standing behind Middle North Falls and looking through the curtain of water falling above
This past weekend was one of the more enjoyable in awhile and one of the highlights was a gorgeous hike we took in what I call the land of the waterfalls. Silver Falls State Park has 9 miles of trails with 10 waterfalls. We didn’t arrive early enough to hike the whole distance and didn’t know which the best falls were so took our chances and chose our trails by their length.
This post isn’t a tour of the park, but rather some of my favorite moments from what turned out to be a really happy and memorable day.
For nearly a year Rob has been suggesting this park as a destination almost every time we consider where to go for a day hike and every time I say “weeeellllll, sometime, but not today, instead let’s go to…..”. I resisted it because I had the idea that it would be a disappointing place and too crowded to enjoy. Well, I was completely wrong!
some tiny mushrooms and fern babies
Saturday was Rob’s birthday and his long time friend from college, an artist living and teaching in Chicago, came to visit for a few days. The day was mostly cloudy with a few rain showers here and there and we arrived city worn and a little hung over. As the day progressed we found ourselves feeling better and better and neither the damp weather nor the steep switchbacks thwarted our improving spirits. We happily huffed and puffed up the steep inclines to the tops of the falls breathing in the fresh cleansing air.
The water had a kind of opalescent color that seemed to light up the whole place and made it feel like magic was all around and we were a part of it. For real. And the falls were so incredible. Yes they were beautiful but the feeling of them went beyond what met the eye. I hope some of that luminescence is captured in our photos.
Upper North Falls and me at the lower right
We first walked to Upper North Falls which could only be seen at a distance and the creek flowing from it was just as lovely as the falls.
such a verdant place with all kinds of moss everywhere
Next we went to the North Falls which is very hard to show fully in photos because of the scale but I just had to try. This place had a huge and deep overhanging rock that created a very large area behind the falls. The trail goes behind the falls and underneath this huge rock and it is unlike anything I’ve ever seen nor heard. As I walked back there alone, it was deafeningly loud and I found my heart pounding in primal fear. I had to decide to breath, be in my body and to believe that the giant rock overhead wouldn’t fall and crush me like an ant!
I'm looking out from underneath that huge rock overhang here, color is true to life, no filters
This waterfall is about 170 Ft tall even though it looks small here…again, the scale is tricky here! If you look across to the other side of the falls you can see a person which helps understand how enormous this place is.
Lastly the 134 Ft Middle North Waterfall that we could also walk behind. It's much more of a lacy veil of water. Here I am standing on the trail behind the falls with the thin veil of the waterfall behind me. All of these photos were taken with an iphone and mostly without filters, isn't the color amazing?
As I looked down into the basin where the waterfall lands:
Well, if you haven't gotten your fill of water falling from this post, you may just have to get out to your local waterfall since every state seems to have at least a few or even better, take a trip to Oregon where there are hundreds!
Thanks for reading and looking, I hope this gave you some refreshment!
Your support of my blog is instrumental in enabling me to keep making art, thank you!!
I love the silver falls waterfalls! :) I would highly recommend doing the full loop! :) I too only made it to the first couple on my first visit, but was motivated to go back earlier! It is quite a trek from Portland, so you've gotta get a pretty early start.. It is sooooo worth it though! The further your go on the trail, the less people are around and the more you can connect with the nature around :) the creek is absolutely beautiful and there is waterfall after waterfall! Looks like a great trip though!
Hi @nickh725, it's really great to know that the full loop is worthwhile and in fact a better experience! I can imagine it because it really is such a magical place.
Wow, you just popped my lil bubbles in the pond... big time! Lol This looks like an amazing adventure that I would love to go on some day. I wonder if Mick Dodge was in the area keeping his eye on you? I love that ol' man lol. I hope you know who I'm talking about. If not, here ya go https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mick_Dodge
Your bubbles were awesome! And this is also quite the hike, in fact so many part of Oregon are majestic and extraordinarily beautiful so it's hard not to be wowed.
I did not know of Mick Dodge! What a cool phenomenon he is and it makes sense he would inhabit the fertile and extraordinary Olympic Peninsula - that is the only N American rain forest and such an amazing place! Thanks for introducing me to him.
