Blog  >  TAILS TO TRAILS: Dog-Friendly Waterfall Hiking Trails in Oregon for You and Your Pup

TAILS TO TRAILS: Dog-Friendly Waterfall Hiking Trails in Oregon for You and Your Pup

July 13, 2021 • Travel

Photo credit to Mary Pelligrini
 
This vacation season, leave no pup behind! The Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild (OBBG) has created a huge, printed, doodle map showcasing the state’s best waterfalls as a way to encourage regional travel to its top destinations and call attention to its B&Bs. The innkeepers, all of which are hyperlocal connoisseurs, have ear-marked the best waterfalls for hiking with your pup.

 

Listed below are the best Oregon waterfalls for hiking with your dog, arranged by region. Remember to grab a leash – dogs are allowed to use these trails but must be tethered. Make sure to request a free copy of the limited edition The Oregon Trail of Waterfalls map, so you may take the map with you on your hikes and more easily keep your footing. The W# beside each waterfall refers to the waterfall number on the map. You may also view a digital version of the map online now. When you go, plan to stay nearby with your dog at Old Parkdale Inn in Mt Hood; the motel at the Prospect Historic Hotel-Motel & Dinner House in Prospect; and C.H. Bailey House in Roseburg; as these are pet-friendly, top-rated, OBBG accommodations.
 
 
Oregon Dog Friendly Waterfalls to Hike to in Willamette Valley:

 

·      Alsea Falls and Green Peak Falls Trail
Alsea Falls (W42) is the namesake and the first of two cascades on the Alsea Falls and Green Peak Falls Trail (W41). These two waterfalls are stunning, quick, and easy to reach with a 2.4-mile out-and-back trail. It’s a good year-round trail for all skill levels. Leashed dogs are welcome!
·      Sahalie Falls and Koosah Falls
Sahalie Falls (W46) is the first and tallest of three waterfalls on the roaring McKenzie River. It plunges about 100 feet over a naturally formed lava dam. Koosah Falls (W47), aka Middle Falls, is the second of the three major waterfalls of the McKenzie River, in the center of the Willamette National Forest. The waterfall plunges into a pool, south of Santiam Pass, a renowned 4,817-foot mountain pass in the Cascade Range. The waterfalls are part of a 2+ mile hike along a loop trail near Cascadia, Oregon, and features a beautiful lake.  It’s a good year-round trail for all skill levels. Visit with time to make the most of the McKenzie River National Recreation Trail and other wag-worthy activities. Leashed dogs are welcome!
·      Lower Kentucky Falls and Upper Kentucky Falls
Upper Kentucky Falls (W52): is the first of three spectacular waterfalls on the Kentucky Falls Trailhead, a 3.7-mile moderate out-and-bike hike. About 2-miles after Upper Kentucky Falls you’ll see an old growth forest and spectacular twin falls plunging 100 feet, they are: Lower Kentucky Falls (W51) and North Fork of the Smith Falls. The area is also popular with bird-watchers, so grab your binoculars and prepare for spectacular adventure. Leashed dogs are welcome!

 

Oregon Dog Friendly Waterfalls to Hike to in the Coast region:

 

·      Drift Creek Falls
A 240-foot suspension bridge (the longest in all of Oregon!) crosses the canyon beside the 8-ft falls at Drift Creek Falls (W34), making this waterfall an excursion unlike any other. This is a busy 3.2-mile out-and-back trail that’s open year-round near Lincoln City. Leashed dogs are welcome!
·      Hug Point Falls
Hug Point Falls (W3) sits at a beach and is surrounded by several caves. It’s a little over a mile on an out-and-back trail and open year-round. Great for all skill levels. Leashed dogs are welcome!
·      Secret Beach Falls
Shh... Secret Beach Falls (W65) is called a secret because it's hard to find but here's a tip: Tucked into the northern-most end where the Oregon Coast Trail squishes between the road and the overlook to Thunder Rock Cove, you'll find a nearby trail that leads to a small beach with a waterfall. Roughly a mile-and-a-half, this moderate out-and-back trail is popular with bird watchers and best used between March and October. Leashed dogs are welcome!

