Autumn at Silver Falls State Park

Hopefully you're not tired of all these fall color posts, because I have one more that I really want to share.  Besides the Columbia River Gorge, my other favorite local place to see autumn color is Silver Falls State Park.  Not only does this outstanding state park boast numerous beautiful waterfalls, it also puts on one the best leaf color shows of the season.  

Brilliant vine maple leaves

Silver Falls State Park's claim to fame is it's waterfalls.  Silver Creek winds through a deep basalt canyon, providing several steps for the water to drop off.  The park boasts a "Trail of Ten Falls" hike that takes visitors past ten cascades in a little over 7 miles.  

An explosion of color

In my opinion, mid to late October is the very best time to visit this spectacular park.  Autumn colors are usually peaking and sometimes early season rainfall has the waterfalls running full.  Plentiful maple trees explode into a frenzy of yellows and oranges, lining the canyon with dazzling hues.  An annual fall visit is almost always on my schedule.

South Falls

In late October, I rallied my buddy Kim to join me for a jaunt to check things out.  Because the leaves photograph better under overcast skies, I picked a day that was supposed to be cloudy with possible rain.  However, when I pulled into the parking lot, I was dismayed to see sunshine streaming from between the trees.

Following the trail behind South Falls

Ugh - bright sunlight creates harsh shadows and the contrast between bright white waterfalls and the surrounding landscape makes it difficult to get the proper exposure.  But I was here and the leaf color was popping, so I'd have to do the best I could.

South Falls and its rocky amphitheater

Kim, who had never hiked here in autumn, was more than thrilled to see the vibrant leaf color show.  The foliage surrounding the parking lot always sports some of the best vine maple colors in the entire area.  I especially loved the bright red hues.  Although I take copious photos here every year, I couldn't resist adding a few more to my catalog.  From the parking lot, we walked over to a viewpoint of South Falls.  However, the contrast between sun and shadow was so great I didn't take many photos from this viewpoint.  

At 177 feet South Falls had the distinction of being the second tallest waterfall in the park.  Sadly, a dry fall season thus far had its normal healthy flow reduced to a trickle.  

Yellow leaves along Silver Creek

From the top of the canyon, Kim and I followed a trail that took us to creek level.  One great thing about the trails here, they led visitors behind several of these stunning cascades.  The path circled around South Falls' wide, rocky amphitheater, before ducking right behind the falls itself.  I enjoyed this unique perspective behind its watery curtain.  So cool to watch this water stream tumbling down right in front of our faces!

Lower South Falls

From South Falls, Kim and I wandered along a trail paralleling Silver Creek.  Lots of bright yellow maple leaves decorated our path.  Progress was rather slow, as there was always a lovely scene to capture with my camera.

This section of the trail was gorgeous!

About a mile from South Falls, we switchbacked down a steep trail that led us to the foot of Lower South Falls, the next waterfall on our day's agenda.  At 93 feet in height, it wasn't as tall as grand South Falls, but just as stunning.  I loved how the water spilled artistically onto the rocks directly below its stream.  And just like South Falls, we could also walk behind this cascade.

Green ferns

From Lower South Falls, we sauntered another mile through quiet woods all the while following charming Silver Creek.  The surrounding forest was ablaze with yellow color, the mossy tree branches reaching out like ghostly arms.  Bright green ferns lined our path.

Lower North Falls

The next waterfall on our tour was tiny Lower North Falls.  At only 30 feet in height, it was often overlooked by people walking the loop trail.  But surrounded by brilliant orange leaves with a mossy log draped across its water stream, I thought this cascade was most photogenic.  The sky had clouded up by then, and the even light made for perfect conditions to capture its beauty.  As a matter of fact, the above image was one of my favorites from the day.

Middle North Falls was just a trickle

From Lower North Falls, Kim and I made a side trip to check out Double Falls.  At 178 feet it has the distinction of being the tallest waterfall in Silver Falls State Park (by only one foot over South Falls!)  However, its location at the end of a narrow canyon makes photography difficult, so we didn't linger long - and I took only one really crummy image that I'm not going to include here.

