Trail of Ten Falls Oregon Hike Guide
Trail of Ten Falls is an extremely popular hike located in Silver Falls State Park in Northern Oregon. The hike features ten waterfalls and cascades including popular North Falls and South Falls which you can walk underneath. This hike is great April – October and suitable for hikers of all levels. As of 2023, this hike can be made into a full loop. Although the State Park allows dogs, Trail of Ten Falls does not.
Trail of Ten Falls Quick Facts
Trail of Ten Falls Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5 Stars)
Virtual Trail Guide: Trail of Ten Falls
Distance: 7.5 Miles RT
Elevation Start: 1,332ft (South Falls)
High Point: 1,540ft
Total Elevation Gain: 1,200ft
Estimated Time to Complete: 3-4 Hours RT
Difficulty: Moderate What does this mean?
Class: Class 1 – What does this mean?
Season: Year round: Best time to visit: May – October.
Directions to Trail of Ten Falls
Trailhead: North Falls or South Falls
Getting Here: This hike has two main places to start: the North Falls and South Falls parking areas.
North Falls: If coming from the North, the North Falls parking area is the first you will drive by. This lot is much smaller than South Falls (can only fit 15-20 cars or so) but does have restrooms and self pay fee stations.
South Falls: This is the main parking lot and can fit hundreds of cars in my estimation. There are multiple restrooms, areas to picnic and self assist pay stations.
Parking: Both areas have restrooms and normally a decent turnover for parking spaces. As mentioned, the main parking area for this hike is South Falls TH.
Permits/Fee: As of June 2024, there is a $5 fee to hike Trail of Ten Falls. Reservations are not required and there are ample pay stations around the parking lots to purchase a day parking permit. Local hikers can purchase an annual permit, more information here.
Summary
Dogs: Although dogs are allowed in Silver Falls State Park, they are not allowed on the Canyon trail aka the main area where all of the waterfalls are. Summary: this hike is not dog friendly if you plan on seeing waterfalls.
Camping: Silver Falls State Park does have a campground, make a reservation up to 6 months in advance here. View the campground map here.
Make it a Loop: This hike is a loop but beware that all of the waterfalls will be located on the Canyon Trail. If you choose to make this hike a loop, the Rim Trail provides very minimal views of waterfalls. For those who want to add miles to your day, it’s very easy to do so with the other trails in the State Park.
Trail X Factors: Ten Waterfalls!
It should be no surprise that the x factor on this hike are the waterfalls themselves. While they all have a slightly similar feel, each cascade and waterfall on the Trail of Ten Falls is unique and keeps your attention around every turn. Take your time to explore each little offshoot vs rushing through to complete this hike.
Hike Tip(s): When I hike something, I like to save all the best views for the end. I find that by doing this, I enjoy the hike more and appreciate the whole day better. If parking at either lot, I would knock out the Rim Trail first so that you can enjoy all of the waterfalls to end your hike vs starting with them and ending on the Rim Trail.
Best Views: Trail of Ten Falls is an EXCELLENT hike from start to finish. Personally I liked Lower South Falls and Middle South Falls the most.
Trail of Ten Falls Hike Route
I combined the Trail of Ten Falls with Buck Mountain. Additionally, the GPS bounced around the canyon a bit as well. In reality, this was likely an 18 mile loop.
Gear Needed
- Running Hat
- Running Vest
- Running Vest (Larger)
- Long Sleeve
- T Shirt
- Running Shorts
- Men’s Trail Runners
- Women’s Trail Runners
- Running Nutrition
- Water Filter
- Water Pouch
- Watch
- Heart Rate Monitor
- Hiking Poles – 120CM
- Optional: GoPro, Joby Tripod, Selfie Stick, GoPro 360, Insta360 X4, Drone
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