One of the many places we really wanted to visit during our trip to the Pacific North West was Toketee Falls. The few photos we’d seen of Toketee’s incredible Basalt rock formations made us very keen to go out of our way to hunt it down.

Getting to Toketee Falls

Toketee Falls are about an hour from Roseburg, at the end of a beautiful drive through some of Oregon’s most stunning forests. It’s very easy to find and doesn’t require any kind of special vehicle or off roading.

From the well signposted car park, the walk to the Toketee lookout point is pretty straightforward, and it doesn’t really require too much effort. There are gentle ups and downs and we saw people of all ages and fitness levels attempting the path.

Once we reached the lookout high above the river, we finally caught a glimpse of the thundering waterfall. We could see a few people down below, and knew that we had to get down there somehow.

After looking around briefly, we spotted a hole in the fence.There was a sign saying that the conditions down to the falls are dangerous and that you should stick to the trail, and we definitely recommend that if you’re not comfortable with steep, slippery conditions. We also definitely wouldn’t recommend attempting this if the ground was wet.

We checked over the edge and saw a fairly steep, but manageable hill down, and decided we couldn’t leave without following the path down. It was pretty well worn, with plenty of roots to hold on to, but still a little bit tricky nonetheless. If you don’t like to get your hands dirty then this path probably isn’t for you. Once again, as this hike is a little bit hairy, we recommend you exercise caution and only act within your abilities!

 

Once we were at the bottom, we hurdled a big log jam and suddenly found ourselves at the water’s edge and the most incredible sight. The giant falls had carved a huge oasis out of the rock, with a large plunge pool surrounded by some incredible angular Basalt rock formations.

Toketee certainly lived up to its photos, and what better way to reward ourselves than with a refreshing swim!

The entry to the water was fairly treacherous, so the situation obviously called for a cannonball.

A word of warning.. it was a beautiful sunny day, but that water is FREEZING. I definitely didn’t stick around for a few laps.

Mostly though, we just sat and took it all in…

I learnt a long time ago that bringing a towel on a hike is always a good idea, as you never know when you might need it… Once again I was proven right, and I would definitely recommend bringing swimming clothes along if you’re thinking you might be up for a dip!

Toketee Falls really are a bucketlist item, and a must see if you’re going to be visiting Oregon and have time to drive around and explore a little bit!

Other things to do near Toketee Falls

Toketee Falls are actually located surprisingly close to Crater Lake, and a quick stop there is a great way to break up the journey from the coast. In fact, the drive through Umpqua National Forest is stunning and well worth the drive in itself.

Umpqua Hot Springs are also a short drive away. They’re an absolutely stunning spot that, although notoriously busy, is easily one of the most beautiful hot springs we’ve ever seen. Click the link to read more about our experience there!

Bigelow hot springs are also in the area and well worth a short visit if you have time. They’re not quite as hot or scenic as Umpqua, but if you have time you should definitely stop in!

If you have any more questions, feel free to get in touch at [email protected]

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