Sweet Creek Falls

Sweet Creek Falls

Siuslaw National Forest

Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 2.5 miles 
Elevation Gain: 160-640 feet
Best time to go: All Year

About this Hike 

This scenic trail follows Sweet Creek and packs 11 waterfalls into 3 short miles, ending with Sweet Creek Falls as the finale. Enjoy mossy rocks, ferns, and a lush canopy of Douglas fir, Alder and Big leef maples trees as you travel along this relatively flat trail. The trail consists of four segments, and four different trail heads you may begin at. Homstead Trailhead is the first, then Sweet Creek Trailhead, Wagon Road Trailhead and Beaver Creek Trailhead. Beginning at Homstead Trailhead will give you the longest hike, while each subsequent trailhead will shorten your trip. 

History of the Area

This sleepy Coast Range valley with its beautiful cascading creek was founded in 1879. The Coast Range in this area consists of mudstones, sandstones and an occasional basalt flow. All of this rock belongs on the seafloor of the Pacific Ocean. It has been brought to the surface only by a quirk. The North American continental plate has been advancing westward across the Pacific, at the rate of about an inch a year, for quite some time. About 30 million years ago a chunk of Pacific seafloor buckled up in front of the advancing continent and decided to become land, creating Oregon's Coast Range and the terrain like you see along Sweet Creek.

Getting There

1. From Eugene, go west on Highway 126.

2. Continue on Highway 126 for 46 miles until reaching Siuslaw River Bridge in Mapleton.

3. Take Sweet Creek Road 5036 on the east side of the bridge, then travel south for 10.2 miles until you see Homestead Trailhead on the right. 

Photo by Steve Shpall