North Loop Silver Falls (hike 7 of 33)

4.10 miles RT

There is something quite gratifying about starting a hike out with a short jaunt to a waterfall with the prospect of finding others later on down the trail. So began this afternoon hike. Almost immediately the rush of the northern falls pounded down in front of me. Continuing on behind the waterfall, I emerged to a fine mist of rain.


I left home late and the sky, though grey, had not yet given way to rain. Despite the light rain near the beginning I was happy to continue with the perfume of autumn tickling me at each squeeching step through the mud.

I miss the yellow glow of early autumn. Nevertheless, I am not disappointed by the view. The barren branches open up the landscape revealing new perspectives otherwise hidden.


I could have looped back sooner, but I was nowhere near ready to head back. The promise of several more waterfalls packed together in the next mile made the detour inevitable, and worthwhile.



Winter Falls, the final waterfall of my hike, had more water cascading down it than I had ever seen in my previous trips around the southern loop. At times, it is a pathetic trickle hardly worth the steep switchbacks from the turnout at the canyon rim.

The only downside to this hike was that the last mile shadowed the road and the view from the rim trail did not feed my imagination with the richness of the canyon floor.