Best Oregon Waterfalls for Bird-Lovers

Best Oregon waterfalls for bird-lovers

Bring out the hiking boots and binoculars, pack your bags and begin your Oregon waterfall and birdwatching adventure at an Oregon Bed and Breakfast.

Oregon has more than 238 waterfalls across the state (and 1,000+ according to the Northwest Waterfalls Survey).And the habitats surrounding them are diverse and welcoming to many species of birds.

Tamanawas Falls (#18) is a plunge waterfall on the east slope of Mount Hood, along Cold Spring Creek. A riparian habitat and mature mixed-conifer forest surrounds the trail to Tamanawas Falls. Nesting Harlequin Ducks. American Dipper and Belted Kingfisher are common along the creek. Songbirds such as Yellow-rumped and Townsend’s Warbler, and Ruby-crowned Kinglet migrate through the Hood River’s east fork..

The member inns in the Mt Hood and the Gorge Region of the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild are here to accommodate you.

Silver Falls State Park (#36) Enjoy the best of bird watching in Silver Falls State Park while hiking the Trail of 10 Falls. In Oregon’s largest State Park the best remaining low-elevation, old growth conifer forest create home for a variety of owls: Northern Spotted, Great Gray, Barred, Northern Pygmy, Western Screech, and Northern Saw-whet Owls have been observed. Other birds you might find include Blue Grouse, Ruffed Grouse, Pileated Woodpecker, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Hammond’s and Pacific-slope Flycatchers, American Dipper, Varied and Swainson’s Thrushes, Hermit Warbler, Western Tanager, and Band-tailed Pigeon

Start your day at one of 14 bed and breakfasts in the Willamette Valley before heading out on a day trip to Silver Falls State Park, the “crown jewel” of the Oregon State Parks system.

McKay Crossing Falls (#60) Lodgepole pine forest on Paulina Creek; nesting Green-tailed Towhee, American Dipper, Common Nighthawk, Vesper Sparrow. Head upstream to Paulina Creek Falls (#61)

Although there isn’t a waterfall on the property WildSpring Guest Habitat is a birding site on the Oregon Coast Birding Trail and certified wild animal habitat by The Wildlife Federation. Day trip out to Secret Beach Falls (#65), Golden Falls (#54) and Elk Creek Falls (#62)

Toketee Falls and other Umpqua River Highway Waterfalls (#55) along The Rogue – Umpqua Scenic Byway, known as the ‘highway of waterfalls’. Douglas Fir forests surrounding water and riparian habitats along the two storied rivers, good for spring migrant songbirds such as Lazuli Bunting, Chipping Sparrow, Black-headed Grosbeak, and Purple and Cassin’s Finches; lake and riparian areas support breeding Common Merganser, Wood Duck, Willow Flycatcher, and Yellow Warbler.

Start your day at C.H. Bailey House and take your boots off at the Prospect Hotel. From Prospect head around Crater Lake to Klamath Falls (#66) The murmur of thousands of snow geese will mesmerize as they settle to rest in the tule marshes of the Klamath Basin. The Klamath Basin is renowned for its wide diversity and abundance of bird life due to its diverse habitats including marshes, open water, coniferous forest, Juniper woodlands, oak-chaparral, sagebrush-grasslands, grassy meadow and rocky cliffs.

The Oregon trail of Waterfalls represents countless hours, many sketches, and endless conversations to help make your next Oregon road trip one to remember. We look forward to seeing you soon. Please complete the form below to receive your free limited edition map now, while supplies last! If you prefer to view a digital version of the map or if you’re outside the U.S. or Canada, click here.