Highway 138 is one of the most beautiful roads in all of the United States. If you are travelling in Oregon, you cannot miss this road trip. Some of the most scenic waterfalls in the state are present all along this highway. This Northwestern state boasts incredible natural beauty, and visiting Oregon this summer might be your best decision. From travelling in your personal vehicle to booking a luxurious charter bus trip, you can travel here in many ways. Pack your bags and get ready because this blog is going to give you a perfect guide to witness the best waterfalls in Oregon.
What Makes Oregon A Perfect Vacation Spot?
A state that has a whole 363-mile-long coastline absolutely free for people to visit automatically becomes a perfect choice for holidays. Oregon also has some of the amazing beaches that visitors can definitely go to in the summer. Hiking trails and skiing tracks also attract a lot of people throughout the year. Have you ever thought of visiting the Sahara Desert? What if we tell you that you don’t have to travel all the way to Africa for that? Yes, that is true because in Oregon, you can also visit the city’s popular dunes. But Oregon waterfalls remain the most popular tourist spots.
Highway 138: The Best Attraction Of Oregon
This route is even dubbed as the “Highway of Waterfalls”. The United States has a few scenic roads, and this is one of them. The highway stretches over two rivers in the state, called the Rogue River and the North Umpqua River. These two rivers house some of the best waterfalls in Oregon. This scenic route, which is also called the Rogue-Umpqua Scenic Byway, gives visitors wonderful views of the waterfalls. Do not miss the immersive hiking trails that follow the road. While travelling on Highway 138, you will witness the beautiful greenery of Oregon. Let us discuss how you can access this road.
Trip To The Highway Of Waterfalls Of Oregon
One has to plan a two-day trip on this road because you must stop by and take a hike to the trails to see the Highway 138 Oregon waterfalls from close. But before that, plan a stay near the highway if you are not an Oregon resident. The best options would be the Steamboat Inn, Umpqua’s Last Resort or the Diamond Lake Resort. If you have your personal vehicle, then great or else car rentals or Oregon charter bus services (in case of a group of many visitors) are always available. From these stays, you can access the highway easily after a few minutes of driving. Now it is time to explore the waterfalls on Highway 138.
Best Waterfalls Of Oregon To Visit On Highway
Without wasting any more time, let us take you through a complete guide to the famous Oregon waterfalls that lie along this whole path of astounding natural beauty. Let us start with a fall that has a wonderful campground to spend an even longer time in nature.
Susan Creek Falls
You must visit the long 60-ft waterfall that can be found easily on Highway 138. The trail is just adjacent to the road, which one can walk up to. This is a 1.5-mile round-trip trail to reach the closest point to the waterfall. One can walk to Susan Creek Falls Use Area to set up camps and gather at the picnic table to stop by and have quality time with family and peers. You have to pay $5 for parking your vehicle, yet there are no entry fees. Susan Creek offers a soulful experience in the forest of cedar trees. This is a must-visit if you are travelling on the highway.
Watson Falls
This is the third-longest fall in Oregon, with a whopping height of 293 ft. Watson Falls is located in the Umpqua National Park, which is one of the most visited places in all of Oregon. The trail here is as short as 0.3 miles, but the round-trip trail provides breathtaking views of the waterfall. People here can stop by the picnic area in the park, which is conveniently situated near a creek. What contributes to the natural beauty of the place is the forest that is filled with ferns and boulders near the lake, which gives us some of the best visuals of this place.
Toketee Falls
Many claim it to be the most beautiful waterfall seen on Highway 138. One of the most striking features of Toketee Falls is not the waterfall itself. The parking lot has a unique wooden pipeline that has been running since 1949. One must be careful when driving their vehicles near the pipeline because of water leaks. But this old relic fascinates a lot of visitors. Now, as you walk the trail, the nature here will amaze you completely. Toketee has one main waterfall that is almost 80 ft long and two more smaller falls that are roughly 10 ft each. A 0.8-mile round hike will show you every beautiful feature- the gorgeous greens to mesmerizing cascades.
Whitehorse Falls
This is one of the shorter waterfalls that you will find on this road. Whitehorse Falls is another lovely waterfall in Oregon that is well-visited by people. It is close to another short but nice waterfall called Clearwater Falls. Visitors with mobility issues often visit these two waterfalls together. The hike here takes hardly 7 minutes, and what you get to see is a nice 15-ft-long waterfall just beside Highway 138. Visitors get an amazing visual of water falling down from a bedrock and crashing into a large water pool here. This waterfall is not as popular as the other falls in OR 138, but Oregon netizens make sure Whitehorse Falls is visited on a daily basis.
Warm Spring Falls
Warm Spring Falls is another wonderful waterfall in the region, even if it’s a bit further from the highway. Tourists must go to see this fall, but should be careful while driving through dirt roads because of a lot of slippery mud. You must click pictures of or with the long pine trees that surround the whole trail. Once you reach the only point from where the falls are visible, you get to see the picturesque 60 ft long fall.
