Beaver Falls: A Hidden Gem in NW Oregon

Here’s a waterfall in northwestern Oregon to rival the silver beauties that dot the Columbia River Gorge: Beaver Falls. But this waterfall you can visit without running into camera-snapping sightseers. Perhaps the less-than-romantic name keeps crowds away, but the 40-foot-wide waterfall is a good reason to take a hike.

Not to be confused with Upper Beaver Falls, which is 1.6 miles east, there are two main trails to the base of this beautiful waterfall. The first is the unofficial main trail, and leads from a signed trailhead at a pullout. Like many coastal-area jaunts, this path will lead you past an energetic mix of greenery, from native ferns to alder, hemlock and fir trees. It’s a quick hike down before you will start to glimpse the falls (about 0.7 miles).

The trail is washed out just a bit farther down, but you can make the scramble down across loose dirt and rock to the creek bed below. It’s about 25 feet down, so use caution. There’s a second approach that makes use of a creek crossing above the falls. Note that this crossing is unprotected, and should only be attempted when water levels are very low.

The trail starts at a small pull off above the falls, and leads down a trail to the creek. Once across the water, there’s a steep, rope-assisted path to the left leading to the waterfall base. From the base you’ll be able to take in the full 48-foot drop of water into a large basin.

Framing Beaver Falls is a wide, basalt amphitheater, marking where water used to cascade. The basin is deep enough for seasonal swimming, and there’s enough space behind the falls to explore. Before or after your hike, you might want to stop at Upper Beaver Falls, as well. It can be seen from Beaver Creek Road, 1.6 miles upstream (east) of Beaver Falls. Watch for the two small pullouts at the falls.

Click the link below the map for directions from Google Maps. Address is Beaver Falls Trail Head, Beaver Falls Rd, Clatskanie, OR 97016. Latitude: