Sweet Creek Falls Hike

Sunset magazine had this to say about the Sweet Creek Falls hike.  "When the weather clears up, let the chores go and give yourself a gift of an afternoon's ramble alongside Sweet Creek, just 15 minutes from Mapleton in Oregon's Coast Range.  Brimming with winter runoff, the creek's falls should be gushing, it's basalt bowls and chutes boiling."  And that's just the way we found it when Mary and I - along with her English cousins Delia, Sandra and April - took the hike on the 8th of April.

Thanks to a revamped trail, this aptly named creek is now accessible to hikers year-round.  The trail itself is part of the appeal.  Where the creek gorge narrows, a railed catwalk hugs the cliff above the churning water.  Little bridges appear here and there, and spur trails lead to high views of waterfalls splashing down basalt staircases.

Four trailheads access the trail from Sweet Creek Road.  Most hikers start at the first one, called the Homestead trailhead, probably because it's the only one with a rest room!  From here it's a bit more than 1 mile up the gorge to one of the trail's main attractions, 90-foot Sweet Creek Falls.  If that's more hike than you want, drive 1/2 mile farther to the Sweet Creek Falls trailhead like we did; the falls are just 1/2 mile by trail from here, and that trail is shown in our photos.

For those who want to go further, although the trail seems to end at the falls, it in fact resumes across the boulder-strewn creek.  There's no footbridge, though, and a midwinter crossing on slick rocks (as we encountered) is not recommended!  If you want to see further on, drive 3/4 mile farther to the Wagon Road Trailhead, and continue hiking another 1/2 mile to Beaver Creek Falls, another spectacular scene!

To get to Sweet Creek Falls from the east end of the Siuslaw River bridge at Mapleton, turn south on Sweet Creek Road (County Road 48), and go about 12 miles.  You'll see Homestead Trailhead at about 11 miles, and the Sweet Creek Trailhead is another mile or so up the road.  It's an easy hike, so try it, and enjoy!