Hike to Toketee Falls – Heaven on Earth
The state of Oregon is blessed with some amazing hiking trails. There is always something to discover in Oregon. For example, you have the incredibly beautiful Wahclella Falls along the Columbia River Gorge. One of the most beautiful areas in Oregon is Douglas County. It is in this county that you have the much fabled Toketee Falls. This particular fall is known far and wide for its beautiful columnar basalt formation that frames the two stepped fall.
The fall is formed by the carving out of a gorge of the lava flow by the Northern Umpqua River. The waterfall is 113 feet in height. The first step of the fall is a 28-foot drop that falls into a large pool that is planked by a deep alcove. Then the waterfall drops a further 85 feet. Passionate hikers live to see such amazing, breathtaking views. If you love landscape photography, then the hike to Toketee Falls would give you some heavenly shots.
The hiking trail is around 800 meters, and it is fit for hikers of all skill levels, not just for those who have done intense backpacking. You can even take your kid or your dog on a hike to Toketee Falls. There are lots of amazing views on the trails, especially if you hit it during the summer or autumn months.
Like all other hiking trips, you would need a couple of things when you go hiking to Toketee Falls Oregon. Some of the things that you would need are
- A Pair of Good Hiking Shoes – New Balance Leadville v3 or similar
- Hiking Pants – Columbia or a similar brand
- Backpack- You should bring a good water resistant day pack
- Water
- Snacks
- Camera gear
Toketee Falls trailhead. (43.263998, -122.425628)
The Toketee Falls trailhead starts at the Umpqua National Park. The nearest city is Roseburg. The waterfall is located about 58 miles east of Roseburg, near Oregon Route 138. Once you are at the park, it would not be that hard to locate the Toketee Falls trailhead. One of biggest features is the massive pipe that carries most of the water from the Umpqua River. This is the thing that marks the Toketee Falls trailhead.
The hiking trail is well marked and there are not many hazards that you need to navigate through. This reduces the time taken to trek the entire trail. However, you should factor in more time. This is because you would be stopping a lot on the way to admire the view!
There are some campsites where you can put up camp near the hike to Toketee Falls in Oregon. The nearest being the Toketee Lake Camp Ground, which is just a mile away. There are other camping sites like the Boulder Flat campground and the Eagle Rock campground, but both of them are over 10 miles away. So, it’s better to look a spot at Toketee campground.
There are other interesting spots that you can visit and see near the hike to Toketee Falls. The nearest is Watson Falls. You can also visit the Umpqua Hot Springs or the Twin Lakes, as they are quite close to Toketee Falls Oregon.
Although this hike is rather safe, you still need to take some precautions. Getting down at the alcove might be tempting. If you are afraid of heights and do not want to get your hands and butt dirty, you should avoid it because it is not for the faint of heart. I decided to go through the fence which was already cut open to get down to the base of the waterfall. The view from the viewpoint is still nice though. Just some things to think about while you’re hiking to Toketee Falls. Choose whatever you feel you are comfortable with.
Enjoy your hike to this divine spot, and you would discover some great stuff on the road, as I did!