Colorful trees atop Middle N. Falls

Down the trail again, now heading for my favorite cascade in Silver Falls State Park - Middle North Falls.  This waterfall normally had a wide, fan-shaped stream that draped across a tall basalt cliff.  However, I was sad to see this cascade was also a victim of the dry autumn season, its lovely, wide fan reduced to one narrow stream.  Still pretty, but not as stunning as usual.

Lots of leaves on the ground

Middle North Falls was also a walk-behind cascade, so of course Kim and I took the side trail to get a glimpse of the view behind its narrow stream.  At 106 feet in height, this waterfall was also respectably tall.

Touches of yellow and orange

Although I would've loved to visit all ten of the waterfalls along the "Trail of Ten Falls," by the time we'd finished with Middle North Falls it was midafternoon and we still had a good two mile jaunt if we took the short loop back to the parking lot.  Kim and I had taken a lot of time walking the 3.5 miles we'd covered so far.  The scenery was so fabulous there had been numerous photo stops and they'd all added up.  So I decided to bypass the final three waterfalls and head back.  

Huge, mossy trees

The hike out of the canyon was as stunning as the rest of the trail had been.  More tall, mossy-branched, bright yellow maples dominated the forest.  After passing wispy Winter Falls, its flow barely a trickle, we climbed a short, but steep path out of the canyon.  Then Kim and I traveled on a trail along the canyon rim until we reached the lodge and South Falls viewing area once again, closing a nearly 6-mile loop.

Some tree branches looked like ghostly arms

That morning's bright sunlight had foiled my plans to get photos of South Falls surrounded by colorful trees from the upper viewing area.  But now late in the afternoon, clouds dominated the sky, making for even light.  I couldn't pass up this second chance to get some better images of South Falls.  Kim, who was tired from the day's trek decided to hang out at the lodge while I returned to the viewpoint.  So back I went - and now the light was perfect for both capturing the waterfall and nearby golden trees.  After I'd set up my tripod, a man walked into my shot and lingered below on the path for quite a long time.  Tired of waiting for him to move, I included the guy in my images.  And as it turned out I kind of liked it - he gives the viewer a sense of perspective.

South Falls from the viewing area

Kim and I spent an entire day, until nearly 5:00, hiking the trails of Silver Falls State Park.  Although we didn't get to all ten waterfalls, we did see seven of the ten, so that's not bad.  A worthwhile day spent savoring the beauty of nature in a truly spectacular area.  We both came away with lots of stunning images of the vibrant fall leaf colors and scenic waterfalls.  A truly memorable day!

(Oh and in my next few posts, I'll finally get back to the present time and show you what I've been up to lately.)

Hangin' With the Owls

Cheri, my friend, neighbor, and photography mentor is a fabulous wildlife photographer.  One of her favorite subjects is owls.  She's a pro at catching these magnificent birds in flight, and always knows where to find them.  

A short eared owl looking my way

During the winter months, short eared owls migrate to the Pacific Northwest and frequent wide open grassy fields to hunt.  Cheri had been visiting a nearby natural area where the "shorties" (as she and her photography buddies have adorably nicknamed them) could be seen in abundance.  She posted some amazing images of these beautiful owls in flight.  I started having owl envy.  So I asked Cheri if I could tag along on her next outing.

Sitting atop a fence post

I'd visited this particular natural area many times before and didn't have a good track record when it came to spotting owls.  In the past, every time I accompanied Cheri here the owls either didn't appear or were so far away it made photography challenging.  I joked to Cheri that my presence was bad luck for seeing short eared owls.  But Cheri was determined to find some owls that I could photograph and encouraged me not to give up.

Time to go!

So one afternoon in early January Cheri and I traveled to the local natural area where the short eared owls hung out.  Since the "shorties" (and most other owl species) began hunting near dusk, we wanted to be in place well before sunset.

Another liftoff - look at those legs!

