Silver Falls State Park, OR - May 2024
On our way to Bend, we took a brief detour to Silver Falls State Park, 20 miles east of Salem. Wow, it was nothing short of amazing! The falls were breathtaking and unique, a reminder of Oregon’s volcanic past and the ever-changing landscape.
The canyon's formation history begins around 26 million years ago during the Oligocene period when most of Oregon was underwater. After the ocean receded about 15 million years ago, flood basalt flows from the Columbia River Basalt Group covered the ancient ocean sandstone floor. Massive lava flows from volcanic eruptions in eastern Oregon, occurring 14-18 million years ago, blanketed the state, forming the geological features like these waterfalls we see today. Over time, rivers, erosion, and precipitation shaped the iconic falls that we now know as Silver Falls.
These dramatic falls are home to tons of interesting plants as well. Since I usually botanize the drier parts of the state, it was fun to find plants adapted to the wetter climate. Many of the plants in the photos below were growing out of the cliffs of the waterfalls and along the riverbanks of the park. One of the best parts of this area is that you can hike right under two of the waterfalls—it was so cool!
Tellima grandiflora
Rhododendron macrophyllum
Clintonia sibirica
Lysimachia latifolia
Tolmiea menziesii
Erythranthe guttata
Micranthes occidentalis
Adiantum aleuticum
Saxifraga mertensiana
Saxifraga mertensiana
Cardamine sp.
Erythranthe alsinoides
Dicentra formosa
Corydalis scouleri
Marah oregana
Ribes bracteosum
Hydrophyllum tenuipes
Delphinium trollifolium
Delphinium trollifolium
Plectritis congesta
Taxus brevifolia
Asarum caudatum
Lonicera ciliosa
Anemonastrum deltoideum
Camassia quamash
