The Hidden Waterfalls of Highway 6

***SEE DRIVING DIRECTIONS AT BOTTOM***

Highway 6 is the more scenic route to the coast. It's older than Highway 26, more twisty and turny, and the coastal range vaults up from its pavement like magnificent green skyscrapers of conifer and stone.

Hundreds of frothy white waterfalls appear every winter to drain these skyscrapers, you can catch them out of the corner of your eye as you whip by on your way to Tillamook. Most of them are seasonal, bursting forth with winter runoff and then disappearing again by summer. But a few of them....

Mysterious and illusive, Stafford Falls is tucked away in a little ravine at a sharp bend in the Wilson River. If you don't know where to look, you'll miss the 70 foot split tier of roaring foam. There are two more tiers higher up but you gotta climb. (No.) It's on the other side of deep water and woods, so we'll be enjoying it safely from a pull off on the road.

Fern Rock Falls is the one everybody knows. At the rear of a nice, big gravel pull out where truckers and RVs put it in park, Fern Rock Creek spreads into a tiered horsetail falls that drops 35 feet through sword ferns and alder. It shrinks in the dry months but never goes away, drawing people into its cool and humid embrace year round.

Smith Homestead Roadside Rest Area has a photogenic view of the Wilson River cataracts and distant hills from paved Jones Creek Road. We'll walk a quick 0.25 out and back to snap a few from the bridge and scan for eagles. Restrooms on site. No parking fee.

Wilson Falls is an unexpected hidden treasure. It's so secluded and so tall that the only way to fully appreciate its 200 feet of tiered horsetail falls is in winter when the alders drop their leaves. A 0.5 mi round trip trail takes you right down to the river's edge so you can look up at it in wonder with your mouth open.

Bridge Creek Falls (pictured) is demure. It's tucked away in a hidden ravine up an inclined 0.3 mile trail with a lovely burbling creek. A 35 foot tiered horsetail formation sings over a black xylophone of pitch black volcanic rock and you can get right up next to it to smell all the wetness and oxygen. Springtime carpets the ravine in wildflowers and photographers.

Lower Bridge Creek Falls travels under the highway from there and erupts out into the Wilson River. You must span the scenic bridge of Footbridge Day Use Area for the full view. It's worth it because the 25 foot plunge falls often arcs out like a gigantic firehose after heavy rains. There is decent birding here, including woodpeckers, raptors, sandpipers, and water ouzels.

We'll be walking slowly for a grand total of about 2 miles for the day over pavement, gravel, slick wood, stairs, and inclined dirt, so bring the trekking poles. Restrooms at Smith Homestead and Footbridge Day Use Area. No parking fee.

Bring $10 (cash only), water/snacks, binoculars, camera equipment, trekking poles, and WEATHER appropriate clothing. Adults only, please, and no pets, thanks.

DRIVING DIRECTIONS: We'll meet at the gravel Storey Burn Road pull out near Milepost 33 on Highway 6. It is on the righthand side about 18.5 miles after you turn onto Highway 6 from Highway 26. It's literally the summit, so if you start heading down again, you've gone too far. Look for my deep blue Honda CRV. We will caravan from there in 3 cars max. because there is limited parking at a few of the falls.