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Toketee Falls

Clearwater, Oregon

4.6/5
based on 21 reviews

Details

Distance

0.79 miles

Elevation Gain

98 ft

Route Type

Out-and-Back

Description

Added by Eric Johnson

Toketee falls offers beautiful, constant flow all year round. It's a short 0.8 mile roundtrip hike with plenty of hidden gems along the river. This trail is located near Idleyld Park, Oregon.

Toketee Falls is one of the most famous waterfalls in all of Oregon, renowned for the graceful columnar basalt formation framing the two-stepped falls. The North Umpqua River has carved a sinuous gorge out of the lava flow, resulting in a waterfall of 113 feet in height - a 28 foot upper tier which plunges into a pool flanked by a deep alcove, followed by an 85 foot plunge into a large pool. At the trailhead, the wooden 12 foot diameter Toketee Pipeline is passed, which diverts much of the volume of the North Umpqua River to a powerhouse downstream. This artificial taming of the river allows the waterfall to flow in an extremely consistent manor all year long.

The Trail
The hike to the Toketee Falls viewing platform is a short out-and-back 0.79 miles roundtrip. The elevation gain is minor at less than 100 feet. The trail is dog-friendly. The trailhead provides picnic tables, and vault toilets but does not have  drinking water or trash removal. Please pack out what you brought in. 

Camping
Nearby camping is available at Toketee Lake. There are 32 sites, 15 are reservable (B loop) and the rest (A loop) are available on a first-come first-serve basis. 

Getting There
Take OR-138 E / NE Diamond Lake Boulevard from Roseburg, OR. Exit north off Highway 138 at milepost 58.6 onto Forest Road 34 (Toketee-Rigdon Road). Cross the first bridge and make a left to the trailhead parking. 

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Features

Photography
Hiking
Easy Parking
Forest
River

Toketee Falls Reviews

It was a little crowded when I went, but it was a great, short hike along the river with some great views leading to the platform. There’s a space to get down to the water, over the fence. I didn’t go for that part as some others did. River flow was rock in’!

Toketee waterfall is perfection. The emerald pool and vertical rock lines make it stand out as one of the prettiest falls I’ve seen.

Toketee is a beautiful waterfall! While the viewpoint could be better, the trail is accessible and easy for families.

Uhh.. how many people are going to have to get injured or die here before you revise this article? This is ridicolous. DO NOT HOP THE FENCE. STAY ON THE TRAIL.

The Outbound should NOT be posting something telling you to hop the fence. There are several signs, at the trailhead and the falls, telling you to not hop the fence. I'm not sure why the Outbound is encouraging illegal behavior, when social media and hiking is leading to trampling vegetation, and death. A guy died from "just hopping the fence" at Toketee, because it is a steep hill down. The forest service will probably eventually build stairs leading to the bottom of the hill, but seriously? People have bent and broken the fence back, completely ignoring the NUMEROUS signs to stay on the platform. Really not sure why the Outbound thought this would be a great thing to recommend. Toketee falls is beautiful, and the hike is fairly short and easy if you're in moderate shape. There are many stairs, so skip if your knees cause you a lot of pain.

The hike to Toketee Falls is a fantastic destination for families, parents and friends. I visited in March when there was still over a foot of snowfall, which was absolutely stunning. The powdery whites, lush greens and icy blues made for a unique and photogenic landscape. The trail is well-paved and well-marked, however, if you want to see the waterfall up close you must hop a fence and scale a decent size wall. If you are physically able, not afraid of heights and within your comfort zone then I highly recommend you do this. The lake below is cool and beautiful, not to mention the interesting rock formations. Parking is free, first come first serve and the trail is around 1.6 miles roundtrip. As always, be sure to pack plenty of water, wear sunscreen and proper footwear, be safe and have fun!

Leave No Trace

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

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