Sweet Creek
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Also known as: Sweetwater Falls Gorge.
The exploration of this location has not yet been documented All information is unverified estimation | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| | Raps:1-3, max ↨70ft
Red Tape:No permit required Shuttle:Optional 5min Vehicle:Passenger | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Best season: | Mar-June (avg for this region)
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43.9418, -123.9013
43.9579, -123.9022
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Introduction[edit]
A nice, relatively not-that-technical creek in Siuslaw National Forest.
- Watershed: 15.2mi^2. Sweet Creek may sport high water early in the sesaon. Highest point in the drainage is about 2250ft elevation.
- Please update the beta if you run this creek.
Approach[edit]
From Eugene, take SR 126 west almost to Mapleton, then turn south/left on Sweet Creek Rd. (This is 0.2mi east of the junction of SR 126 and US-36.). Cross the river, go 4.5mi and bear left. Sweet Creek Rd becomes FR 48. Continue on FR 48:
- At 5.8mi, reach the Homestead Trailhead, the first of four trailheads.
- At 6.4mi, reach the Sweet Creek Falls Trailhead.
- At 7.1mi, reach the Wagon Road Trailhead.
- At 7.3mi, reach a junction and turn left on FR 939. Continue 0.5mi to the Beaver Falls Trailhead.
Link: Map of the trailheads in the area.
Descent[edit]
The creek has eleven waterfalls ranging from 5ft to 75ft tall. Many of them can be downclimbed. The creek frequently flows over bedrock and can be slippery. There are two points of special interest:
- Sweet Creek Falls: It's about 1.2mi from the Homestead Trailhead and has a vewing platform. The trial fords the creek below the falls and continues upstream on the west side. The falls is about 35ft into a deep pool, followed by two shorter drops. Rappel from a tree DCR set some distance back. Rappelling the chute directly may not be safe per a chockstone creating a sieve-like obstruction. This is a high-tourist area, so please do not leave fixed anchors. Below the pool, downclimb DCL on slippery rock. (alternately you could rappel from a short tree DCR.)
- Elk Wallow Gorge: The trail here becomes a catwalk which is bolted to the canyon walls. A tributary, Elk Wallow Creek, enters Sweet Creek in the Gorge - the waterfall is known as Annice Falls (35ft). This area is adjacent to the Sweet Creek Trailhead.
Other Notes:
- Per LIDAR, the best section looks to be starting just above Sweet Creek Falls and exiting at the Homestead Trail.
- Beaver Creek Falls is a small scenic waterfall at the confluence of Sweet Creek and Beaver Creek. It may not be worth your time.
Exit[edit]
Follow the trail back to your car.
Red tape[edit]
A Northwest Forest Pass may be required for parking (?).
Beta sites[edit]
CanyoneeringNorthwest.com (archive.org) : Sweet Creek- SummitPost.org : Sweetwater Falls Gorge
- Oregon Hikers - Sweet Creek Hike