Drift Creek Falls is a 66-foot plunge waterfall on North Fork Drift Creek in the Siuslaw National Forest, Lincoln County, Oregon, east of Lincoln City in the Coast Range. The trail to it crosses a 240-foot suspension bridge hung about 100 feet above the canyon floor, with the falls pouring into the gorge just upstream.
The falls
North Fork Drift Creek leaves a narrow bedrock chute and drops in a single leap of 66 feet, about 8 feet wide, into the Drift Creek canyon. In August 2010 a large section of the cliff broke away and fell into the canyon, changing the look of the falls; the collapse may also have changed the height, and debris still lines the streambed. The rockfall exposed columns of basalt in the cliff face.
Getting there
The trailhead is about 16 miles east of Lincoln City in the Siuslaw National Forest, 15.8 miles by road via South Drift Creek Road and Forest Road 17; the route from Highway 101 is paved the whole way. The lot holds about 20 cars and has a pit toilet. Parking requires a $5 day-use fee or a Northwest Forest Pass.
The hike is 3 miles round trip with 525 feet of gain and is rated easy. The trail descends on the way in, so the climbing comes on the return. The suspension bridge is about a mile along, and the path continues past it down to a view of the falls.
When to go
The trail is open year-round. Flow is strongest in winter and spring; the creek can dwindle to almost nothing in the dry season, and Hike Oregon recommends December through April. Weekends draw medium to heavy use, while weekdays and late fall and winter are quieter.
On site
The bridge, 3 feet wide, looks straight across the canyon to the falls. Beyond it, a rough, poorly maintained path leads down toward the base. The boulders below the falls are wet and mossy; they are slippery and not for climbing. Dogs must be leashed, and bicycles are not allowed on the trail.
History and name
The Forest Service built the trail in the 1990s; the suspension bridge dates to 1997.
Nearby
Fowler Creek Falls is about 0.8 mile away, Echo Falls about 5.2 miles and Treat River Falls about 5.7 miles.
Distances are straight-line.