Ok, I promise this isn’t a hiking blog.
That said, you need to know about this hike if you’re planning a trip to or live in Portland, OR. I’m sorry, it’s just really important. The hike is called the Trail of Ten Falls, and it’s a 7.1 mile loop trail where you, uh… see 10 waterfalls. It’s located in Silver Falls State Park, which is about an hour outside of Portland by car. The drive there is nice! I’m not positive, but I’m pretty sure I saw like, a bunch of bald eagles while driving over. So that’s cool. Despite being 7+ miles, this hike isn’t strenuous. There’s never much of an incline, so distance is the only thing that makes it challenging.
This post is really more of a photo journal than a guide, but the hike is well marked and intuitive. So while I would definitely recommend checking out AllTrails or some other guide, I think you’ll be just fine. The journey will likely take you all day seeing as there’s 2ish hours of driving plus however long it takes you to complete the 7+ miles. Our hike ended up being closer to 9 miles, which makes sense once you take the paths to and from waterfalls into consideration. Needless to say, we were exhausted once we got back to our hotel, so the idea of a big night out was not enticing.
Make sure to do your homework before leaving. It’s always a good idea to check the park’s website for advisories or road closures. You’ll also want to check the weather and make sure you have some quality snacks. I mean, you never know when you’re going to go the wrong way and end up on the Appalachian Trail (so en route to Canada). This is something my family (grandparents and baby cousins included) once did, but that’s a story for another time.
Now without further ado, check out these pics!
Amazing photos! Certainly makes me want to visit! Love the last pic of you two! 🙂