Silver Falls State Park

Type: Oregon state park, the largest in the state at over 9,000 acres. Located in Marion County near Silverton, about 20 miles southeast of Salem. Contains 10 major waterfalls along the Trail of Ten Falls, including 177-foot South Falls and 178-foot Double Falls (the park's tallest). Designated a Recreational Demonstration Area in 1935 under FDR; developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the late 1930s.

Silver Falls State Park is Oregon's largest state park, built around Silver Creek's canyon southeast of Salem in Marion County. Its centerpiece is the Trail of Ten Falls, a 7.2-mile loop past ten named waterfalls, four of which visitors can walk directly behind through carved-out basalt alcoves. The park's history goes back to the 1930s, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt designated the area a Recreational Demonstration Area and the Civilian Conservation Corps built much of its infrastructure, including the still-standing South Falls Lodge (completed in the late 1930s and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983). Beyond the signature waterfall loop, the park has more than 35 miles of additional trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding, a developed campground with cabins, and day-use areas with picnic sites and a playground, making it a popular day trip and overnight destination from both Salem and Portland.

The park sits in Marion County near the town of Silverton, roughly 20 miles east-southeast of Salem, Oregon's capital. Its main address is 20024 Silver Falls Hwy SE, Sublimity, OR 97385.

The area has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csb classification) with wet winters and drier summers, typical of the Willamette Valley foothills; specific seasonal temperature figures for the park itself were not found in sourced material.

Mid-October is cited by the park's own information as typically offering peak fall foliage along the falls trail. Summer (June-August) provides full access to all trails and hosts Junior Ranger programs, while winter can bring icy trail conditions that require caution.

In 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt designated the Silver Creek Canyon area a Recreational Demonstration Area, and the Civilian Conservation Corps subsequently built much of the park's early infrastructure in the late 1930s, including the South Falls Lodge, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. The Silver Creek Youth Camp was built in 1936. The park's Nature Store, housed in the historic lodge, has operated since 1992.

The Trail of Ten Falls loop (7.2 miles, about 800 feet of elevation change) is the park's main draw, passing all ten major waterfalls including four that can be walked behind. Beyond the falls loop, the park offers more than 35 miles of additional trails for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding, plus picnicking, an off-leash dog area, and a playground near South Falls.

South Falls (177 feet, the most visited and most photographed) and Double Falls (178 feet, the park's tallest) are the standout stops on the Trail of Ten Falls; the historic South Falls Lodge, built by the CCC and now home to the Nature Store, is another notable site within the park.

The park is reached by car via Oregon Route 214 (Silver Falls Highway), about 20 miles east-southeast of Salem; there is no direct public transit service to the park, so a personal or rental vehicle is the standard way to arrive.

Day-use gates at South Falls and North Canyon are open on a seasonal schedule: 8am-5pm (Nov-Jan), 8am-6pm (Feb), 8am-8pm (March), 7am-9pm (Apr-Aug), 7am-8pm (Sept), and 8am-7pm (Oct). The South Falls Lodge is open 10am-4pm daily, and the park's administrative office keeps Mon-Fri, 8:30am-4:30pm hours.

A day-use parking permit costs $10 for Oregon residents and $12 for out-of-state visitors, per Oregon State Parks. Overnight campers do not need a separate day-use permit. Firewood ($7/bundle) and ice ($3/bag) are sold on-site, and a $10 per-use dump station fee applies (beginning March 30, 2026, per park information).

Hiking the full 7.2-mile Trail of Ten Falls typically takes three to five hours depending on pace and stops; a shorter visit focused on South Falls and North Falls alone can be done in about one to two hours, and overnight campers often stay one to several nights to explore the wider trail network.

The park's own campground offers 48 electrical RV sites with water (18-plus open year-round), 43 seasonal tent sites (May-Oct), 14 cabins (7 of them pet-friendly and available year-round), and a primitive horse camp with five sites (May-Sept); reservations are handled through Oregon State Parks' reservation system up to six months in advance. Outside the park, the nearby towns of Silverton and Sublimity, and the city of Salem about 20 miles away, offer additional hotel and inn options.

The historic South Falls Lodge houses the park's Nature Store, and the nearby town of Silverton has a range of casual cafes and restaurants; Salem, about 20 miles away, offers a much broader selection of dining options for visitors basing themselves in the city.

The town of Silverton, known for its small-town charm and as the boyhood home of cartoonist Homer Davenport, sits close to the park; Salem, Oregon's capital, is about 20 miles away and offers additional attractions. The Willamette Valley wine region is also within a similar driving distance for visitors combining outdoor recreation with wine touring.

There is no train or transit station at the park itself; Salem, about 20 miles away, has the nearest broader transportation connections, and most visitors arrive by personal or rental vehicle via Oregon Route 214.

Trails can be steep, narrow and slippery, especially behind the waterfalls where mist keeps surfaces wet year-round, and winter can bring icy conditions requiring extra caution or trail closures. Staying on marked trails and observing posted signage near cliff edges and waterfall viewpoints is advised.

Sturdy, grippy footwear for wet and uneven trail sections, a rain layer given the region's wet-season weather, water and snacks for the multi-hour Trail of Ten Falls loop, and cash or card for the day-use parking fee are all worth bringing.

Arriving early on weekends and during peak fall-foliage weeks (notably mid-October) helps beat crowds and parking congestion at South Falls. Campers should reserve well ahead, since sites are bookable up to six months in advance and popular seasons fill quickly. Combining the falls hike with a stop at the historic South Falls Lodge Nature Store rounds out a visit.

For any emergency, dial 911. For park information, call (503) 873-8681; for camping reservations, call 800-452-5687; for general Oregon State Parks information, call 800-551-6949.

Oregon State Parks - Silver Falls State Park - https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=park.profile&parkId=151

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.