Silver Falls State Park (OR)

September 5th, 2019, was a very long day. After leaving Kilches River County Campground and visiting Cape Meares, we headed south on U.S. Route 101 to Hebo, OR, where we turned east on Highway 22 toward Salem, OR.

Winema Wayfinding Point on U.S. Route 101 near Neskowin, OR. Photo by Virginia.

Winema Wayfinding Point on U.S. Route 101 near Neskowin, OR. Photo by Virginia.

There had been road construction, which caused an out-of-the-way detour on a route where there was absolutely no cell phone signal. About two-and-a-half hours after leaving Cape Mears (although it seemed much longer), we arrived at Silver Falls State Park in Marion County, near Silverton, OR. Even though our entire trip had basically been planned, the specific days we were to arrive at those planned locations were not planned because we wanted to have an open schedule. So we were not able to make reservations at any of the campgrounds.

Arriving at the park at 4:30 p.m. to be told there were no open campsites was disheartening. We were tired, and there were no other campgrounds nearby. Fortunately, soon after the park employee told us the bad news, they told us some good news. They intentionally leave a few campsites unreserved for single nights to accommodate drop-ins like us. Whew! So although we would have preferred to stay two or three nights, we were still thankful for the single night.

Margaret's Roadtrek in our campsite at Silver Falls State Park. Photo by Virginia.

The campground at Silver Falls State Park. Photo by Virginia.

Our tent campsite (#92 in A Loop) was $19 for one night and was near the restrooms. You can bet I took advantage of the no-tokens-needed shower, which was divine! The campground was large, clean, and heavily treed with mostly level campsites featuring asphalt pads and nearby potable water.

The restrooms/showers at Silver Falls State Park. Photo by Virginia.

After breakfast, my shower, and Margaret's walk with Peaches, we left the campsite and drove over to the South Falls Day Use Area and parked.

South Falls Day Use Area in Silver Falls State Park. Photo by Virginia.

A trail bridge at South Falls Day Use Area in Silver Falls SP. Photo by Virginia.

South Falls Historic District sign in Silver Falls SP. Photo by Virginia.

The facilities were all immaculately kept, the trails were all maintained well, and there were plenty of informative signs and kiosks, clean restrooms, a Nature Center, and the South Falls Nature Store, where we enjoyed perusing the fun inventory and where I bought a postcard for my daughter.

South Falls Nature Store in Silver Falls State Park. Photo by Margaret.

Although there are ten waterfalls in the park, South Falls (177 ft. cascade) is the most accessible and the most visited. South Falls is one of four waterfalls in the park where you can pass behind the waterfall. (Enlarge the last two photos below to see the behind-the-falls trail railing and some visitors.) Mostly because we could not stay for another night and planned to get back over to the coast that day to find a place to camp, we had to limit our waterfall viewing to South Falls only.

South Falls & Canyon Trail sign in Silver Falls State Park. Photo by Virginia.

Canyon Trail near the base of South Falls in Silver Falls State Park. Photo by Virginia.

The South Fork of Silver Creek in Silver Falls State Park. Photo by Margaret.

I had visited Silver Falls State Park three times during the time I lived in Oregon (1995 - 1997). The last visit was quite memorable, as two friends had taken me there for my birthday, and we ended up in a car accident soon after entering the park! The other driver was at fault, and my friend's newly refurbished car was declared totaled. My driver friend made it through the accident with minor injuries. However, my other friend in the front passenger seat, and I in the rear seat, both ended up with cuts, bruises, fractures, and deep tissue damage. The park itself is very beautiful, and I did not hold a grudge.

I very much looked forward to this visit. This was Margaret's first visit, however; and it was entirely too short!

The crest of South Falls in Silver Falls State Park. Photo by Margaret.

South Falls in Silver Falls State Park. Photo by Margaret.

 South Falls in Silver Falls State Park. Photo by Virginia.

As I write this, Silver Falls State Park has been closed for months due to COVID-19. It finally opened only five days ago, accompanied by quite a few restrictions. As with all of the other beautiful sites we visited, I am thankful we were able to see them before the pandemic.

We had hoped to visit a particularly popular destination on the coast the following day, but it was not to be. Finding a place to camp turned out to be the most difficult of our entire trip, but the campground we ended up in was worth all of that disappointment and more.

