Alsea Falls and Green Peak Falls

This is a great and easy day hike that features two waterfalls - Alsea Falls and Green Peak Falls - amid beautiful Oregon Coast Range scenery. This hike is perfect for a family trip as the trail is dog-friendly, the Alsea River serves as a swimming hole on hot days, and there is a picnic area just across from the trailhead. Campsites are also available for those looking to spend a weekend exploring the Coast Range.

To reach the Alsea Falls Recreation Area and the start of the trail, take the Alsea-Deadwood Highway from the town of Alsea 1 mile to the South Fork Road. Follow that road for 8.5 miles, then turn left into the signed Day Use parking area. A day-use fee of $5 is required for those without a Northwest Forest or other recreation pass.

You will find yourself looking over the top of Alsea Falls almost as soon as you step away from the trailhead. To get a better view of the front face of the falls, look to the left for a trail that accesses the flat rocks below the falls - just be careful stepping out onto these as they are often quite slippery. The pool below these rocks makes for a great swimming hole on a hot day!

To begin the hike towards Green Peak Falls, head back up to the top of Alsea Falls and go across the footbridge. From there, the trail follows a gently sloping path through beautiful Douglas fir, cedar, and maple forest. There are numerous use-trails that cut through the undergrowth to the Alsea River if you would like to explore the riverbank or if the swimming holes directly below the waterfalls are too crowded for your tastes. About one mile down the trail, keep right at the fork with a BLM road to keep heading towards Green Peak Falls.

The trail itself leads to spectacular views of Green Peak Falls and another pool that can be used as a swimming hole. For those looking to explore the area some more, there is a use-trail to the right of the falls that climbs to the creek above the falls.

Once finished, head back to the trailhead for lunch at the picnic area directly across the road from the trailhead parking lot. Alternatively, there is a cafe in the nearby town of Alsea or a wealth of food (and brewery) options in Corvallis, about 30 minutes east along Highway 34.