“Do you think there’s time to check out Drift Creek Falls?” I asked.
It was the middle of January, and Bryan and I were on the way back to Portland from a weekend on the Oregon coast. We had found one of the elusive glass floats on the beach in Lincoln City, and were still feeling shocked from the unexpected success. Now I cradled the glass float in my hat as we took another curve on the winding road, concerned it might roll away and crack.
“Yeah, let’s go,” said Bryan.
The serpentine road to the Drift Creek Falls trailhead was edged with the usual hallmarks of winter—a smattering of fresh fir branches from a wind storm. But today was a calm, misty sort of day—perfect conditions for exploring this much-loved waterfall hike near Lincoln City.
In today’s post, I’ll share the highlights of the Drift Creek Falls hike and everything you need to know to visit this unique waterfall yourself.
What’s Unique about Drift Creek Falls?
The Northwest Waterfall Survey estimates Oregon has more than 1600 waterfalls. With so many waterfalls, there are falls of just about every kind imaginable. There are waterfalls you can walk behind, towering waterfalls plunging hundreds of feet, wide waterfalls with intricate fanning cascades, waterfalls you can swim below…and then there’s Drift Creek Falls.
Drift Creek Falls is unique in that a suspension footbridge spans the cliffs on either side of the waterfall, giving hikers a closeup view of Drift Creek Falls plunging down the cliffs to the creek below. After crossing the suspension bridge, the trail continues to the level of the stream below, providing a closeup view of the waterfall from below.
Drift Creek Falls Suspension Bridge
The Drift Creek Falls suspension bridge would be a cool bridge anywhere, something that would fit in at an Ewok Village or the Swiss Family Robinson treehouse. But placed right next to the waterfall, the bridge creates a truly special way for hikers to experience Drift Creek Falls.
Per the US Forest Service, the Drift Creek Falls suspension bridge is 240 feet long and 100 feet high. If you’re wondering how the supplies for a bridge of this size got down a narrow hiking trail—they were actually delivered by a helicopter!
The story of the footbridge is a sad one. The bridge was built in 1997, but per the Statesman Journal, the project actually began a few years before. Tragically, the original bridge engineer died in a construction accident during the bridge-building project, and a few years passed before the project was begun again. The bridge is now dedicated to Scott Paul, the bridge engineer who died in its construction.
Drift Creek Falls Trailhead
Located in the Siuslaw National Forest in Oregon’s Coast Range, the trailhead is about 40 minutes’ drive from Lincoln City or about 2 hours’ drive from Portland. Since the road to the trailhead is narrow and curvy, it isn’t a great fit for anyone who gets motion sickness. Otherwise, just secure all those loose water bottles (and glass floats!) as you take on bend after bend in the road.
You’ll need a recreation pass to park at the trailhead. Accepted passes include the America the Beautiful interagency pass, the Northwest Forest Pass, or a one-time day pass. A heads-up that, per the US Forest Service, you can’t currently purchase a day pass on site…so you’ll need to buy one online in advance if you don’t have an annual pass. It would be unfortunate to drive all the way to the trailhead only to find you can’t park!
Drift Creek Falls Trail Length & Difficulty
The Drift Creek Falls hike is an out-and-back trail that’s 3.2 miles altogether. The first half of the hike travels downhill to the falls. The forest here looks young and potentially logged in the last 50 years. But, the exceptional level of moss on those spindly trees makes the trail very striking. Puffy moss cushions old cedar stumps. Short, stubby moss clings to the bark on tree trunks. Perhaps most striking of all, stringy moss hangs like green holiday tinsel from seemingly every branch.
The fir branches we’d seen lining the road had alluded to recent storms, and those storms became more evident as we hiked further along the trail. Several mid-size trees were down across the trail, creating minor obstacles to clamber across. In case tree-clambering is an issue for your group, I’d recommend checking recent trip reports on the Drift Creek Falls page on AllTrails before you go.
While the Drift Creek Falls hike isn’t long or strenuous, all that delightful downhill in the first half results in an entirely uphill hike on the way back. I suppose it’s a better workout this way. On the way to the falls, you can enjoy the scenery on a leisurely stroll down the hill. And on the way back, you can get your interval training.
Make sure to leave enough time to linger at the Drift Creek Falls suspension bridge and check out the waterfall and canyon views. We caught it in the misty early evening light, with fog hanging low in the canyon on either side of the bridge.
The bridge has high railings for safety, but if anyone in your group is afraid of heights, the bridge may be an issue.
When to Hike Drift Creek Falls
Drift Creek Falls is a great year-round hiking option, including in winter (though check the weather before you go for any ice or active wind storms). There may be some storm damage on the trail, which is more likely in the cool season. The photos shown here are from January 17th.
Other Adventures Near Drift Creek Falls
If you have a few days, I’d recommend checking out these other things to do in Lincoln City after hiking Drift Creek Falls:
-
Harry Potter-Themed Cafe in Lincoln City
The Cheeky Cauldron is a great place to stop for a pumpkin juice or a butterbeer after a day of hiking!
-
Glass Float Treasure Hunt in Lincoln City
Lincoln City hides blown-glass floats daily along their seven miles of beaches for visitors to find. If you find one, you can keep it! We found one after a 3-day search and put together this post to share tips & tricks.
Lincoln City is a great place to look for sea creatures in the tide pools. This post shares everything you need to know to find the tide pools and to visit at the right time of day.
Hiking to God’s Thumb feels like hiking to the edge of the world. After a coastal forest hike, the destination is a dramatic windswept headland overlooking the ocean.
The Cascade Head hike travels through an old-growth forest of towering spruce trees before opening onto high meadows with spectacular ocean views.
Thanks for joining us at Drift Creek Falls! Happy hiking.
One response to “Everything You Need to Know about Drift Creek Falls”
[…] Everything You Need to Know about Drift Creek Falls – Adventures PNW […]