Lower Crater Creek Falls is an 85-foot waterfall on Crater Creek in Deschutes County, Oregon, in the Cascades region. It lies about 17.3 miles northwest of Sunriver and roughly 19.4 miles west of Bend as the crow flies.
At 85 feet it is taller than the typical Oregon waterfall of about 54 feet, ranking 134th of 425 with a recorded height. By form it is a veiling waterfall, a thin sheet of water spread over the rock face, combined with a horsetail character.
The Cascades are a high volcanic range of snow-capped peaks, deep glacial valleys and dense conifer forest of Douglas fir, western hemlock and true firs, with abundant rain and snow on the western slopes. Basalt cliffs and lava flows give the region one of the highest concentrations of waterfalls in the country. Crater Creek carries 5 recorded waterfalls, and Lower Crater Creek Falls is the tallest of them.
Deschutes County holds 62 recorded waterfalls, and several are close by. Crater Creek Cascades, a 67-foot tiered cascade waterfall, is under a mile away. Middle Crater Creek Falls, a 52-foot horsetail waterfall, is under a mile away. Crater Creek Falls, an 81-foot tiered plunge waterfall, is under a mile away.
Lower Crater Creek Falls is located at 44.0443° N, 121.7060° W. The listing is based on the World Waterfall Database, one of the sources compiled by the U.S. Geological Survey in its inventory of waterfalls and rapids of the conterminous United States. The creek name is confirmed against the federal Geographic Names Information System. The position was verified on aerial imagery. Details on trails, parking and access have not been documented for this waterfall yet.