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Watson Falls

Idleyld Park, Oregon

4.3/5
based on 6 reviews

Details

Distance

0.54 miles

Elevation Gain

515 ft

Route Type

Loop

Description

Added by Eric Johnson

Watson Falls is the 3rd largest waterfall in Oregon and is easily accessible with a 0.6-mile roundtrip hike.

Watson Falls hurtles over a cathedral amphitheater wall of basalt, crashing into a long talus slope covered in moss and vine maple. At 272 feet, Watson Falls is the 3rd tallest waterfall in Oregon.

We actually stumbled upon Watson Falls driving back from Toketee Falls. The parking area is about 500 feet south of Highway 138 on the right side. The trail crosses Road 37 and climbs 0.33 miles up to the base of the falls. After that the trail continues up the mossy hill on the right leading to a look out point with a wooden bench to rest at before the trek back down.

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Features

Photography
Hiking
Bathrooms
Dog Friendly
Easy Parking
Family Friendly
Forest
River
Romantic
Scenic
Waterfall

Watson Falls Reviews

Great hike with beautiful views of the water! Not hard but definitely not easy if your not in shape. Either way worth it once your up there

We went camping for a few days in this area and checked out The other waterfalls nearby. This is a short hike and very different falls than the other one nearby. Oregon is a beautiful place!

Explorer

07/14/16

Watson Falls may not be the tallest, but in my opinion it was the most spectacular. The hike is easy and it wasn't crowded at noon on a Saturday. You can also hike right to the falls with zero red tape. I haven't seen all of Oregon's waterfalls, but Watson Falls is better than the others that get all the hype.

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

Toketee Falls

Umpqua Hot Springs

Whitehorse Falls

Clearwater Falls

Muir Creek Falls

Mt. Bailey and Hemlock Butte Cabin