SILVER FALLS
TRAIL OF TEN FALLS

Waiting to pay our $3 entrance fee. We arrived fairly early, and the parking lot was nearly empty. We drove down close to the trailhead, and got set for a fun hike.

From our car looking towards the restroom facilities, which were the nicest of any we have seen at any trailhead so far.

This is the Lodge, but it was closed at the start of the hike. (That had changed by the end of our walk.)

Here's my Dotti in front of the "Log Cabin," which appears to be a single room that could be used for events.

We took a quick detour to the top of the South Falls. The stream feeding the falls is behind Al in this picture. Once again the map is out, and the highlighter is in hand.

The bridge in the background leads to a path to the parking lot and some addition restrooms. The South Fork Silver Creek flowing by is about to have a sudden drop over the South Falls.

Down at the bottom, over this precipice, you can see all of the water droplets exiting the South Falls ride, continuing on along the South Fork Silver Creek water bed, no doubt they are discussing with each other how cool the last ride was. The bridge below we will be arriving at soon, though we will not actually cross it. Our Canyon Trail extends off the top of this picture to the north.

This tree set caught our attention. From a single base there had sprung six trees, all of which are visible in this picture! (There are two thin trees in front, with 4 larger trees behind but staggered, as if posing for the picture like Al is.)

As I was saying… I was wearing my DWLZ.com hat, which was put to a lot of use whenever the rain cut loose during out walk. I would hold my hat out over Dotti's camera when she was shooting a picture in the rain, keeping it dry.

This tree had requested of us to not be hasty and to stop and take his picture. We naturally obliged him. He couldn't smile, but we got him to wave to the camera with his lower limb.

There she is! Way over on the rock trail standing about halfway between the falls and the tree on the left.

I had caught up with her just under the falls and looking out over the valley where the South Fork Silver Creek flows away from the South Falls, the first of the nine falls that we were going to see this day.

Looking north down the creek.

Al checking the map again.

Here is the bridge we saw from the top of the falls, with Dotti looking back at me.

Down the creek things are still looking beautiful.

The next falls we saw was the Lower South Falls, and it was less than a mile away from the South Falls.

All 93 feet of the South Falls. The water droplets hardly get settled down from the last drop before they hit the next one!

Al waving to Dotti from behind the Lower South Falls.

Al took this picture from behind the Lower South Falls looking at Dotti, who was waiting to take the picture of Al above. Notice that even though we got a fairly early start that morning, and the weather was supposed to be iffy at best, there were quite a few people on the trail already.

The rock protrusion where part of the falls strike first, before cascading on down into the drop pool.

Dotti behind the falls.

On the path to the Lower North Falls. We have changed streams at this point. Behind us, and off the path we were walking, the South Fork Silver Creek joined the North Fork Silver Creek and they continued to the northwest as the Silver Creek. We cut to the east, joined up with the North Fork Silver Creek, and headed upstream.

We have crossed the North Fork Silver Creek, and are now walking parallel to the south bank. Across the creek, as you can see, there was a little unnamed falls.

Here we are at that Lower North Falls, which drop 30 feet.

Looking back down the Lower North Falls.

After a short walk, we came to path, leading off the main trail, heading to the 178 feet tall Double Falls. This sign is really something. It has been in place for along time, is weathered, and it is covered with moss. The name of the falls is barely legible.

This is the sign on the main trail pointing out the Double Falls, 0.1 miles away.

On the Drake Falls viewing platform, here is my love Dotti, hair and jacket wet from the rain, but smiling brightly!

Only 0.2 of a mile farther and we were at the Middle North Falls, which drops 106 feet.

Here Al is standing the bridge, which is just about at the halfway point for our hike, and which leads to a shortcut which will close the loop back to the lodge in only 5.1 miles and that runs past the Winter Falls, which is the only one of the 10 major falls we did not get to see. Our path leads off to the left.

Dotti on the path, surrounded by giants (whose attention was fortunately elsewhere).

Twin Falls: The Sign.

The North Fork Silver Creek dropping a few feet in a very attractive way.

Queen of the mountain, or at least the huge redwood stump!

Here was a tricky bit of the trail where a tree was reaching out to grab us with its two arms that you can see. Fortunately, we were too hasty for it though.

I don't know what it was but these two trees at that center of this picture reminded me of two sailors coming back from liberty, after having a few too many beers. The back one has lost his balance and fallen against his drinking buddy, who is staggering as well.

Al standing near the entrance to the "cave" below North Falls. It is amazing how much rock has been excavated.

Al in the cave, with the North Falls in the background.

Here is the item that I was mentioning before. The cast of old trees was captured, 15 million years ago, according to the geologists. Lava flowed into a forest, and surrounded the trees. The trees naturally died, but they held their shape until the lava cooled enough to set. A cast was thereby made of the trees. Not only was the shape of the trees captured, but even some of the carbon from the burning process of the tree was trapped inside the lava. That is very interesting, but I have seen this before, at Mt. St. Helens. What is unique is that the casts of the trees, destroyed so long ago are now exposed by the excavation of the stone by the waterfalls, and the casts are visible IN THE CEILING of the cave. That is why the man in the earlier picture was looking up.

The North Falls from the other side.

Looking down at the North Falls.

On the path to the top of North Falls. Dotti, camera in hand, is enjoying the walk, and the scenery.

The path heading towards the Upper North Falls.

The Upper North Falls dropping 65 feet, is the 9th falls that we have visited today. The path leading to this falls was 0.2 miles long, and was technically off the loop, but was definitely worth the visit. On the right you can just see Al's red coat and white shoes.

A down stream view of the North Fork Silver Creek. On the left, above the stone steps you can see Dotti standing there.

Dotti in front of the Upper North Falls.

At various point along the path, they had cut a stump or fallen tree into a chair. Here is one of those chairs, with my Dotti modeling it. It was not easy finding a dry spot on the chair after all the rain we had that morning.

I used my ball cap again to cover Dotti's camera as she snapped this picture of the North Falls. Even from a distance it is an impressive site. The road ran above us at this point, and there was a parking lot where people were stopped to catch this view.

After walking 7.5 miles we were ready for a rest. We hit the Lodge at the South Falls parking lot. Hanging on the wall were pictures of all the falls. I had to catch a shot of the one we missed.

Dotti, with her walking stick in one hand, and a few brochures for our scrap book in the other. She seems happy to be finished and heading back to the car.

The sun had come out and was hitting all the rain water on the ground and vaporizing it. It was just that kind of day for the weather.

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Dotti at the end of the hike.