Wonderful Waterfalls

Eons of geologic activity in the form of volcanoes, glacier movement, the pushing, lifting, scrunching, tearing and piling of the earth's surface and water erosion eventually, and at least for the time being, have left a frying pan-shaped rift in the forest lands of the Cascade Range foothills southeast of Silverton, Oregon. Silver Falls State Park's 9000 acres offer the curious in search of adventure and history an opportunity to see the results of those earth-shaping forces. See here, here and here for more details on the history and development of the park. It involves indigenous peoples, pioneers, farmers, conservationists, forest fires and legislative acts. It was quite literally built from the beach up! Check out those links.

Heading for the hills from various compass points around the metro area we rendezvoused at the South Falls Lodge parking lot well ahead of the more casual hoards that so often choose to get a later start. This state park hosts over one million visitors each year. That's two million feet trudging the trails and providing their own earth-shaping force.

The fresh warm air whispering through the firs of this place reminded us that the day would be a hot one. The late July sun was already beating down with measured ferocity, gearing up for its 95 degree goal. Eleven chattering women, already engaging in catch-up conversations, checked the trail map on the park information board and collectively headed out in a counter clockwise direction to begin the Trail of Ten Falls, a tour de force of all the park's waterfalls. Varying mileages were listed from seven to 9 miles, but all paths would lead back to the lodge.

Silver Creek, flowing out of the Cascade foothills, wraps is north and south tributaries around the park in a watery embrace, providing the source for the ten waterfalls and flowing eventually into the Pudding River on its way to connect with the larger Willamette River, the mighty Columbia and mixing into the Pacific Ocean. Hikers are rewarded early in their journey with a view of the South Falls. The cake layer structure of the canyon basalt contributes to the unique forms of each cataract, some spilling over a ledge into a pool 100 feet below while others slip and slide down a series of rocky steps to create a veil of water that widens into a fog of water droplets and misty spray.

Following the Canyon Trail along the south fork we thankfully encounter a series of steps that replace a slippery slope unsuitable for safe descent. Some of the rock structures are the work of the Civilian Conservation Corps, a work group created by President Roosevelt in 1934 that helped develop the park architecture. Lower South Falls is the next scene on the trail just before meeting up with the Maple Ridge Trail at the confluence of the north and south forks.

Shading maples and firs line the footpath and protect us from the sun's beating rays. Wild flowers are pretty much gone at this time of year but bright red thimbleberries punctuate the green scene and tempt hikers for a reach-and-taste move. A puckering sweet morsel is the reward. Sparkling pools and lazy sections of the creek present grandiose ideas for backyard pleasures, albeit unrealistic considering the size. Nonetheless the sounds of moving water bestow a sense of peace and relaxation as the miles add up.

After a one mile gap there is a cluster of falls: Lower North, Double, Drake and Middle North falls all within a half mile space. At the Winter Trail juncture there is a bridge and two paths to choose. Proceeding another mile will take you to Twin Falls and the North Falls in a narrow loop route that returns you to Winter Falls. Take the bridge and go directly to Winter Falls and back to the Lodge. There you can compare route mileage with your companions via step apps and counters. Most of our group took over 19,000 steps to complete the entire hike. Ahhhh, the technology of hiking!

There are a variety of hiking loops and backtracks possible in this vast park but be sure to have a map with you so you can identify the falls and the intersecting trails. All trails lead "home", but you might be late in arriving if you don't know where you are. But you can take consolation in the timeless saying "Wherever you go, there you are!"

Pack a picnic and the kiddos, take a date but leave your canine at home (no dogs allowed on the trails) or just hoist a knapsack and do a solo hike to enjoy some of Oregon's finest pleasures that are readily available to all comers. As Oregon's crown jewel in the state parks system, this is a place you'll want to visit many times over. As the seasons change, so will the scenery and water flow. Hiking through the park one year while waiting for a Thanksgiving turkey to bake, we were impressed by the wildness of the waterfalls. Certainly not the tame ones you see in the summer. Just go!

South Falls

Looking through the falls

Trail under rock ledge

Lower South Falls

Trail conversation

Quiet reflections

Winter's log snag

Lower North Falls

Woodland solitude

Drake Falls

Lunch bunch

"Beast", a trail kid

Giant Douglas fir

Hiking beauties

Our Oregon Garden

Vista from The Oregon Garden

Tucked snuggly and unobtrusively into the foothills of the Cascade Range just south of Silverton, Oregon grows an 80 acre botanical garden, the creative and ultimate solution to a sewage problem. At its pre-opening in 1999 it was barely the three-dimensional reality of a paper map. Only the most basic bare bones structure of pathways and intended plant displays were evident as my children raced along the open walkways, visiting the Survival Oak, an ancient tree sacred to local Indians of centuries ago. The garden necessitated a vivid imagination to foresee its future structure. For the background story, see this link, here and here.

