Toketee Falls, Umpqua National Forest, OR
09.13.2021
The drive and hike to Toketee Falls turned into a very memorable portion of our trip. We detoured here after our first day’s visit to Crater Lake National Park and it was about a 30 minute drive one way. It had already been a long day and my fellow travelers fell asleep in the Jeep en route to this destination which was a gradual descent into a mountain valley, past wildfire burns, and into the deep lush green of the Umpqua National Forest.
Hiking to Toketee Falls Platform
Randomly, a large wooden waterline spurting with leaks greets you in the trailhead parking lot. From there, the trail itself is just under 1 mile to the viewing platform and the river guides you most of the way. You walk over tree roots, up stone staircases, and among giant trees with bark like dinosaur skin. It’s picture perfect Pacific Northwest hiking complete with vegetated ground and moss hanging thick from the trees.
The sound of the water becomes louder and, in one spot, the river has swirled out the cliffside rocks into the shape of a heart. Just after that, you make the descent down to the viewing platform, a large pine tree growing up in the middle to support it. The waterfall view is a magical sight through the trees, the large volume of bright white water making the long descent into the awaiting pool below. The cliffs on either side of the waterfall are grooved with deep vertical bands and the lush greenery pops out of every crevice. Even though the viewing platform is perched up in the trees, the roar of the waterfall is highly audible.
Probably Don’t Do That
Wondering how others capture Toketee Falls from the water level below? They hop the fence on the viewing platform (which has obviously been patched many times) and make the steep descent down through the underbrush. We were not game for such antics and I’m not sure of the ramifications assuming it’s all National Forest land. Either way, this waterfall is one of the best and I highly recommend stopping if you are already close by.
No permit was needed to make this hike and we located the trailhead via Google maps. The only official reference I could find for Toketee falls was on this page of the USDA Forest Service Website.
