South Falls

South Falls – Salem, Oregon

Located within Silver Falls State Park which is home to almost a dozen different waterfalls, this popular water attraction brings in thousands of tourists each year. It’s accessibility along with breathtaking views from any angle you want (above or below the cascading waters) leads it into our top waterfalls to visit in Oregon.

Silver Falls State Park is well known for its numerous hiking trails which lead you to hidden gems including both hot springs and waterfalls. Although we recommend viewing South Falls in the Spring to Fall months, it can be accessed in the winter time as well.

South Falls drops over 175 feet into a large swimming hole with 360 panoramic views of the surrounding wilderness. As you are hiking it seems to pop up out of nowhere and gives the feeling like you are part of a movie (everything about the place seems to good to be true). It’s the classic depiction of what a waterfall should look like with a sizeable rock formation for the waters to fall over.

Several hiking trails surround South Falls allowing you explore the area and find your own perfect photogenic view. The main loop trail stops at the footbridge just a bit down from the waterfall as you can get the most direct view of the area. For those more adventurous, continue hiking up to the top of the falls and enjoy a view from above (seems even more majestic when looking down).

It’s only a .2 mile hike to access South Falls and even taking your time and stopping every few minutes to enjoy the sounds of the cascading waters, you can complete your objective in less than an hour. There are several other waterfalls in the area so be sure to make a day out of visiting the park as each turn around a bend seems to spur up a new treasure for you to enjoy.