North Umpqua Trail: Lemolo Segment

This has to be one of the most overlooked waterfalls in Oregon. It doesn't get a lot of publicity, and it's tucked away in south-central Oregon. As such, many people don't pay it much attention. That's too bad. Clearwater Falls can be found just off Highway 138, near mile marker 69. Clearwater Falls is easily accessed from a nearby parking lot. The path from the parking lot is well developed a...

In June of 2015, I visited as many remote waterfall locations in Oregon as I could find. Whitehorse Falls, located along the Clearwater River in Douglas County, was one of those on my list. It's a small waterfall that is just off highway 138 (about 4.5 miles east of Toketee Falls) in Central Oregon. It's a true hidden gem that doesn't get a lot of visitors or attention. But it should. It's a wo...

When you arrive at the hot springs you'll see a bathroom and large dumpster in a small gravel parking lot. From the parking lot you'll see a bridge which leads to the trail up to the springs. Its a 0.25 mile walk up to seven different pools, sitting 150ft. above the North Umpqua River. All the hot springs set the perfect soaking vibe with a variety of sizes, temperatures and an excellent view. ...

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 ...

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...

At 8,743 feet, Diamond Peak is almost as tall as the other iconic volcanoes of the Oregon Cascades, but sees just a fraction of the people. Outside the range of casual Portland day hikes and hard to see from the highway and from other peaks, Diamond Peak and the spectacular wilderness surrounding it tend to pass under the radar.  But, thanks to its position just west of the Cascade range crest,...