Overview

• Location: Marion County, Cascade foothills (Butte Creek, near Scotts Mills)

• Waterfall Type: Plunge

• Height: ~25 feet (8 m)

• Trail Distance: ~1–2 miles round-trip via trail

• Difficulty: Medium

• Best Time to Visit: Spring through fall

History & Background

Upper Butte Creek Falls is the upstream companion to the more famous Butte Creek Falls in the Scotts Mills area of Marion County, part of a pleasant cluster of waterfall destinations in the Cascade foothills south of Silverton. Butte Creek drains from the western Cascade foothills through a forested canyon before emerging into the Willamette Valley farmland near Scotts Mills. The corridor hosts several falls in close proximity, making this area one of the most rewarding waterfall destinations in the northern Willamette Valley foothills — close enough to Salem and Portland to be practical for day trips yet far enough to feel genuinely removed from the urban landscape.

Geology

Upper Butte Creek Falls plunges over a volcanic basalt ledge at approximately 1,100 feet elevation in the western Cascade foothills of Marion County. Butte Creek flows through older, eroded Western Cascades volcanic rock typical of this transitional zone. The creek maintains reliable winter and spring flows fed by the substantial rainfall of the Cascade foothills before diminishing in summer.

Directions & Access

• Nearest City: Scotts Mills, OR (~5 miles west); Silverton, OR (~10 miles northwest)

• Trail Information:

  • Trail from a parking area near Scotts Mills leads through forested Cascade foothills to the plunge falls on Butte Creek; the route passes through the same creek corridor as nearby Butte Creek Falls

  • Upper Butte Creek Falls can be combined with the main Butte Creek Falls downstream for a double waterfall hike in the same corridor

• Parking:

  • Small parking area near the trailhead; no fee

• Accessibility:

  • Not wheelchair accessible; natural trail surfaces with moderate terrain

Best Time to Visit

• Spring: Best flows; the surrounding forest is vivid green; a pleasant escape from the valley

• Summer: Reduced flow; cool forest hiking

• Fall: Flows returning with October rains; fall foliage from bigleaf maple

• Winter: High flows; road access open at low elevation

Nearby Attractions

• Butte Creek Falls (same creek, downstream)

• Scotts Mills, Oregon

• Silverton

• Silver Falls State Park (~15 miles east)

• Mount Angel Abbey (~10 miles west)

References

• Links:

  • Travel Oregon – Willamette Valley Waterfalls

  • Marion County Parks

• Books:

  • Oregon Waterfalls by Greg Plumb

  • Waterfall Lover's Guide: Pacific Northwest