Salmon Falls

Few places offer a better escape from the summer heat than the Opal Creek Wilderness.  In fact, if you don’t mind the company of other visitors, the crystal clear waters of the Little North Santiam River provide the best swimming holes in the state.  If you are on your way to Opal Creek or Three Pools, stop off at Salmon Falls to take the big 22-foot plunge off of the concrete fish ladder on the south side of the falls.  If you are just looking to bask in the sun for an afternoon, venture up the river from the falls and find a spot anywhere along the river’s sunny banks.