Bird sighting news travels fast among the local wildlife photographer community and when we arrived there were at least a couple dozen other people scattered about the field, large lenses in tow.

A flyby

At first there was no owl action to be seen.  But after about an hour of waiting, someone spotted the first shortie fly-by.  Soon after three different owls could be seen soaring above the grassy fields.

"Enough with the pictures!"

The owls weren't flying close to where Cheri and I were at.  Some of the photographers started to walk closer towards the field where the owls were hunting.  Although it was tempting to follow them, Cheri encouraged me to stay put.  After many days of visiting this location, she knew that the shorties would eventually fly closer to where we stood.  Besides, it seemed about the time one walked over to where the owls were, the little buggers would fly off somewhere else - usually the place you'd originally been waiting!

Looking for dinner

Cheri, of course, was right.  Eventually the little owls began soaring over the fields closer to where she and I were stationed.  Then two of the birds started to circle a marshy area behind us.  One of the owls kept landing on a nearby fence post.  A couple of people waded through the water to get a closer vantage.

In flight

I couldn't stand it any longer and followed the other photographers through the swampy field to be closer to the owl's flight patterns.  It turned out to be an excellent decision.  Two short eared owls kept flying around the field directly adjacent to the fence.  One particular owl kept landing on the same post.

Flying near the water

Having not captured moving birds for awhile, my photography skills were quite rusty.  At first my ratio of in-focus shots to blurry misses was quite dismal.  But with a bit of practice eventually I was able to get a few keepers.

Some close flight pics

The bright sunlight made photography a bit challenging, especially when the owls flew directly into the sun.  Since I shoot in manual mode, I was forever making exposure adjustments.  (Note to self - start experimenting with aperture and shutter priority modes.)

One of my faves

After a good half hour of watching the two shorties soar back and forth across the field, one owl flew straight at myself and the two other photographers who were beside me.  It soared right over our heads!  I was awed by the quiet, smooth flight of this beautiful bird.  The close owl encounter was quite amazing - a definite highlight of the day.

Wings spread out

With dark fast approaching, I waded back across the marshy field to meet up with Cheri.  From her spot she'd also had great views of the short eared owls soaring across the field.  She even captured images of an owl and harrier fighting in flight.  It had been a most successful afternoon!

Crusin'

Short eared owls are medium sized birds, usually about the size of a crow or mallard duck.  They get their name from small tufts of feathers on their heads, resembling ears.  These tufts are small enough they are often not visible.  Short eared owls have large heads, short necks, broad wings, and adorable black-rimmed yellow eyes.  They fly low over fields using floppy wingbeats, often looking like giant moths.  Shorties live in open grassland areas throughout the world and feed mainly on rodents.

A cute chipping sparrow

I'm happy to report that my short eared owl curse has now been lifted.  I came away from that photo session with many images of these gorgeous birds in flight.  Hope you've enjoyed my photo gallery!

Gorge Autumn Colors Tour 2025

Winter hasn't made much of an appearance so far this year.  In the valley, in the mountains, and most importantly on my beloved ski slopes, the weather has been uncharacteristically sunny and dry.  My local ski hill has a skimpy base, barely thicker than the 30 inches it's website is claiming.  What's a snow-loving girl to do?  If you're me, you roll out some photos from last November's fantastic fall jaunt in the Columbia River Gorge.

Multnomah Falls

I have a tradition of doing a "Gorge fall photography tour" every November.  Although the Columbia River Gorge is stunning in any season, in my opinion this is the best time to visit.  The autumn leaf colors usually peak around the first week of November and the scenery is absolutely spectacular.

Horsetail Falls

So one day last November, I packed my camera and backpack and headed east to the Gorge.  My first stop was the lovely, uber-popular Multnomah Falls.  This iconic waterfall, framed by golden leaves, was absolutely gorgeous.  However even at the early hour of my visit, people were already congregating on the viewing platform, so I snapped a few images and left.  I had lots more places to see - and they were just as beautiful, but much less crowded.

