Drift Creek Falls

If I were to walk into Drift Creek Falls tomorrow, the trail would likely be muddy and most of the leaves would be gone from the brush and deciduous trees. I might even see elk along the slopes. I would definitely be wearing warmer clothing than when I hiked there in late September.

Because of the heavy importance I placed upon the presidential election, a few photos and places I wanted to write about were put aside. Now seems a good time to bring them out.

For some years I had heard about a trail leading to a waterfall in the Coast Range about 10 miles or so from Lincoln City. In late September, with a need of ozone and seeing something beautiful, it seemed the right time to find out what was there.

The road to the trailhead is no fun especially if you come from Highway 18. The crossroads are not well marked. Farm Boss and I went two miles wrong at one such do-we-go-right-or-left? point before we turned back to find the right road. Only then did we see a small, handmade sign that would have properly directed us if we had noticed it sooner (hopefully, as when you see such markers, you always know they could be put up as pranks).

The road is unfortunately not gravel and mostly paved, on steep slopes of coastal hills, with abrupt edges to the pavement and no shoulders. Except for pull-outs, it's mostly a one-way road that must sometimes accommodate two-way traffic. It makes it a bit unnerving if someone comes the other way. As with many mountain roads, there were no guardrails. Looking out the window or rather down from the window, I visualized our car slipping into one of those canyons. How long before anybody would see it down there?

With little traffic, we made it the Drift Creek Falls trailhead, a surprisingly nicely paved, wide parking area with even a clean, well-maintained, single-hole outhouse, and instructions for where the trail took off.

The trail was an easy one with ups and downs but no slick or steep places. The woods were deep and intriguing, mystical feeling. We kept looking for elk but other than seeing one fresh hoof print, we didn't see the ghosts of the forest.

Is there anything more soothing than a waterfall?
Sometimes words only get in the way.

At the falls there is a suspension bridge, a very high, swinging suspension footbridge which you walk across the get the finest view of the falls. It is the longest in either Oregon or Washington.

I got about a third of the way across and realized I hadn't lost anything on the other side. Hmmmm I see the falls. That's enough for me. I am prone to vertigo; and although the bridge is fairly new, well built in 1998; and because of how it's constructed, you couldn't fall even if you tripped, it did swing and move with each step. Below was--- a long way down. Makes me dizzy just remembering it.

Farm boss has no such problem with heights, and he walked across; then came back for my camera to take the best photos of the falls.

I did take one from about a third of the way across. Mine was hampered by my eagerness to get off the bridge hence not framed well. Maybe was a tad out of focus for moving quickly back to terra firma.

I want to go back when it's warmer, and we could maybe swim in the pool at the foot of these falls. That would make that bridge worthwhile for even me.

Click on any photo to see enlarged. All are from September along the Drift Creek Falls Trail in Oregon's Coast Range.