Waterfalls near Eugene, Oregon

How the list breaks down

Every distance here is a straight line from the Census Bureau's internal point for the city of Eugene, by our math. Roads over the Cascades add plenty. The circle runs to 100 miles and holds only falls we have published.

Two more lie in the 60s. Silver Falls near Silverton is 61.2 miles north, and Toketee Falls on the North Umpqua is 64.7 miles away.

The other three take a full day. Tumalo Falls west of Bend is 77.1 miles out, Willamette Falls in Oregon City is 92.8, and Steelhead Falls near Terrebonne is 93.9.

Multnomah Falls misses the cut at about 116 miles by our math. Browse our Oregon waterfalls guide for the Columbia River Gorge and more.

Highway 58 toward Willamette Pass

Salt Creek Falls is the obvious first trip from Eugene. The Forest Service calls it Oregon's second highest single drop waterfall, at 286 feet. Wikipedia ranks it third, after Watson Falls was re-measured at 293 feet.

The site is 23 miles southeast of Oakridge, per the Forest Service. Turn onto Forest Service Road 5893 east of milepost 57. A wheelchair accessible platform sits about 50 yards from the lot, at the top of the falls.

A steep spur with many stairs drops toward the base, and a 3.2-mile loop continues to Diamond Creek Falls. The Forest Service charges $5 per vehicle per day. A Northwest Forest Pass or interagency pass covers it instead.

Winter is the catch. As far as we can tell (Nov 3, 2026), the Forest Service page showed "Site Open", but it also says the site normally closes in winter. Then the usual approach is the Salt Creek Sno-Park, with a 0.4-mile walk on the road. The Forest Service page does not say whether a Sno-Park permit is needed, so ask the ranger station. Call (541) 782-2283 first.

South to the North Umpqua: Toketee Falls

Toketee Falls comes in two steps, per the Forest Service: a 40-foot upper drop and an 80-foot plunge over basalt. Trail #1495 runs 0.4 mile each way to a viewing platform, with nearly 200 steps.

The Forest Service directions turn north off OR-138 at milepost 58.6 onto Forest Road 34. Cross the first bridge, then turn left into the lot. Its trail page lists no fee.

The Forest Service asks hikers to stay behind the safety fence. It reports several deaths and serious injuries among people who climbed over to reach the base.

As far as we can tell (Oct 28, 2026), the trail is open. Its Forest Service page, updated Aug 17, 2026, showed no closure. Winter and fire season can change that, so call the North Umpqua Ranger Station at 541-496-3532.

North up the valley: Silver Falls and Willamette Falls

Silver Falls State Park is Oregon's largest state park, per Oregon State Parks. South Falls drops 177 feet, and the Canyon Trail passes behind it. The 7.2-mile Trail of Ten Falls loop has about 800 feet of elevation change.

The park stays open all year, Oregon State Parks says, and as far as we can tell (Oct 28, 2026) it was open for day use. Gates run 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. from November through January. Pets are banned on the Canyon Trail, so leave the dog home for the walk behind the falls.

Willamette Falls is a different kind of stop. Wikipedia calls it the largest falls in the Northwest by volume, about 40 feet high across a 1,500-foot horseshoe.

There is no trail to the water. The City of Oregon City runs the McLoughlin Promenade viewpoint, and its Municipal Elevator climbs 90 feet from downtown. As far as we can tell (Oct 29, 2026), the viewpoints are open, but the falls themselves have no public access.

Over the Cascades: Tumalo and Steelhead

Two Central Oregon falls sit inside the 100-mile circle from Eugene. Tumalo Falls is 97 feet tall, per Wikipedia. The Forest Service closes Forest Road 4603 to cars from about November to May for snow.

As far as we can tell (Oct 28, 2026), the Forest Service page for Tumalo showed no closure. The gate usually shuts in November, so it may already be closed. With the gate shut, the walk in adds about 2.5 miles each way.

Steelhead Falls is on the Deschutes River on Bureau of Land Management land near Crooked River Ranch. The BLM says the falls are only about 0.5 mile from the trailhead, on a relatively easy trail with one steep section.

The BLM lists the site as open year round. As far as we can tell (Nov 8, 2026), its pages showed no closure.

Passes: federal, state park or none

Three different rules apply on this list. Salt Creek and Tumalo are Forest Service sites. Each takes a $5 day pass, a Northwest Forest Pass or an interagency (America the Beautiful) pass, per the Forest Service.

Silver Falls needs an Oregon State Parks day-use parking permit: $10 a day for Oregon residents and $12 for others. Oregon State Parks says the Northwest Forest Pass and the America the Beautiful pass are not valid there.

The BLM says "No fees" at Steelhead Falls. The Forest Service lists no fee on its Toketee trail page. We found no fee listed for the Willamette Falls viewpoints.

Planning a winter trip from Eugene

Snow shapes three of these stops from November on, counting the Tumalo road gate. The Forest Service says the Salt Creek site normally closes in winter, and its lot is not maintained for snow and ice. Do not park on the highway shoulder, it adds.

Oregon State Parks warns that ice is common on Silver Falls trails and roads in winter. Willamette Falls is the low-elevation choice. As far as we can tell (Oct 29, 2026), its city viewpoints stay open all year.

Waterfalls near Eugene: FAQ