonlive.com/terryrichard/2011/06/mcdowell_creek_a_linn_county_p.html "McDowell Creek: A Linn County park to fall in love with" (Oregon Live)] |
+ | * [http://archive.statesmanjournal.com/article/20130117/OUTDOORS/301170010/Unassuming-McDowell-Creek-Falls-Park-surprises-striking-waterfalls "Unassuming McDowell Creek Falls Park surprises with striking waterfalls" (Statesman Journal)] | ||
+ | * [http://www.willamettelive.com/2012/get-outdoors/mcdowell-creek-falls-2/ McDowell Creek Falls (Willamette Live)] | ||
+ | * [http://traveloregon.com/trip-ideas/oregon-stories/family-road-trip-mcdowell-creek-falls/ Family Road Trip: McDowell Creek Falls (Travel Oregon)] | ||
+ | * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FISMf7zOgoA McDowell Creek Falls - Lebanon, Oregon (YouTube)] | ||
+ | * [http://www.waterfallsnorthwest.com/nws/falls.php?num=4376 Royal Terrace Falls (Northwest Waterfall Survey)] | ||
+ | * [http://www.waterfallsnorthwest.com/nws/falls.php?num=4375 Majestic Falls (Northwest Waterfall Survey)] | ||
+ | * [http://www.waterfallsnorthwest.com/nws/falls.php?num=4368 Crystal Falls (Northwest Waterfall Survey)] | ||
+ | * [http://www.waterfallsnorthwest.com/nws/falls.php?num=4392 Lower McDowell Creek Falls (Northwest Waterfall Survey)] | ||
=== Page Contributors === | === Page Contributors === | ||
* [[User:bobcat|bobcat]] (creator) | * [[User:bobcat|bobcat]] (creator) |
Revision as of 15:42, 29 January 2015
- Start point: Royal Terrace Falls Trailhead
- End Point: Majestic Falls
- Trail Log:
- Hike Type: Lollipop loop
- Distance: 1.9 miles
- Elevation gain: 230 feet
- High Point: 1,105 feet
- Difficulty: Easy
- Seasons: All year
- Family Friendly: Yes
- Backpackable: No
- Crowded: No
Contents |
Description
Tucked into the Cascade foothills near Sweet Home, Linn County's McDowell Creek Falls County Park offers an entertaining family loop at every season. The loop trail here takes you to two impressive waterfalls as well as a couple of smaller cascades and a popular summer swimming hole. Hiking through the lush mixed woodland here, you are almost always within earshot of the sound of rushing water.
Mossy big-leaf maple, red alder, Douglas-fir, western hemlock, grand fir, western red-cedar, sword fern, and salmonberry compose the woodland at the parking area. The trail crosses a footbridge over McDowell Creek. Look for a small waterfall downstream from the bridge. Continue on a graveled trail a junction, where you go left to a footbridge that allows a view of two-tier Royal Terrace Falls, 120 feet high, on Fall Creek. After viewing these falls, backtrack and head left up a stone staircase with a clearcut to the right. At the top of the falls is a small viewing platform. Continue on this loop trail over a small footbridge on Fall Creek. The trail heads up into woods of Douglas-fir and hemlock, vine maple, red huckleberry, salal, Oregon grape, trailing blackberry, thimbleberry, and sword fern. You are now high above McDowell Creek on a canyon rom which offers partial views towards the Willamette Valley through the screen of Douglas-firs. Where the trail splits, go right. Cross McDowell Creek Road and continues for 0.3 miles through the forest to reach the Majestic Falls Trailhead.
Stone steps lead down from the parking lot to viewing platforms at 40-foot Majestic Falls. Loop down above Majestic Falls on a short trail and reach a slippery wooden staircase leading up for more views of the falls. Continue on the trail to cross a wooden footbridge, and switchback down under moss-draped trees. Come to small Crystal Falls in their mossy amphitheater. These falls are 15 feet high, and the Crystal Pool at their base is a summer swimming hole. The trail continues along the north bank of McDowell Creek under cedars, Douglas-fir, big-leaf maple and hemlock.
Cross the road and keep on the trail down the creek. There are a couple of trail junctions with paths that lead right to the middle parking lot and main picnic area. Between them, there’s another junction where the old trail leads down and has been washed out, so it’s left, right, left at these three junctions. The trail leads over the creek again on another solid footbridge and passes spur trails leading right to the creek. Cross a footbridge over Falls Creek below Royal Terrace Falls and go right at the junction. Then, back at the Royal Terrace Falls Trailhead, take a short loop at the western end of the parking lot down to the streamside for a view of Lower McDowell Creek Falls, with its three drops of a total of 20 feet.
Fees, Regulations, etc.
- No fee
- Dogs on leash
- Restrooms, picnic tables
Maps
Trip Reports
- Search Trip Reports for McDowell Creek Falls Loop Hike
Related Discussions / Q&A
- Search Trail Q&A for McDowell Creek Falls Loop Hike
Guidebooks that cover this hike
- Oregon's Best Wildflower Hikes: Northwest Region by George Wuerther
- Corvallis Trails by Margie C. Powell
- 75 Hikes in Oregon's Coast Range and Siskiyous by Rhonda & George Ostertag
- 100 Hikes/Travel Guide: Oregon Coast and Coast Range by William L. Sullivan
- Take a Hike: Portland by Barbara I. Bond
More Links
- McDowell Creek Falls County Park (Linn County Parks & Recreation)
- McDowell Creek Park Waterfalls (Oregon Waterfalls)
- "McDowell Creek: A Linn County park to fall in love with" (Oregon Live)
- "Unassuming McDowell Creek Falls Park surprises with striking waterfalls" (Statesman Journal)
- McDowell Creek Falls (Willamette Live)
- Family Road Trip: McDowell Creek Falls (Travel Oregon)
- McDowell Creek Falls - Lebanon, Oregon (YouTube)
- Royal Terrace Falls (Northwest Waterfall Survey)
- Majestic Falls (Northwest Waterfall Survey)
- Crystal Falls (Northwest Waterfall Survey)
- Lower McDowell Creek Falls (Northwest Waterfall Survey)
Page Contributors
- bobcat (creator)