Overview

• Location: Lane County, McKenzie River corridor (near Blue River)

• Waterfall Type: Plunge

• Height: ~100 feet (30 m)

• Trail Distance: Short walk from roadside; approximately 0.1 miles

• Difficulty: Easy

• Best Time to Visit: Year-round; best flow fall through spring

History & Background

Terwilliger Falls is a dramatic 100-foot roadside plunge visible from Highway 126 in the McKenzie River corridor near Blue River. At 100 feet, it is one of the more impressive roadside falls on the lower McKenzie — a significant plunge accessible without any real hiking. The McKenzie River corridor below McKenzie Bridge was severely affected by the 2020 Holiday Farm Fire, which burned over 170,000 acres and destroyed hundreds of homes between Blue River and McKenzie Bridge. Many residents refer to the falls as a landmark on the recovering lower McKenzie, and the dramatic backdrop of fire-altered forest now frames the falls with a different character than before. The Terwilliger name refers to an early settler family of the McKenzie Valley.

Geology

Terwilliger Falls plunges 100 feet over a basaltic cliff at approximately 1,400 feet elevation in the McKenzie River watershed. The falls flow on a small tributary descending steeply from the forested Cascade foothills above the highway. The 2020 Holiday Farm Fire burned much of the surrounding forest, creating the more open landscape now visible around the falls from the highway. The falls themselves were unaffected by the fire, continuing to plunge year-round from the forested highlands above.

Directions & Access

• Nearest City: Blue River, OR (~2 miles west); McKenzie Bridge, OR (~8 miles east)

• Trail Information:

  • Short walk from a roadside pullout on Highway 126 in the McKenzie River corridor near Blue River; the falls are visible from or very near the road

  • Terwilliger Falls is easily combined with other McKenzie corridor stops including Proxy Falls, Tamolitch/Blue Pool, and the McKenzie River National Recreation Trail; check 2020 Holiday Farm Fire recovery conditions

• Parking:

  • Roadside pullout on Highway 126; no fee

• Accessibility:

  • Short, essentially flat access from the roadside; generally accessible for most visitors

Best Time to Visit

• Spring: Best flows; post-fire recovery wildflowers bloom alongside the falls

• Summer: Lower flows; the fire-recovery landscape visible with open canopy

• Fall: Flows returning with October rains; fall color in the recovering forest

• Winter: High flows; road access open on Hwy 126 year-round

Nearby Attractions

• Blue River, Oregon

• Tamolitch Falls/Blue Pool (~10 miles east)

• Proxy Falls (~18 miles east)

• McKenzie River National Recreation Trail

• Belknap Hot Springs (~15 miles east)

References

• Links:

  • Willamette National Forest – USFS

  • Travel Oregon – McKenzie River

• Books:

  • Oregon Waterfalls by Greg Plumb

  • Waterfall Lover's Guide: Pacific Northwest