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Kilchis River County Campground & Cape Meares (OR)

After leaving Tillamook Creamery, we stopped at a Safeway for food; and using Google, Margaret located a campground just a few minutes away in Tillamook.

We arrived at Kilchis River County Campground on 04 September 2019 as it was getting dark. The camp host placed us in a site near the entrance and restrooms that backed up to a view of the Kilchis River. The site was level, so no need for levelers...YAY! The campground had only a few other well-spaced campers, potable water, those nice restrooms, a playground, trash, and recycling. Alas, as usual, there was no cell phone signal. (As nice as this county campground was, it was also a whopping $33 for just one night.)

We set up the Roadtrek in camping mode, put the groceries away, and made dinner. After a busy day of sightseeing and shopping, we were both ready for rest and reading time.

The Roadtrek at Kilchis River County Campground. Photo by Margaret.

The next morning, I had breakfast outside under the trees while being serenaded by beautiful river sounds. Afterwards I walked around the beautiful campground.

Kilchis River County Campground. Photo by Virginia.

Kilchis River. Photo by Virginia.

It was a very short walk to the river, where I was alone to quietly enjoy the sights and sounds of nature. (Margaret walked down a little later.)

Kilchis River. Photo by Margaret.

I filled our freshwater tank and drinking water bottles and dumped the trash. After getting the Roadtrek in driving mode, we left the campground at 10:00 a.m. and drove the half hour to the gorgeous coastal headland area of Cape Meares, which is breathtakingly located over 200 feet above the Pacific Ocean and on the south end of Tillamook Bay.

Cape Meares Information Kiosk. Photo by Margaret.

The weather on 05 September was a gorgeous and sunny 68°F, with a stunning variety of clouds. Margaret and I often explore separately and then join up at different times. This day was no exception. Since leashed dogs were allowed on the trails, Peaches accompanied Margaret.

Cape Meares - view to the northwest. Photo by Virginia.

Although the small parking area was rather full of vehicles, the trails were not crowded; and I was often peacefully alone when I stopped to gaze at all the beauty.

An interpretive sign at Cape Meares. Photo by Virginia.

Since Cape Meares is a headland, there were water views on three sides. Beautiful!

 Cape Meares - view to the northwest. Photo by Margaret.

It was a slightly downhill walk on shaded trails to the inactive Cape Meares Lighthouse. You can read about the interesting history and tragic account of the vandalism of the lighthouse on its Wikipedia page.

The sign to the Cape Meares Lighthouse. Photo by Virginia.

From the Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint Website: "The lighthouse was built in 1889 and commissioned on January 1, 1890. The tower stands 38 feet high and is the shortest lighthouse in Oregon. It is constructed of bricks covered with iron plates. The original addition that now houses the interpretive shop was a work room built in 1895.  The current interpretive shop replaced the original work room in 1978.

The lens is a first order Fresnel lens made in Paris, France. It was shipped around Cape Horn, up the west coast to Cape Meares and then hauled 217 feet up the cliff by a wooden crane that was built from local timbers native to the area. It is an eight-sided lens with four primary lenses and four bull's-eye lenses with red panels covering the bull's-eye lenses. It produced about 30 seconds of fixed white light from the primary lens followed by a red flash of five seconds from the bull's-eye lens once every minute. This was the signature of Cape Meares Lighthouse. The primary lens produced 18,000 candlepower and the bull's-eye lens produced 160,000 candlepower. The light could be seen for 21 nautical miles at sea."

The Cape Meares Light. Photo by Margaret.

The Cape Meares Lighthouse. Photo by Margaret.

The view southwest of the Cape Meares Lighthouse. Photo by Margaret.

The view of Oceanside State Recreation Site. Photo by Virginia.

The view southwest to the Oceanside State Recreation Site. Photo by Virginia.

Interpretive sign for the Octopus Tree. Photo by Margaret.

The Octopus Tree. Photo by Margaret.

The trail to and from the Octopus Tree. Photo by Margaret.

Peaches on the trail leaving the Octopus Tree. Photo by Virginia.

We weren't at Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint for very long, but it's a location whose uniquely stunning beauty moved me to declare it one of my favorites of our entire five-month trip. I would love to visit it again and share it with my daughter.

We left Cape Meares after about an hour-and-a-half, driving inland to an Oregon State Park known for its numerous waterfalls.

