Explore White River Falls State Park

Maupin, Oregon

Description

Get a view of White River Falls' scenic waterfalls and explore an old, historic power plant. During the warmer months, there's a great swimming hole to cool off.

White River Falls is located 35 miles south of The Dalles and 4.5 miles east of Tygh Valley. With only a short walk from the parking area to the viewing area and trails leading down to the water.

White River Falls, which is the furthest upstream, drops about 75 feet with multiple channels, and at high water can reach 250 feet wide. Celestial Falls is just 200 feet downstream and plunges 44 feet into a large pool, perfect for swimming.

In the early 1900's a hydro-power plant was placed at the bottom of the falls which supplied water to the surrounding areas. It was taken out of commission in 1960 after the completion of The Dalles dam along the Columbia River.

Every summer the river shows its name by turning a milky white color. This happens due to glacial sediment being pushed downstream from the White glacier on Mt. Hood, the White River's headwaters. The water than flows into the Deschutes River and can cause fisherman havoc due to poor water quality.

Download the Outbound mobile app

Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use.

Get the app

Features

Chillin

Fishing

Photography

Kayaking

Swimming

Hiking

Bathrooms

Easy Parking

Family Friendly

Picnic Area

River

Scenic

Waterfall

Swimming Hole

Reviews

Have you done this adventure? Be the first to leave a review!

Leave No Trace

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

Nearby

Explore White River Falls

White River Falls is perfect for those looking for an easy hike with great rewards. From the parking lot, it is a brisk walk to a view point, where you can immediately take in the gorgeous falls!To get down to the bottom of the falls, turn left and begin walking down the trail. You will cross a wide bridge before the trail turns to dirt. The trail is about a quarter mile of downhill. You will t...

White River Falls

Fly-Fishing the Lower Deschutes River

Spending a day on the lower Deschutes is as rewarding as it gets for a fly-fisherman. The canyon is incredibly beautiful, and the fish are some of the most colorful and athletic you can catch.The mighty Deschutes River is a stunning, blue-ribbon river where people come to fly-fish from around the world. The river begins high in the Cascades, flowing out of Little Lava Lake as a small meandering...

Lookout Mountain via High Prairie Trailhead

Lookout Mountain should be the most popular destination in Oregon given its views to effort ratio. Mount Hood seems close enough to reach out and touch from the open, rocky summit, and views extend from the Three Sisters in the south to Mount Rainier to the north. While the hike is popular in the summer, Lookout Mountain sees far fewer people than nearby Elk Meadows or Mirror Lake. The Lookout ...

Explore Shaniko's Ghost Town

Heading south from Wasco, the scenery trades off between new farms and old abandoned homesteads. Most areas are fenced off along the road to keep in the roaming cattle, but now and then there is access to adventure off and visit the places that the settlers decided on in the 18-1900's.About 50 miles south of Wasco, you come over a rise to see an old crossroad surrounded by wooden storefronts an...

Snowshoe to Tamanawas Falls

Starting at the Sherwood Trailhead, follow the sign towards Tamanwas Falls. You will walk through the woods towards the river, and cross it on the log bridge. After crossing the creek, you will begin to head uphill. Keep going this way through the woods for nearly 2 miles, and you will reach the 150 foot falls. You can explore around here and find the best angle for a photo op, but I find that ...