Abiqua Falls: A Wild Oregon Treasure on Its Way to Becoming a State Park

Abiqua Falls is absolutely one of my favorite waterfalls in Oregon. It was also one of the first waterfalls I ever put on my bucket list, so it holds a special place in my heart.

Located near Scotts Mills, this 92-foot plunge waterfall is everything enchanting about Oregon packed into one wild place. It is also one of those Oregon waterfalls where the numbers can make the hike sound easy, but the terrain tells a completely different story.

With steep hillsides, switchbacks, ropes to help you down sections of steep terrain, and plenty of mud—because this is Oregon, after all—the adventure of getting there was part of what attracted me to Abiqua Falls in the first place. Aside from my ongoing waterfall quest, I wanted the challenge.

I've been here three times now, and it never gets old.

Over the years, I've discovered there are different routes you can take to reach the falls. That has also created some confusion for hikers and waterfall enthusiasts trying to figure out exactly how to get there and how long the hike will take. Different hikers seem to have different routes, different mileage, and very different hiking times.

Needless to say, there is plenty of room to roam.

And that's part of what makes Abiqua Falls feel like a real adventure. You have to put in some effort before you get the reward.

A Waterfall for Every Season

Visit during fall or winter and the water is usually running much heavier, giving the falls an entirely different kind of power.

Come spring, everything begins turning green. Moss covers the rocks, trees, and forest floor, giving the entire place that deep, almost prehistoric Oregon rainforest feeling.

By summertime, the water can become calmer and the river easier to explore. In places, you can walk through the shallow water as it winds through the forest. It almost reminds me of exploring the Columbia River Gorge.

Summer is probably my favorite time to visit, although don't let the sunshine fool you into thinking the swimming will be warm.

That water is freezing!

Once you've made it through the hike—whether you took the long route or the short route—you eventually reach the river. From there, you start working your way upstream.

A few turns later, suddenly there it is.

Abiqua Falls.

Ninety-two feet of water plunging into a beautiful blue-green pool before flowing back into the river and carving its way through the forest.

But the waterfall itself is only part of what makes this place incredible.

The massive amphitheater of basalt surrounding the falls makes the entire area feel intimate and almost hidden from the rest of the world. Standing down there with those towering rock walls around you and the waterfall crashing into the pool is one of those experiences that's difficult to explain until you've actually been there.

It's hard for Abiqua Falls not to feel a little magical.

When Hidden Places Aren't So Hidden Anymore

As much as I love this waterfall—and so many of the other places I get to explore—I've also watched what can happen when beautiful places explode on social media.

Quiet destinations can quickly become crowded, especially during summer.

And while I'm glad people get to experience these incredible places, the way some people treat them can be frustrating.

More tracks.

More trash.

More people.

Watching that happen started changing the way I thought about geotagging some of Oregon's more fragile places.

Then something happened that concerned me even more.

Abiqua Falls Was for Sale

When I first read that Abiqua Falls was up for sale, I had a lot of mixed emotions. I'm sure plenty of other people who love this place felt the same way.

The possibilities immediately started running through my mind.

What if someone bought it and closed it to the public?

Abiqua Falls and the surrounding property had actually been privately owned for many years, with public access depending heavily on the generosity and stewardship of the landowners.

But there was no guarantee that the next owner would feel the same way.

So we waited.

For a while, I honestly tried not to think about it too much.

Then, just the other day, we got a rainbow at the end of the storm.

Abiqua Falls Could Become Part of Oregon's State Park System

The Oregon Parks and Recreation Commission approved a $2 million purchase involving 160 acres around Abiqua Falls and neighboring land in Marion County.

For someone who has hiked into this place multiple times and has watched its future become uncertain, that was incredible news.

Having Abiqua Falls become part of Oregon's state park system feels like an opportunity to keep this remarkable place accessible to the public while also protecting the landscape that makes it so special.

The purchase still has to be finalized, and once that process is complete, there should be a clearer picture of how the property will be managed and what improvements or changes could eventually come to the site.

In a strange way, protecting Abiqua Falls like this feels very Oregon.

Our state has a long history of finding ways to protect the places that define it—from beaches and forests to waterfalls and wild stretches of coastline.

And now Abiqua Falls may become another chapter in that story.

Watching a Wild Place Become Part of Oregon History

I'm incredibly grateful that I've had the chance to visit Abiqua Falls before all of this happened.

I've scrambled down those hillsides.

I've grabbed those ropes.

I've walked that river.

I've stood beneath that massive basalt amphitheater and stared up at 92 feet of water dropping into the pool below.

And now I get to watch the next chapter of this place unfold.

Hopefully, generations from now, someone will make that same hike, round that final bend in the river, look up at Abiqua Falls for the first time, and feel exactly what I felt.

That sense that you've stumbled into one of Oregon's truly wild places.

Have you ever visited a place before it became famous, developed, or officially protected?

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