Lemolo Falls
People usually visit this waterfall before Warm Spring. Lemolo Falls is much bigger- a 165 ft long waterfall that can also provide breathtaking visuals. But there is a reason to keep it at the end of this list, and that is the trail. Visitors find it difficult to climb the sloped trail that is on the southern side of the waterfall. Bring some mosquito repellent, as this trail has some of the most dangerous mosquitoes prepared to ruin your hike. But after crossing this 1.7-mile hurdle, you will witness one of the best waterfalls in Oregon.
Where Can You Stop By During This Trip?
Travelling on Highway 138 is a long task. You must stop by some of the places to refresh yourself. Glide is the town that is popularly also called “gateway to Highway 138”. Here are some of the places for you to stop at.
- Idleyld Park: This is a beautiful and cozy park in the Umpqua National Forest. This is a great spot for carrying out outdoor and recreational activities.
- 138 Grill: You need to visit this popular local restaurant that serves delicious fish and tacos.
- Glide Store: Grab some quick snacks or groceries here for your camping and picnic.
- Colliding River Information Site: This place will allow you to take a look at the two rivers, Rogue and Umpqua, colliding straight into each other.
- Crater Lake National Park: While driving on OR 138, turn south and enter the North Entrance of one of the most beautiful national parks you will ever see. You witness the deepest lake in the USA. Never miss this location when you are in Oregon.
Other Waterfalls Of Oregon You Must Visit
Highway 138 is not the only place where you will get to see the best waterfalls in Oregon. The Beaver State has around 200 waterfalls, many of which many are some of the best waterfalls in all of the country. We must get to know these places which have beautiful waterfalls and visit them for sure.
Bend
This is a beautiful city in Central Oregon that houses many waterfalls. The Bend Oregon waterfalls are also seen as some of the best waterfalls in all of the US. Let us begin with Tumalo Falls, which is a breathtaking waterfall as long as 97 ft. People visit here often to walk through its beautiful trail of pine trees. The Benhum Falls is also a great waterfall formed out of a volcanic butte 6000 years ago. Dillon Falls is not that far from this waterfall, and people visit both waterfalls together. Newberry Volcanic National Park has one of the best waterfalls in Bend, named Paulina Falls. This is a must-visit 80-ft-long waterfall popular for its double-plunge formation.
Multnomah Falls
The largest waterfall in Oregon is this one. Multnomah Falls Oregon stands out because of its humongous height of 620 ft. This is a natural wonder of Oregon flowing into the Columbia River. People from all over the country visit these incredible falls. But it is important to note that it has been Oregon’s biggest crowd puller for two centuries now. Take a walk through the Multnomah Falls Loop Trail to get to not one but many viewpoints that can give you some of the best views of the falls. Better arrive early in the morning to get the best experience of this beautiful waterfall.
Eugene
Eugene is a very important city in Oregon, as it is the home of the University of Oregon and many museums that deal with the culture and history of the region. But Eugene is also known for some of the picturesque waterfalls of Oregon. Salt Creek Falls is the second-largest waterfall of the Beaver State, which is almost 286 ft long. It is best known for its canyons made of basalt. Very convenient, but this city has another nice waterfall called Sweet Creek Falls. This is 70 ft tall and has a 2.2-mile trail that is comfortable for hiking. Visit the Slushaw National Forest to take a look at the gorgeous Kentucky Falls.
Silver Falls State Park
Imagine getting to witness 10 waterfalls in one place. This will be a reality if you visit the amazing Silver Falls State Park. People call it one of the best state parks in all of the United States. The Silver Falls State Park Oregon, waterfalls are some of the most unique waterfalls in Oregon. This is a full 9000-acre park with almost everything you need in such a place. While the waterfalls remain the main attraction, people also come here for its amazing 45-mile-long trail, where you can do a lot more than walking. Motorbiking is one of the popular activities in this park. Visit this beauty at any cost if you are in Oregon.
Tips For Travelling To The Waterfalls Of Oregon
You have a whole map of Oregon waterfalls now. But you must know some tips that will help during your trip to the falls of the Beaver State. The first and foremost rule is to beat the crowd. Oregon pulls hundreds of tourists almost every week. Be prepared by reaching your favourite destination as early as 9 AM. If you have a group of people with you, take private bus tours. Make sure you have the right clothing and especially proper footwear. This is because many trails can be slippery, and even more during the monsoon. Get yourself a Northwest Forest Pass because many of these waterfall sites allow people only when they have the pass. Lastly, keep your maps ready for navigation in offline mode.
Final Thoughts
It is a beautiful state to say the least. The waterfalls here are the living embodiment of so many amazing things this place can offer. You will come across many people who have moved into the state and feel like they have entered a paradise. We are not asking you to do the same, but make sure you plan a holiday with your friends and family in Oregon.Bend