Adventuring: Sweet Creek Falls

Sweet Creek Falls are located approx. 13 miles outside of Mapleton, Oregon. There is plenty of parking and two different access points to the trail. The hike is a gradual trail, dirt and rock, with catwalks and bridges. All along the trail you have a view of the creek with many different photo, or view admiration spots. You can get access and park information here.

On this particular day I just needed a day out in the sun and a little exercise. The trail was easy to locate, and since it was a weekend day plenty of fellow nature enjoyers were on the trails.

The first thing I noticed was the green, lots of green. Green leaves, green ferns, green moss.... Then the smell. Sweet Creek is right. The sun was warming the pine needles, dirt, and water to make a combined blissful aroma. In intervals the breeze would blow across the water cooling the air a bit. Heaven. As for the falls themselves, there were so many different levels to enjoy and try to capture.

I met a local on the trail who told me about another fall about a mile up the road. After spending an hour or so on Sweet Creek I decided to explore these other falls. I ended up being on the wrong trail, but got to see the lower and upper Sweet Creek Falls from the other side. I at least have another destination waterfall to see at some other point!