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Sahalie & Koosah Falls in Oregon (& the Waterfall trail In Between)
Explore Sahalie and Koosah Falls in Oregon: Podcast Show Notes
Welcome to Experiences You Should Have, your how-to guide for amazing experiences. I’m your host Gail and today we are venturing into the Oregon wilderness to Sahalie and Koosah falls.
Why You Should See Sahalie & Koosah Falls
What I love about these waterfalls is that they are very accessible and you can get to them right off of the highway and they are stunning.
If you pull off the road into the Sahalie waterfall parking lot, you will see there is a ramp (or stairs) that will take you to see the falls within a minute of walking. The ramp is also wheelchair accessible in the summer and early fall months.
You’ll soon be staring at Sahalie falls with is about 100 feet tall. There’s a fun trick you can do with your eyes which is follow the water in the waterfall from top to bottom. Do this with your eyes at least 8-10 times in a row, then look off to the land to the left of the falls and you’ll start to see the land move. It’s called the Waterfall Illusion that allows you to see movement or motion where there isn’t motion.
The Amazing Waterfall Trail that Connects Sahalie and Koosah Falls
What’s really special about these waterfalls is the trail that connects the two. This trail is not wheelchair friendly and there are lots dirt stairs without railing, so keep that in mind if you have limited mobility. The trail is short, but along the trail, I have seen the bluest water I have ever seen. I think the blue water on this trail is even more beautiful than Crater Lake (which is definitely a must see location you should add to your list).
What’s really special about these waterfalls is the trail that connects the two. This trail is not wheelchair friendly and there are many dirt stairs without a railing, so keep that in mind if you have limited mobility. There were areas on the trail where I could stand and gaze at the blue water below me and an instant calmness took over. Science even backs up that seeing blue water puts us in a meditative state that can make us have less anxiety, feel more happiness, and creativity.
Explore Koosah Falls
If you keep on going down the trail a half mile down you will find Koosah falls. Koosah falls is about 70 feet high and is known as a block fall because it descends from a wide breadth of a stream. Sahalie above it is a segmented waterfall because it diverges into 2 or 3 parts as it falls.
How to Continue on the Waterfall Loop
You can head up the way you came and make the entire a hike 1-mile total. However, if you’d like to spend a long day here, you can hike a full loop which is 2.6 miles long with 400-foot elevation gains.
In order to do the loop, park at Sahalie falls, then walk left down the path to Koosah falls, downstream. To stay on the loop, keep right at all junctions after Koosah falls. After .4 miles you will find a gravel ride near Carmen Resevoir. Follow the road for about 150 yards until you see a trail sign and take that path. After 100 yards, turn right onto the McKenzie River trail which heads upstream past Koosah then Sahalie falls. When you get to the footbridge, cross over it, then turn right for .4 miles then you will end up at the Sahalie falls parking lot.
I promise it will be a memorable hike and is a place I love to bring guests to when they visit Bend, Oregon.
Look for Oregon Wildlife, the Pacific Harlequin Duck
When you’re on the trail, keep an eye out for Oregon’s Pacific Harlequin duck, Oregon’s only anadromous duck. Take note that the Pacific Harlequin is the only duck in the world that lives in the sea and in the mountains (Nwf).
This is a Free Experience!
Also,
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By Gail Lovelace MenascoExplore Sahalie and Koosah Falls in Oregon: Podcast Show Notes
Welcome to Experiences You Should Have, your how-to guide for amazing experiences. I’m your host Gail and today we are venturing into the Oregon wilderness to Sahalie and Koosah falls.
Why You Should See Sahalie & Koosah Falls
What I love about these waterfalls is that they are very accessible and you can get to them right off of the highway and they are stunning.
If you pull off the road into the Sahalie waterfall parking lot, you will see there is a ramp (or stairs) that will take you to see the falls within a minute of walking. The ramp is also wheelchair accessible in the summer and early fall months.
You’ll soon be staring at Sahalie falls with is about 100 feet tall. There’s a fun trick you can do with your eyes which is follow the water in the waterfall from top to bottom. Do this with your eyes at least 8-10 times in a row, then look off to the land to the left of the falls and you’ll start to see the land move. It’s called the Waterfall Illusion that allows you to see movement or motion where there isn’t motion.
The Amazing Waterfall Trail that Connects Sahalie and Koosah Falls
What’s really special about these waterfalls is the trail that connects the two. This trail is not wheelchair friendly and there are lots dirt stairs without railing, so keep that in mind if you have limited mobility. The trail is short, but along the trail, I have seen the bluest water I have ever seen. I think the blue water on this trail is even more beautiful than Crater Lake (which is definitely a must see location you should add to your list).
What’s really special about these waterfalls is the trail that connects the two. This trail is not wheelchair friendly and there are many dirt stairs without a railing, so keep that in mind if you have limited mobility. There were areas on the trail where I could stand and gaze at the blue water below me and an instant calmness took over. Science even backs up that seeing blue water puts us in a meditative state that can make us have less anxiety, feel more happiness, and creativity.
Explore Koosah Falls
If you keep on going down the trail a half mile down you will find Koosah falls. Koosah falls is about 70 feet high and is known as a block fall because it descends from a wide breadth of a stream. Sahalie above it is a segmented waterfall because it diverges into 2 or 3 parts as it falls.
How to Continue on the Waterfall Loop
You can head up the way you came and make the entire a hike 1-mile total. However, if you’d like to spend a long day here, you can hike a full loop which is 2.6 miles long with 400-foot elevation gains.
In order to do the loop, park at Sahalie falls, then walk left down the path to Koosah falls, downstream. To stay on the loop, keep right at all junctions after Koosah falls. After .4 miles you will find a gravel ride near Carmen Resevoir. Follow the road for about 150 yards until you see a trail sign and take that path. After 100 yards, turn right onto the McKenzie River trail which heads upstream past Koosah then Sahalie falls. When you get to the footbridge, cross over it, then turn right for .4 miles then you will end up at the Sahalie falls parking lot.
I promise it will be a memorable hike and is a place I love to bring guests to when they visit Bend, Oregon.
Look for Oregon Wildlife, the Pacific Harlequin Duck
When you’re on the trail, keep an eye out for Oregon’s Pacific Harlequin duck, Oregon’s only anadromous duck. Take note that the Pacific Harlequin is the only duck in the world that lives in the sea and in the mountains (Nwf).
This is a Free Experience!
Also,