If you ever get a chance to watch any of his reality TV shows, it would be worth your time; he's a really funny guy!
I finally wrote about the incident that happened to me right after our conversation we had before Christmas. I told you I was a magnet for poo poo :)
https://steemit.com/story/@bluelightbandit/the-night-that-my-jacket-possibly-saved-my-life-a-true-story-by-bluelightbandit
Looks amazing! Waterfalls are wonderful elements when hiking:-)
Cool to be able to stand behind a waterfall, never been able to try that. I can see why you had a great weekend, your favourite moments looks very enjoyable!
thanks so much @kerlund74! I hadn't ever been behind a waterfall and then 2 in one day and 2 really special ones...I felt very lucky :-)
Fabulous place. Such a pristine and beautiful forest. These little mushrooms look just magical! And the entire place is impregnated with some kind of magic of nature. So it seems that there may suddenly appear forest fairies or elves. A nice walk. Your photos through the waterfall is very original and good. I've been enjoying your posts.
Thank you so much @anna-mi, I appreciate your support and comments! And yes, it was definitely fairy and elf country.
wow so awesome photography keep it up
thank you!
welcome
Nice that you have shared your experience ! I have also nearly same waterfall experience.
Water is perfect traveller because when it travels it becomes the path.
True, we wind up following the water!
Beautiful photos of the waterfalls. I enjoyed your post.
thank you, glad to hear it!
A perfect trip for a rainy day. :-) it is interesting, that if you stand behind a big waterfall, it gets hats to breath. And if it's tall as this one, it's intimidating and gives you some perspective. Thank you for the beautiful impressions! :-)
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thanks @climbing-trail, it was a perfect trip and I wonder what color the water would have been in the sun given how it looked shimmery even in the rain! thanks for your support!
Awesome pix! I don't think I've ever seem mushrooms like that. What the heck are those?
I don't know either but they were very cool looking! thanks @tekewin
What a great way to spend the day! And you took some awesome shots along the way ;)
thanks @appiepearl, really fun day and much needed!
Just stumped on your account. I love nature images, and this, is a very beautiful image. Love the colour scheme here.
What beautiful photos of a rich nature @natureofbeing. My favorite is mushrooms. I find them surprising. It looks like mini bowls filled with lentils. The photo with foam everywhere is also very beautiful.
You have had a wonderful walk, a little wet perhaps, but so quiet and soothing.
Amazing images, Ruth! It's so nice seeing green and flowing water when everything is frozen here in the Upper Midwest. I would love to hike here!
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As you know, I'm not a very forest-y person but I LOVE water so I was enchanted by these pictures !!! :D
I'm glad you said yes this time and had a great time!!!
And belated happy birthday to Rob !!! <3
And this water is special I must say!! I'll pass along your greetings, he'll be touched ;-). I also wasn't a forest person, more of a beach/coastal person, but after 25 years in this state of extraordinary huge mountains and magical forests of all kinds I've fallen in love.
Yeah.... only 2,5 weren't apparently enough for me :P
Beach for DA BITCH -me that is :P :D
SO great about your meditation and yoga, good for you!!!
Thanks for taking a look at my adventure ...isn't it so funny how we resist doing things that turn out to be amazing! Where are you now? Actually I'll pop over to your blog and find out :-)
Please share what you've learned about crypto (even if basic) in posts...people like me eat that stuff up! I"m learning and reading everything I can but have so little time for it. I agree that it's important to diversify but I haven't found any really safe ways to do so, then again I haven't done a whole lot of searching.
So great to get ahead with posting, I would like to do that too....all in good time, right?!
Glad you enjoyed my afternoon at Silver Falls, I do one of these adventure posts a few times a year. Can't wait to see your kayaking through caves in Thailand - THAT sounds amazing!
Be well!!
firstly 10 posts a day...wowsa, that's quite an accomplishment especially of good quality. I can imagine it's very hard to keep up wtih steemit on the road with spotty internet and being busy most of the day.
Great tips about gold-silver, and storage and purchasing with btc....will add to the stew of learning going on in my tired brain....best of luck with the posting and I look forward to what's to come!