Jess Craven

Jess Craven

Abiqua Falls

06/25/17

The directions given on this page were spot on and we had no problem finding the "easy" trail. I had my two physically fit daughters with me, ages 7 &9. We also brought along our mellow lab pup since we were going so deep into an area I was unfamiliar with. We found the road there to be bumpy and rough in a few places but not as bad as people had posted about last summer. It appears as though they have done quite a bit of work on the gravel road since then. Our Suburban had no problem and chugged along just fine. Small SUV's would also be fine but people in cars were parking up to 1.5 miles up from the trail head and walking in. I was more concerned about the brush on the sides of the road and the possibility of meeting oncoming traffic on such a narrow gravel road. Once there, we found a place to park and headed out. The easier trail was steep at times but nothing I'd consider extreme. My girls maneuvered it just fine on their own and I was able to do it with a pup on a leash. I only held on to the ropes a few times just to keep my balance. There was a lot of going over and/or under logs, especially when we got to the path along the creek. Bonus...the easier trail is shaded the entire way until you reach the creek. Once we arrived at the falls, we took in the view (stunning, peaceful and oh so worth the hike in!!), enjoyed a snack with water and explored the area around us. We stayed for a little over 2 hours. Like others mentioned, the earlier you arrive, the less people you will run into. We left the falls on a Friday at around 2pm and it was starting to fill up. Probably 16 visitors vs. the 2 we that were there when we arrived a few hours before. Coming out was of course much more difficult. Well...not for my kiddos or pup but for this not so in shape mama. It's about 10 minutes of up, up, up followed by 5 minutes of mostly flat then you're back to the parking lot. I was the only one who stopped for a rest in my group. Kiddos and pup had no problem. We did use the ropes to come up the trail but mostly for fun and not out of necessity like the harder trail. Once back to the car we headed out and enjoyed the gorgeous view. Notes: No cell service so take screenshots of directions or print them to take with you. We packed my phone (camera), 1 water bottle each, light snacks, a knife and a small first aid kit. Girls wore water sandals and I wore tennis shoes. We all hiked out with wet feet and none of us had troubles with that so GET YOUR FEET WET if you go on a hot day like us. As for bringing small kiddos...sure, if they are used to hiking and you are physically able to carry them up very steep inclines at times, go for it. I would have taken our girls when they were younger if my husband was there to help. As for hiking this while pregnant...sure, if you are physically fit and hiking is your thing. This is not an easy stroll so you'll likely spend some time trying very hard not to fall and hurt yourself or your baby. You will have to climb over or under 6ish fallen trees. Also, you are pretty far off the beaten path should you require medical treatment. Don't go on a hot day and be sure to find the easier trail!

5.0