Butte Creek Falls

Location

Upper Butte Creek Falls: 44.9234 N, 122.5121 W

Butte Creek Falls: 44.9239 N, 122.5125 W

Lower Butte Creek Falls: 44.9243 N, 122.5123 W

USGS Topo: Elk Prairie

Directions

From the north, turn left onto S Nowlens Bridge Road from OR-213 north of Scott Mills. Follow this road for ~2.4 miles before turning left onto Crooked Finger Road NE (just after crossing over Butte Creek in Scotts Mills). Follow Crooked Finger Road for ~11.4 miles (~2.0 miles past the end of the pavement) and turn left onto Road 400, signed for Butte Creek Falls and drive another ~2.0 miles to the trailhead (off the eastern side of the road). Follow the trail (starts from the northern end of the parking area), staying to the left at all junctions, for ~0.3 miles to the viewpoint for the main section of the falls. The Lower Falls are just downstream from the main section but are hard to get a decent view of (most of the Lower Falls are visible from the viewpoint ridge but from different parts). To get a better view of the Lower Falls would involve following a lightly used trail down from the viewpoint to the creek. The Upper Falls are found by returning up the trail to a 3-way intersection. To the north is the main section and the Lower Falls (where you just came from), to the southwest (right if coming from main section) is the trailhead parking area, and to the southeast (straight if coming from main section) is the Upper Falls. The last option leads all the way to the base of the Upper Falls and the cavern behind it.

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