Headed out to the Collawash today to check out the waterfalls located in the drainage. Luckily, most of the falls in the drainage happen to have trails to them, a rarity among Clackamas River district falls.
FR70 has a couple waterfalls located right off it, with unmarked parking areas for both. The main one is 21 ft Pegleg Falls. About 150ft after you cross the bridge over Blister Creek on FR70, turn left into the gravel parking area, and head towards the river on one of the many user trails. Can't miss the falls
Speaking of Blister Creek, it too has a waterfall near the road. If you look to your right/upstream when you are on the FR70 bridge over the creek, you can get a glimpse of the 35 ft scenic falls from your car. To get there, park at the pullover on the right/upstream side of the bridge, and follow the beat in user trail 200 feet, either above the falls, or down to the creek. Most summers the creek is low enough to rock hop up to the falls with dry feet (it was today..)
Our first stop of the day was actually Shower Creek, located a short walk past Bagby Hot Springs. Feeling the hot water coming out of the ground at each of the several springs in the area is always a fascinating experience. It was fairly busy already when we got there around noon.
Anyway, Shower Creek Falls:
After making it back to the truck, we headed further up FR 70 to Nohorn Creek Falls for the only bushwhack of the day. This secluded spot 100 ft down the hill from the road is one of my favorite spots. The pool below the falls is very deep, and the water deep green. I could spend all day here. Getting to it is a little rough, only because the earth is so steep. Drive past Bagby til you get to the FR 7030 / FR 7040 split, stay right onto the gravel of FR 7040. Drive maybe 1/4 mile or so, and park at an obvious pullover. Head down the hill. If you come to the cliff above the falls, head downstream for a hundred feet and make your way down to the water. The falls show up on Google satellite view, that's how I've found the correct pullover to park each time I've been there.
After that we headed home. Couldn't have asked for better weather! Thanks for looking
Collawash River Waterfalls 6/5
- BrianEdwards
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Collawash River Waterfalls 6/5
Clackamas River Waterfall Project - 95 Documented, 18 to go.
Re: Collawash River Waterfalls 6/5
Those are some nice, accessible beauties. Thanks for the post!
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Re: Collawash River Waterfalls 6/5
Nice pictures Brian. Nohorn falls looks like a wonderful spot to spend a hot summer day!
Dan
Dan
- woodswalker
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- Joined: November 25th, 2012, 4:51 pm
Re: Collawash River Waterfalls 6/5
Wonderful waterfalls and great directions and descriptions. Thanks, Woodswalker
Re: Collawash River Waterfalls 6/5
Brian,
Great report on some falls I have never seen. I was hoping to see you had checked out the one further up the Bagby Trail! (between Shower Creek & Silver King Lake)
Maybe sometime in the future it can get added to the NW waterfall survey.
Great report on some falls I have never seen. I was hoping to see you had checked out the one further up the Bagby Trail! (between Shower Creek & Silver King Lake)
Maybe sometime in the future it can get added to the NW waterfall survey.
"The top...is not the top" - Mile...Mile & a Half
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- BrianEdwards
- Posts: 2405
- Joined: February 2nd, 2010, 1:32 am
- Location: Oregon City, OR
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Re: Collawash River Waterfalls 6/5
Thanx!
Miah66, thanks for that. I've got that nice lookin falls you found on my list. I had my wife with me who isn't the hikin type, so was limited to just these 4
Miah66, thanks for that. I've got that nice lookin falls you found on my list. I had my wife with me who isn't the hikin type, so was limited to just these 4
Clackamas River Waterfall Project - 95 Documented, 18 to go.