Alsea Falls Recreation Area (32 miles from Corvallis)

Forest Service recreation area with a parking fee. The forested park lies along the scenic South Fork Alsea River, with the lovely cascading falls at the day use area. The river was named after the native Alsi tribe.

A brochure of the recreation area is available at:

http://www.blm.gov/or/resources/recreation/files/brochures/Alsea_Falls_Rec_Site.pdf

Picnic area: Open May 1 to Oct 31. There is a well maintained, spacious parking area. A number of concrete picnic tables are scattered in the Coastal Range forest beside the falls on the Alsea River. Grills are provided at most of the tables.

Restrooms: Vault toilets, water faucets, plenty of trash cans

Hiking trails: well-maintained trails run above and below the falls, with wooden bridges across the river. Caution: poison oak grows in the forest understory.

Swimming: There is a nice pool for dipping below the falls. Caution: Be careful on slippery rocks beside the river.

Pets: Dogs must leashed

Birding: Look and listen for coastal forest birds, gray jays frequent the picnic area in hopes of food scraps.

Camping: small campground just east of the picnic area

Getting there: There are two ways to go:

1) 30.2 miles Take Hwy 99 W toward Monroe for 16 miles, at about a mile before Monroe, turn right onto Alpine Rd (toward Alpine and Alsea Falls). If you miss the turn, go 0.6 miles to Alpine Cutoff Road, turn right, and follow the road to Alpine Rd, turn left to go toward Alsea Falls, about 14 miles. Alpine Road turns into South Fork Rd about 4 miles past the community of Alpine. This low-traffic road is narrow and curvy, tunneling through dense stands of Douglas fir and big-leaf maple. Turn right into the Alsea Falls picnic area just past the campground.

2) 32.6 miles Go west out of Corvallis toward Philomath on Hwy 20/OR-34. Go through Philomath, and just outside of town, turn left onto OR-34/Alsea Hwy. You will go up the curvy road toward Mary’s Peak, and past Mary’s Peak Road. At about 17 miles from Hwy 20, turn left onto OR-501/Alsea-Deadwood Hwy. Take the second left (about 1 mile) onto South Fork Road. Take the first right to stay on South Fork Road. Continue for about 7 miles to Alsea Falls.

You could make this a scenic round trip by going to Alsea Falls via Hyw 99, and coming back by Hwy 34.