Overview

• Location: Crook County, BLM Prineville Central Oregon Field Office (upper Crooked River watershed)
• Waterfall Type: Cascade
• Height: ~125 feet (38 m) — tallest waterfall in Crook County
• Trail Distance: ~1–2 miles round-trip via easy BLM trail
• Difficulty: Easy
• Best Time to Visit: Late spring through fall; best flow spring

History & Background

Upper Falls in Crook County is a 125-foot cascade on a Crooked River tributary in the BLM Prineville Central Oregon Field Office lands — by far the tallest waterfall in Crook County and a surprisingly impressive destination given the semi-arid character of this high desert landscape. At 125 feet, it stands out dramatically in a region better known for canyon rimrocks, sagebrush, and ponderosa pine than for tall waterfalls. Prineville is the county seat of Crook County and a historic ranching and lumber town at the head of the Crooked River Basin. The BLM public lands surrounding Prineville contain extraordinary canyon landscapes, and Upper Falls represents one of the region’s most dramatic natural features.

Geology

Upper Falls cascades 125 feet over volcanic basalt at approximately 3,400 feet elevation in the upper Crooked River watershed. The high desert geology of central Oregon reflects the Columbia River Basalt and younger Cascade volcanic deposits that define the plateau landscape. The creek feeding the falls drains from the ponderosa-forested highlands above Prineville and maintains spring and early summer flows from snowmelt before diminishing significantly in the dry summer months typical of this rain-shadow landscape.

Directions & Access

• Nearest City: Prineville, OR (~10 miles west)
• Trail Information:
  • BLM trail from a Prineville Central Oregon Field Office access point leads through the high desert landscape to the falls viewpoint; short and relatively easy approach
  • Upper Falls is one of the more impressive surprises in the Central Oregon high desert; the BLM Prineville Field Office can provide current maps and road conditions
• Parking:
  • BLM trailhead or road pullout parking near the falls access; no fee
• Accessibility:
  • Short, easy trail approach; generally accessible for most visitors

Best Time to Visit

• Spring: Best flows from snowmelt; high desert wildflowers bloom around the falls
• Summer: Flows diminish quickly in the dry high desert summer; carry water
• Fall: Low flows; beautiful high desert landscape; hunting season active
• Winter: Some winter flows; accessible in mild central Oregon winters

Nearby Attractions

• Prineville, Oregon
• Smith Rock State Park (~25 miles west)
• Crooked River Gorge
• Bowman Dam and Prineville Reservoir
• Ochoco National Forest

References

• Links:
  • BLM – Prineville District Office
  • Travel Oregon – Prineville and Crook County
• Books:
  • Oregon Waterfalls by Greg Plumb
  • Waterfall Lover’s Guide: Pacific Northwest