Travels with haRVy

We had a very pleasant visit with Nancy and Bob at their home in Dexter, OR a few miles southeast of Eugene. Thank you both, it was great to see you again. Deeply appreciate your warm hospitality!

Our campsite in their secluded front yard.

Nancy and Bob joined us for dinner aboard haRVy.

On a recommendation from fellow travelers we headed north to Silver Falls State Park and what a good move that proved to be! The park name does not begin to describe the “Waterfall Wonderland” we found there! Where else can you walk behind three waterfalls in one day!?! We wore ourselves out hiking to almost all the waterfalls in the park.

Silver Falls is Oregon’s largest state park. Its 9,000 acres is a showcase of nature’s splendor with ten magnificent waterfalls, a temperate rain forest of Douglas-fir and western hemlock trees, meadows, creeks, and a vast array of plants and wildlife.

The weather was pleasantly warm, so we set up camp quickly and rode our bikes up to the trailhead for the South Falls Loop.

South Falls – note how the trail passes directly behind the falls – very cool!

Lower South Falls shown above and below. You get to hike behind this one too!

The Trail of Ten Falls, a spectacular, nationally recognized hiking trail weaves through a dense forested landscape. The trail passes a series of breathtaking waterfalls along a rocky canyon, and descends to a winding creek at the forest floor. Unfortunately, you have to ascend back up to the rim… good thing we’re young!

The beginning of our second hike the next morning.

Winter Falls

Middle North Falls

Tough to capture a waterfall from behind, but being there is quite an experience.

Double Falls

North Falls from distant roadside viewpoint…

and from the deep cave behind.

The end of our hike at Upper North Falls.

It is extremely difficult to depict the energy of these falls in still photography. Al has uploaded some good video footage to his YouTube page here. It’s pretty exciting stuff!