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Cannon Beach & Tillamook Creamery (OR)

We left Nehalem Falls Campground and headed to the Oregon coastal town of Cannon Beach on 04 September. I had visited this tourist town several times during the year-and-a-half I lived in Oregon in the late 1990s. It offered a very pleasant pedestrian shopping experience; and the beach, with its natural tide pools, was vastly different from those I had taken in prior to it.

In the twenty-two years since I last spent time there, it felt much larger and considerably busier—especially for a weekday following Labor Day weekend. We lucked out and found a parking spot on the main drag. The weather was a very pleasant 70°F; but it was quite overcast, which made for a lot of glare. Margaret and I strolled up and down Hemlock Street, stopping in Cannon Beach Bakery for some goodies and being awestruck by the photographic talents of Randall J. Hodges in his Images of the West gallery.

Cannon Beach is a charming and well-maintained little town brightened by planters of colorful flowers and sporting an abundance of art galleries, boutiques, restaurants, and other specialty stores to enjoy.  

Cannon Beach Book Company on Hemlock Street. Photo by Virginia.

Cannon Beach Post Office. Photo by Virginia.

Some of the colorful flowers along Hemlock Street. Photo by Margaret.

Some of the colorful flowers along Hemlock Street. Photo by Margaret.

Ecola Creek and the Pacific Ocean at Cannon Beach. Photo by Margaret.

West 2nd Street in Cannon Beach. Photo by Virginia.

Colorful fuchsias along West 2nd Street. Photo by Margaret.

The exterior of a shop on West 2nd Street. Photo by Virginia.

The Landing courtyard complex on Hemlock Street. Photo by Virginia.

The fountain at The Landing on Hemlock Street. Photo by Virginia.

Coastal Yarns on Hemlock Street in Cannon Beach. Photo by Virginia.

At Play in Cannon Beach by artist, Rumi Tsuda. Photo by Virginia.

First Cannon Beach Library historical sign. Photo by Virginia.

Village Centre courtyard complex on Hemlock Street. Photo by Virginia.

The Cannon Beach Library on Hemlock Street. Photo by Virginia.

 Cannon Beach Design Co. on Hemlock Street. Photo by Virginia.

After about an hour-and-a-half in town, we drove south, hoping for a photo op with the famous Haystack Rock. However, Margaret and I weren't able to find a large enough parking space for the 20-foot Roadtrek in the crowded public parking areas, which meant leaving without visiting the famous natural landmark. We were, however, blessed with plenty of other gorgeous scenery on the way to our next destination.

An offshore rock south of Cannon Beach. Photo by Virginia.

 An overlook in Oswald West State Park. Photo by Margaret.

Prior to moving to Oregon from Southern California, I was not familiar with the Tillamook Creamery (Are you?); but I was enlightened in short order. Their butter and cheeses were everywhere in Oregon, and I was quite taken with both at that time. Their sharp cheddar cheese was the absolute best!

[Comment by Margaret: Oh, yes, I absolutely loved Tillamook sharp cheddar cheese! Although I have given up cheese for health reasons (high blood cholesterol levels despite eating no cholesterol whatsoever!), I still have fond memories of how lovely a sandwich could taste with the addition of a thick slice of Tillamook sharp cheddar. I didn't care for their ice cream, though; too creamy for me. My favorite "ice cream" now is So Delicious soymilk frozen dessert in a quart size. It is the best frozen dessert they make, and I wish it wasn't so difficult to find! I love its taste and texture; and its nutrition profile is way better than any dairy or non-dairy ice cream I have yet to find. Now, if only they would substitute the cane sugar in it with my favorite natural sugar replacer, Zsweet. Oh, well, a girl can dream.]

Neither Margaret nor I consume dairy products these days, but we still wanted to visit the creamery that produced our favorite cheese ever!

The Tillamook Creamery Visitor Center. Photo by Margaret.

Interior of the Tillamook Creamery Visitor Center. Photo by Virginia.

Interior of the Tillamook Creamery Visitor Center. Photo by Virginia.

Viewing gallery of the Tillamook Creamery factory. Photo by Virginia.

After our self-guided tour of the Tillamook Creamery Visitor Center, we did some grocery shopping before heading to our next overnight campground. We'd had a day filled with crowds and were looking forward to a quiet evening to recoup, which we were fortunate to find before nightfall. The next day we visited a location so stunning, that I consider it one of the most gorgeous of our entire trip.

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