Warm Springs Falls
Jul. 11th, 2023 02:39 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
canyonwalkerThe last of our hiking treks a week ago Monday in the Oregon Cascades was to Warm Springs Falls. This one was a bit remote. All the previous hikes were basically right off State Route 138. This one involved driving north a few miles from near the top of the pass to Lemolo Lake on a narrow road, then to a small reservoir on a narrower road, then downhill from there another few miles on a dirt road.
One nice thing about driving dirt roads to get to trailheads is that they filter out some of the crowds. Even when they're not 4x4 routes (this one certainly wasn't) a lot of people avoid them like they are. I spotted one car that turned around and went back when the pavement ended, plus another one that should have (they made a wrong turn and were driving painfully slow). When we got to the trailhead for Warm Springs Falls, marked only by a small wooden sign nailed to a tree, there were just 2 other vehicles there.
It's a good thing there was that little sign, because otherwise we might have missed it. The trail starts out in deep forest beneath mature fir trees with soft dirt and pine needles underfoot. It's fittingly quiet here— except for the sound of rushing water in the distance. That, other than the small sign, was our only clue we were in the right place.
The trail winds about 0.5 km (0.3 mi) through deep forest to a lookout point atop a ridge over the falls. There, the fairly tall and wide falls emerge, pouring into a wide bowl. Again, until you get to pretty much this spot there's little clue other than the distant sound these falls are here. The trail doesn't cross the river, nor are the falls or canyon visible until you're literally on top of them.
Hawk joined me in hiking this trail even after swearing she was done at Whitehorse Falls and Clearwater Falls. I kind of suspected she might find enough gas in the tank for this easy, 0.6 mile roundtrip after taking it more slowly for an hour or two.
One nice thing about driving dirt roads to get to trailheads is that they filter out some of the crowds. Even when they're not 4x4 routes (this one certainly wasn't) a lot of people avoid them like they are. I spotted one car that turned around and went back when the pavement ended, plus another one that should have (they made a wrong turn and were driving painfully slow). When we got to the trailhead for Warm Springs Falls, marked only by a small wooden sign nailed to a tree, there were just 2 other vehicles there.
It's a good thing there was that little sign, because otherwise we might have missed it. The trail starts out in deep forest beneath mature fir trees with soft dirt and pine needles underfoot. It's fittingly quiet here— except for the sound of rushing water in the distance. That, other than the small sign, was our only clue we were in the right place.
The trail winds about 0.5 km (0.3 mi) through deep forest to a lookout point atop a ridge over the falls. There, the fairly tall and wide falls emerge, pouring into a wide bowl. Again, until you get to pretty much this spot there's little clue other than the distant sound these falls are here. The trail doesn't cross the river, nor are the falls or canyon visible until you're literally on top of them.
Hawk joined me in hiking this trail even after swearing she was done at Whitehorse Falls and Clearwater Falls. I kind of suspected she might find enough gas in the tank for this easy, 0.6 mile roundtrip after taking it more slowly for an hour or two.
