Dillon Falls is a 15-foot cascade on the Deschutes River in Deschutes County, Oregon, southwest of Bend in the Deschutes National Forest. The drop itself is short, but it pours into a long run of violent rapids through a gorge.
The falls
The Deschutes, a spring-fed river that runs all year, slides over a single drop about 50 feet wide at the head of the gorge, then churns through a series of rapids below. The main drop measures 15 feet; some descriptions give about 65 feet over one-third mile by including the rapids. The falls are hard to see well, and with no crossing nearby, they can only be viewed from one bank.
Getting there
From Bend, take the Cascade Lakes Highway west, turn onto Forest Road 41 and then Road 600 to the Dillon Falls day-use area. The overlook is 0.3 mile from the parking area, and a trail continues downstream along the rim of the gorge. Parking costs $5 per day from May 1 to September 30; the Northwest Forest Pass and America the Beautiful Pass are accepted, and passes should be bought before arrival.
When to go
Because the river is spring-fed, the falls run year-round. Visit Central Oregon recommends April through November and notes that late winter and early spring are quieter.
On site
The day-use area has a restroom, picnic facilities and a boat ramp. Dogs must be leashed at the trailhead year-round and on the trail from May 15 to September 15. The river here is deadly: on July 19, 2025, a group of six friends was swept over the falls, and three of them died; the last was found downstream at Lava Island Falls on August 27. The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office urges river users to know their take-out, obey posted warnings and wear a life jacket.
History and name
The falls are named for Leander Dillon, who homesteaded nearby on timber claims in 1906 and died in a fire in Prineville in 1907.
Nearby
Benham Falls, also on the Deschutes, is about 1.3 miles away, and Upper Deschutes River Falls about 1.5 miles. Tumalo Falls, on Tumalo Creek west of Bend, is about 9.3 miles away.
Distances are straight-line.