 

Oregon Dog Friendly Waterfalls to Hike to in Southern Oregon:

 

·      Toketee Falls
Toketee Falls (W55) is one of the five waterfalls that make up the Umpqua River Highway Waterfalls. It’s about a half-mile out-and-back trail near Idleyld Park where picnic benches are plentiful. Leashed dogs are welcome! Stay nearby with your dog at C.H. Bailey House in Roseburg and Prospect Historic Hotel-Motel & Dinner House in Prospect.
·      Rogue River Gorge Falls
At the head you'll find Rogue River Gorge Falls (W63) right where the river splits around volcanic rock. The view is stunning and made even better by the surrounding forest. The Rogue Gorge Trail is a 0.3-mile moderate loop that’s good for all skill levels. Leashed dogs are welcome! Stay nearby with your dog at the motel of the Prospect Historic Hotel-Motel & Dinner House in Prospect.
·      Pearsony Falls
Pearsony Falls (W64) is one of four falls that make up Prospect Waterfalls, which also include Barr Creek Falls, Prospect Falls, and Mill Creek Falls. This series of cascades follow the Rogue River just outside the town of Prospect. The river drops and ricochets until it hits a stretch of boulders. There is a 1.2-mile out-and-back trail that’s good for all skill levels. The trail is best trekked between April and September. Leashed dogs are welcome! Stay nearby with your dog at C.H. Bailey House in Roseburg and the motel of the Prospect Historic Hotel-Motel & Dinner House.

 

Oregon Dog Friendly Waterfalls to Hike to in Central and Eastern Oregon:

 

·      Benham Falls
Benham Falls (W58) are the largest falls on the upper Deschutes River. Unlike the other falls the area, Benham Falls is not related to a lava flow. It is a free-form cascade in its own right and you’ll come to it along the Benham Falls Trail. It’s a 1.5-mile out-and-back trail near Bend that’s open year-round and good for all skill levels. Leashed dogs are welcome!

 

·      BC Creek Falls
Located near Wallowa State Park, the BC Creek Falls (W26) lies within the Chief Joseph Mountain Trail, approximately an 8-mile out-and-back trail near Joseph. In less than 3-miles on the trail you’ll find two rivers and Wallowa Lake views, in addition to the falls. Leashed dogs are welcome!

 

 

Oregon Dog Friendly Waterfalls to Hike to in Mt Hood and The Gorge:
·      Tamanawas Falls
Bring your binoculars and prepare to see a lot of birds on your way to Tamanawas Falls (W18)!
The falls are AMAZING at 100 feet high and 40 feet wide. The trailhead footbridge is the midpoint of a 8-mile stretch of the East Fork of the Hood River hosting nesting Harlequin Ducks. The moderate 3.4-mile out-and-backed trail is best used between May and October. Leashed dogs are welcome! Stay nearby with your dog at Old Parkdale Inn.

 

·      Starvation Creek Falls
This waterfall is an anomaly in that it's a manmade waterfall! Highway crews created tunnel through the rock to divert Warren Creek here in the 2930s and solve an issue with the creek and the highway. The water shoots out from a long tunnel and, well, falls... creating Starvation Creek Falls (W13). The falls are on a 0.2-mile out-and-back trail near Hood River. After you see it, keep going west, you’ll pass Cabin Creek Falls, Hole-in-the-Wall Falls, and Lancaster Falls  to reach a jaw-dropping view of the Gorge. Leashed dogs are welcome! Stay nearby with your dog at Old Parkdale Inn.

 

·      Ramona Falls
Ramona Falls (W17) is a shaded waterfall is in a forest along the Pacific Crest Trail on the upper Sandy River -- on the west side of Mount Hood. The falls are about 120-feet tall, consisting of a wall of cascades. You’ll see them on a moderate 7-mile loop trail that’s best used between May and October. Leashed dogs are welcome! Stay nearby with your dog at Old Parkdale Inn.

 

Photo credit to Mary Pelligrini
 
The Oregon Trail of Waterfalls, which lists all of the above waterfalls and 70+ more, is a limited edition, double-sided map illustrated by artist Victoria Buchkova. Each map will be carefully folded and mailed free-of-charge to travelers upon request, while supplies last.

 

The front of the map features must-see waterfalls across the state of Oregon, as well as nearby bed and breakfasts where one can reserve a room and stay. The B&Bs and waterfalls are in color, the remaining landmarks and terrain are in black and white, to afford adults an unexpected moment of quiet, and the opportunity to envision their own adventure and color their course.

 

The back on the map highlights various bits of information, like the many Oregon food trails, Instagram-worthy drives, popular in-state movie spots, and scenic bikeways – Oregon has the only Scenic Bikeway program in the United States with 17 routes that pedal across desert highways, geological wonders, and by the sea.

 

The B&Bs are clearly marked on the map in relation to the waterfalls, wineries, bikeways and byways, eliminating any guess work by first time travelers. Each participating bed and breakfast is part of the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild and is meticulously inspected for cleanliness, sanitation, insurance, and licensing. All of the B&Bs have nine rooms or less, reducing potential risk to travelers and maximizing the attention to detail.
 

 

For more information on The Oregon Trail of Waterfalls, to reserve a room, or to request your free map visit www.oregontraoilofwaterfalls.com.

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