Moon Falls is a 190-foot veiling horsetail waterfall on Alex Creek in the Umpqua National Forest, Lane County, Oregon. The creek spreads across a steep wall of basalt in the Layng Creek watershed, which supplies drinking water to Cottage Grove, and a short, easy trail leads to its base.
The falls
Alex Creek fans out over jagged basalt in a single drop about 40 feet wide. In-person surveys confirmed by lidar place the height at 190 feet, while earlier surveys recorded 100 feet and older agency guides gave 125. The wall leans back slightly from vertical, so from the base the falls look shorter than they are.
Getting there
The trailhead is in the Cottage Grove Ranger District, about 31 miles east of Cottage Grove. The approach route follows Layng Creek Road 17, then Roads 1790, 1702 and 1702-728 to spur 1702-203, where parking holds three or four vehicles. Forest access roads can be rough and potholed. The trail runs half a mile each way with gentle 5 to 10 percent grades, measuring 1.1 miles round trip with about 80 feet of gain on an easy grade. No permit is needed, and the trailhead has a picnic table but no toilet.
When to go
Flow is strongest in winter and spring, stays substantial into early July and dwindles to a trickle by late summer. March through June brings pleasant conditions, though muddy stretches are common on the trail in winter and early spring.
On site
The trail ends at the base of the falls. Rocks and logs near the creek are slippery, and loose rubble at the base makes a close approach awkward. Because Alex Creek is part of Cottage Grove's municipal watershed, swimming and camping are not allowed. Dogs are permitted on the trail.
History and name
The name is sometimes written as one word, Moonfalls.
Nearby
Spirit Falls, also on Alex Creek, is about 1.5 miles away, Silverstairs Falls about 1.6 miles, Pinard Falls about 1.8 miles and Layng Creek Falls about 2.7 miles.
Distances are straight-line.