Munson Creek Falls State Natural Area

At 319 feet, the basalt cliff of Munson Creek Falls is the tallest waterfall in Oregon’s Coast Range.  The park is also home to the second tallest Sitka spruce in the world, a 260-foot behemoth that is eight feet in diameter.  It is easy to access this short hike that will take you through a small patch of old-growth forest that features not only giant Sitka spruce, but also western red cedar, Douglas fir, big leaf maple and red alder.  Unfortunately, much of the outlying scenery is marred by excessive clear cutting that has felled amazing forest habitats right up to the park’s small boundary.  It wasn’t until 1998 that a partnership between The River Conservancy (a Portland-based environmental group), Simpson Timber, and the Paul G. Allen Forest Protection Foundation created the state park, protecting the remaining 61 acres that surround this natural treasure.