Hiking to Abiqua Falls, Oregon

• 0.8 miles out-and-back

• 180 feet elevation (there are steep sections getting down to the river that require use of a ropes that have been tied to some trees

• Bathrooms: no

• Dog friendly: yes

• Other: You will need a high clearance 4x4 vehicle to make it to the trailhead, otherwise park a few miles up the road and hike down.

• Native land of the Molalla; Abiqua is “perhaps from Tualatin meaning hazelnut”

Directions to the waterfall: if you are able to make it down the entire road to the end, there will be a big metal gate, park here. From the parking area face back up the road and walk until you see a trail to your right and a big sign on a tree down in the woods. When the trail splits, make sure to go to the left even though the more worn path goes off to the right. Keep to the left of the trail and follow it for a short distance, to where you’ll arrive at the first tree with a rope. At this point, the trail will head sharply downhill. You’ll know you’re on the right trail if you can see straight down to the river from the top of the last rope, there will be some huge downed logs leading down to the river, but there should be no boulders, and it should not be difficult to reach the edge of the river.

Abiqua Falls was absolutely stunning to visit. We left Portland early one morning and arrived to the trailhead by 9:00am. We read that the roads were treacherous so we decided to take the 4Runner and I’m so glad we did. There were a lot of people we saw on our way out who were hiking down the road because their cars couldn’t make it. At the trailhead, it did take a few minutes to make sure we were on the right trail, but once we established that we were, we were to the base of the waterfall within 20 minutes. You’ll know you’re close when you can hear the roar of the falls.