Today the garden is a young adult in plant years, not yet fully developed in scope but certainly well on its way. Mature trees and shrubbery sit in packed residence, surrounded by little paths that allow visitors to view the plants from all sides and stimulate takeaway ideas for their own properties or projects. Volunteers, pruners in hand, are knowledgeable to answer questions about the displays. The original bare 16-tiered sewage treatment experiment is now successfully camouflaged by lush filtering plants that turn waste water into a clean irrigation source.

the Rain Curtain

Water features such as the Rain Curtain, the Axis garden, the Bosque and the Rose Petal Fountain as well as strategically placed drinking fountains, pools and ponds provide that liquid sight and sound so necessary in a garden. Fish, fowl and thirsty foot traffic take advantage of these spots. The Silverton Market Garden highlights many of the Willamette Valley's commercial crops such as wine and table grapes, hops, berries of all sorts, hazelnuts, figs, fruit trees and row crops. A chicken coop in the center of the raised bed area lends a gentleman farmer touch to the scene.

View to the orchard

Although primarily a perennial garden with seasonal blooming, the colorful massed annual plantings add that blast of summer exuberance that only they can provide. Think patio pots on steroids. Statuary large and small, ironwork tables and chairs, Monet garden benches, boulders and arches fit discreetly into the landscape for decor and resting. Picnics and dogs are encouraged throughout the garden. A free tram runs frequently throughout this plant paradise hauling passengers through the exhibits while a driver/narrator dishes out interesting tidbits of history, humor and plant highlights. If you're there for the hike you can put several miles on your shoes by exploring every pathway!

Educational exhibits and events furnish opportunities for students of any age to learn more about forest management, 147 Oregon commercial crop varieties, cultivation techniques and conservation awareness. Scheduled entertainment such as nightly music gigs, holiday fireworks, a Christmas ice skating rink, the Brewfest and special days for seniors, kids and professionals pull in over 90,000 visitors a year, not an insignificant number but far behind that of other Oregon tourist destinations. This makes for uncrowded visits and a feeling of broad personal space. Nonetheless, the marketing side of the garden keeps a fully stocked event calendar busy 365 days a year. The J. Frank Schmidt Jr. Pavillion, a 20,000 square foot event facility, is available for rent.

Oriental poppy field along the route

Whether a professional landscape designer or a populist tourist, the Oregon Garden is a destination for plant lovers everywhere. It is Our Garden in that it showcases, in a compact area, so much of what contributes to the Pacific Northwest's verdant and enticing ambiance. Take a morning and a picnic, the kids, your dogs, out-of-town guests and relatives or a neighbor and tour the Oregon Garden. You won't be disappointed and you might just pick up a plant or two at the sale table. Take the back roads to Silverton for a pastoral junket through rolling hills and vast stretches of multi-cropped farmland. Many of the Garden's exhibits can be viewed in acreage settings this way. Happy exploring!

The Amazing Water Garden

The Bosque

400 year old Survival Oak

California poppies, just to be neighborly

Dragonfly, a garden delight

Chickens!

Kale, grapes and row crops with cold frame

Dahlias and peonies

Figs

Christmas trees in background

Koi pond and waterfall

Statuary

Grape arbor

Hops crawl up the columns

Allium, lilies and daisies

Monet garden bench

Parterre garden

Conifer garden

"Floating" islands of trees at the Bosque

Oriental poppy in papery glory

Explore Everything!

Flipping our collective hair at the weather report and turning our faces into the breeze we gathered at a member's home in the Gresham area for a hilly excursion into the nature area south of the city. The rolling terrain is largely undeveloped around the Butte Saddle area, site of a holly and filbert orchard of a couple of centuries ago, now in a forest recovery stage. Deteriorating paving initially directed our feet down a steep pathway that soon become a gravel-coated and then compacted leaf trail.

The open woodland scene is populated by a variety of deciduous trees now fully leafed out, providing spattered shade for the lush ground cover of ferns, mosses, spires of foxglove, dots of diverse yellow flora and the carpet of invasive, pervasive and noxious "Stinky Bob" (Geranium robertianum). Although grinning innocently with its tiny pink face and lacy foliage, "Stinky Bob"  overgrows native plants and propagates rapaciously. It has reached the stage of English ivy in that it is impossible to eradicate now.

Carpet of "Stinky Bob"

With legs aburning and lungs gasping we labored up a steep grade devoid of switchbacks to reach the top of the butte and view of Gresham below. Turning on an adjoining trail we applied the hip and knee brakes to control our steep decent downhill to another turning point. Summiting another hill brought us to The Bus, an ancient food cart sort of vehicle, long past its glory days, abandoned in the woods and now sprouting tree branches and a colorful and multi-layered tagging finish. It was a photo op to be sure!

Two hours into this uphill and downhill rhythm, we voted to head for our cars and seek nourishment in one of the many little cafes in the city. Stowing sweaty backpacks, jackets and hats we made our way to Selma's to view an array of Syrian fare such as hummus, orzo salad, baba ghanush, tabbouleh, pita bread and enough other dishes to make choosing a pastime in itself. Then there was the

dessert display. Traditional baklava, ma'amoul (a date-filled molded sugar cookie), countless other sweets all made by Selma herself, a gracious and hardworking businesswoman aided by her husband and son.

Hidden hiking treasures await the curious adventurer throughout the Pacific Northwest area. Poke around and see what  you can find by searching municipal websites and local activity newspapers. You might be pleasantly surprised by what you discover. Happy hiking!

Today's Nine

Vista in fading shades of gray-blue

St. John's wart, a common groundcover

Farm implement of a bygone era

Heading into the woods

open woodland scene

understory of green textures

citizens at work

The Bus in situ

May I take your order please?

You've got to be kidding!

Digitalis purpurea a.ka. Foxglove

pasturing llama on a hillside