A colorful view of Horsetail Falls

My second stop was at the grand Horsetail Falls, just down the road from Multnomah Falls.  This 176 foot tall cascade gushes down a mossy cliff face.  The surrounding fall leaves were at peak color perfection.  I even found a bit of red bushes near the highway bridge.

Lovely tree in Horsetail Falls viewing area

A large big leaf maple tree hanging over the viewing area was especially vibrant.

Ponytail Falls

From Horsetail Falls, a short trail leads hikers to more watery splendor.  Climbing above Horsetail Falls and contouring along the top of it's cliff face brings one to a smaller, but equally spectacular Ponytail Falls.  Nestled in a mossy grotto, this thin cascade shoots out artistically into the creek below.  

Behind Ponytail Falls

As an added bonus, the trail leads hikers behind Ponytail Falls' white curtain.

Lots of leaf color on the trail

Beyond Ponytail Falls were two more waterfalls.  The trail climbed to a panoramic viewpoint of the eastern Gorge, before winding downhill to cross a creek below Oneonta Falls.  This waterfall is a bit difficult to photograph, so I didn't include any images in this post.

Looking down at the Columbia River Gorge

From Oneonta Falls, I again climbed uphill to a trail junction.  Taking a left-hand turn I continued uphill to my final destination, Triple Falls.  This entire area was burned in a 2017 wildfire that ravaged the Columbia River Gorge, and blackened tree trunks bore stark reminders of the devastation.  Thankfully, many bushes had since grown back and they added a bit of much-needed color.

Trail junction

Although it was only a mile further to Triple Falls, the uphill trek seemed to take much longer.  However, I enjoyed the plentiful autumn colors lining this canyon.  Finally I came upon the falls and its viewing area, a narrow shelf jutting out above a steep drop off.

Triple Falls

Triple Falls is a three-legged cascade that drops 64 feet down a mossy rock face to the creek below.  It's one of the most picturesque waterfalls in the Columbia River Gorge and one of my personal favorites.  Although the surrounding forest was badly scarred by the 2017 wildfire, I was happy to see the vegetation rebounding.  There was a bit of golden color in nearby bushes and green moss had returned to much of the area.

 

The creek below Triple Falls

After enjoying my sandwich and having the viewing area all to myself, a group of hikers coming up the trail was my cue to pack up, bid Triple Falls farewell, and return to the trailhead.

Gorge view peek-a-boo

The return trip was just as spectacular, and the downhill trek made it much more enjoyable.

Colorful slope

Columbia River view through the burned tree trunks

For variety, I made the hike into a loop by taking the Gorge trail to the Historic Columbia River Highway.

Walking along the Historic Highway

I ended my hike with a short half mile road walk back to my car.  The fog-shrouded gorge cliffs and bright yellow slopes along this stretch were quite scenic.

Historic Highway views

For my final waterfall, from Horsetail Falls I traveled further east on the highway to the Wyeth State Park trailhead.  I was in search of a "new to me" cascade called Emerald Falls.

On the trail to Emerald Falls

A local photographer I follow had posted a stunning photo of this waterfall framed by autumn leaves.  Thanks to Google maps, I was able to determine its approximate location.  Parking in a nearby trailhead, I followed a trail paralleling Gorton Creek through a closed campground.  The surrounding big-leaf maple trees were at their autumn finest, with yellow foliage that practically glowed.

Emerald Falls

From a trail junction, I followed a faint user path further up Gorton Creek.  The noise of rushing water led me to a short, but beautiful cascade, white water foaming as it dropped over a rocky shelf.

Emerald Falls side view

The surrounding fall foliage made a perfect setting for this small, but mighty cascade.  I spent a happy half hour capturing the waterfall from all angles before the threat of rain forced me to retreat back to my car.  However, now that I know about this waterfall, I'll be sure to return again, especially next autumn.

Looking down the creek below Emerald Falls

It was a fabulous day in the Gorge, capturing a bit of peak autumn beauty in this special place.  And now two months later, while I'm waiting for winter to finally get here, it's fun to go back and share photos from another memorable fall colors tour.