Had I known it was the very same road that led to this falls on the Abiqua Creek, I'm not sure I would have gone on this hike. As I started driving down this road, I quickly realized how difficult it would be on my car. So, I opted to leave my car up the road and trek down the very rocky road. This made my little one mile hike into more like five or six. I followed the road to the end where the trailhead was, then veered left onto the normal trail.
Though the hike down to the falls is very short, it is not without its difficulties. Almost immediately, you will descend pretty steeply down toward the creek. Luckily, some people had come before me and secured several ropes to help provide stability and avoid falling down. Not only was it a steep descent, but it was slippery from a previous rainfall. I was very thankful for the secured rope both going down the trail and back up.
Turn left upstream along the creek, following a rough trail for another 0.2 mile or so. You will have to climb over and around rocks and logs, but it can be done. During periods of high water, you'll need to climb a steep slope to get around some logs, but during low water, it's easier to walk on the exposed river rock for much of the distance. The trail ends at the huge basalt bowl where Abiqua Falls plunges into a very big splash pool. There is a large rocky area jutting out into the pool from which you can admire the falls, or walk over the mossy rocks to the left around the edge of the bowl.
It really is a stunning spot and worth the rough terrain. Also, in my opinion an excellent spot to pack a lunch to with a friend or on a date. :)
Date of hike: March 21st, 2015
Distance: 6ish Miles out and back
Elevation gain: No idea
Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult
Mile Mark: 265
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