Your Guide to Silver Falls State Park in Oregon
Silver Fall State Park is a standout state park in Oregon, with its famous Trail of Ten Falls loop that (you guessed it) features ten different waterfalls.
This is a very small park, which makes it easy to navigate, and it’s only about an hour from Portland!
The park is well worth a full day to explore, and if you want to make it a weekend getaway, you’ll find plenty more in the park and the surrounding area to pack into your itinerary.
Here’s your guide to exploring Silver Fall State Park.
NOTE: A $5 day-use pass is required to enter the park.
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Table of Contents
- Hiking at Silver Fall State Park
- Swimming at Silver Falls State Park
- Biking Trails at Silver Falls State Park
- Camping and Lodging at Silver Falls State Park
- Tips For Visiting Silver Falls State Park
- More Oregon Waterfalls
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- 10 Hikes to Waterfalls Near Portland—That Are Open NOW!
- Your Guide to The Abiqua Waterfall Hike Near Portland
- Tumalo Falls Hike & Bike Trail Near Bend, Oregon
- Your Guide to Silver Falls State Park—The Trail of 10 Falls & More
Hiking at Silver Fall State Park
The magnificent Trail of Ten Falls is the main attraction at the park, and it would be a crime not to visit at least a few, if not all, of the waterfalls along the 7.4-mile loop.
The Trail of Ten Falls is the name of the main trail, and if you have the time, this is the best way to see all the waterfalls. There are also several sections of trail that will lead you to specific waterfalls if you’re short on time.
Check out our guide to the Trail of Ten Falls for more details about the waterfalls and the trail itself.
There’s more to do at Silver Falls State Park, though, so hopefully, you saved time for a few more activities!
These are the 10 waterfalls along the route:
- South Falls
- Lower South Falls
- Lower North
- Double Falls
- Drake Falls
- Middle North
- Twin Falls
- Winter Falls
- North Falls
- Upper North Falls
Swimming at Silver Falls State Park
While you can’t swim at any of the waterfalls at Silver Falls State Park, there is a swimming area. Despite what you may think, this part of Oregon does get pretty hot in the summers.
The South Falls Day Use Area has a swimming area just down the way from the gushing waterfall!
You can jump in to cool off, head to the cafe, bring your furry friend to the dog park, and bring a picnic, too.
READ MORE: 25 Day Trips From Portland, Oregon + Road Trip Ideas
Biking Trails at Silver Falls State Park
There are no bikes allowed on the Trail of Ten Falls, but it doesn’t mean you can’t bring your bike and try out some other trails.
- Silver Falls Bike Path – 3.5 miles – We wouldn’t recommend this bike path if you’re itching to see the falls, there are no falls on this trail, so it’s only for a relaxing biking ride near the falls. The trail starts at the South Fall parking lot.
- Catamount Trail Loop – 12 miles – This is supposed to be the bike trail in the area. It’s an intermediate bike ride through the woods with some rock features and hills. This is the trailhead.
- Shellburg Creek Trail – 1.3 miles – Ride through Douglas firs on this short and smooth trail; it does meet up with other trails to make for a longer ride.
READ MORE: 19+ Awesome Hikes Near Portland to Escape the Bustle
Camping and Lodging at Silver Falls State Park
This area is awesome, so if you’re looking for a few nights away from the bustle of Portland, Silver Falls State Park is a great choice.
Here are the two main areas to stay while exploring Silver Falls State Park.
Silver Falls State Park Campground
There are over 40 tent sites, 14 cabins, and almost 50 RV parking spots with electrical hookups.
The campsite is, like most in the state, a parking area with a picnic table and a firepit. If you’re lucky, you can nab one of the tent sites near the creek and fall asleep to the sounds of rambling water.
There are dump stations, water for drinking, and restrooms.
You can start your hike along the Trail of Ten Falls straight from this campground with just a bit of added mileage, but the bonus of not having to drive your car to the day-use parking lot. This is what we did!
Here are the best lodging options:
- Smith Creek Village – This lodge is within the state park; however, you’ll need to drive to the trailhead of the Trail of Ten Falls unless you want to add a few miles to your hike.
- Molalla River Cottage – Molalla River Cottage is cozy and bright and offers a peaceful getaway in a beautiful rural setting. It is only steps away from the river and has a porch with a BBQ for grilling on hot summer nights.
- The Bali House – This unique glamping cabin is a converted greenhouse on an organic farm located outside Silverton. The cabin has a cozy loft bedroom, a well-stocked kitchenette, and a private spring-fed cedar soaking tub.
- Farmland Guest Cottage – Located six miles east of Salem, the Farmland Guest Cottage sits on ten acres of Willamette Valley farmland. There is a full kitchen, deck, fire pit, and WiFi.
Tips For Visiting Silver Falls State Park
- This area of Oregon is wet. Rain is frequent, and considering you’re literally hiking behind waterfalls, even if it’s not raining, rain gear would be smart. Make sure to have something to protect your bag and a rain jacket for yourself. You don’t want to be hiking seven miles and soaking wet.
- On a similar note, it’s muddy in some areas, so hiking shoes would be best. Anything mesh or open-toed would likely be a bad idea.
- You do need a parking pass. Either get a parking day pass for $5, display your annual Oregon State Park parking pass, or if you’re camping, you don’t need a parking pass. Just display your camping receipt instead.
- If you love photography like we do, try to come on a gloomy day but with no rain. It will make for great photos with no sun splotches!
- On that same note, for the sake of photography or not, get started EARLY! This park is no secret, but it’s not that busy first thing in the morning. We planned to do the hike after we camped for the night, which meant we were at the doorstep of the falls and were on the trail around 7:15 am. We only met a handful of others on the trail.
RELATED: 27 Oregon State Parks That Are Unmissable!
We hope this post helped you better explore Silver Falls State Park! Check out more things to do near Portland and
