Overview

• Location: Douglas County, Umpqua National Forest (Little River watershed, near Glide)

• Waterfall Type: Horsetail

• Height: ~175 feet (53 m)

• Trail Distance: ~2.4 miles round-trip via easy trail from Wolf Creek County Park

• Difficulty: Easy

• Best Time to Visit: Year-round; best flow winter and spring

History & Background

Wolf Creek Falls is a magnificent 175-foot horsetail on Wolf Creek in the Umpqua National Forest near Glide — one of the finest and most accessible tall waterfalls in western Douglas County. The trail to the falls begins at Wolf Creek County Park, a Douglas County park along the Little River Road corridor south of Glide, and follows the creek through exceptional old-growth forest before reaching the base of the dramatic falls. The Little River corridor is one of the Oregon Cascades’ most underappreciated waterfall areas — in addition to Wolf Creek Falls, the Little River Road provides access to Hemlock Falls, Grotto Falls, and Susan Creek Falls, making for a rewarding full-day waterfall drive.

Geology

Wolf Creek Falls drops 175 feet as a broad horsetail over a volcanic basalt cliff at approximately 1,200 feet elevation in the Little River watershed near Glide. The falls fan broadly across the cliff face in one of the widest horsetail displays in western Douglas County. The surrounding old-growth Douglas fir and western red cedar forest — with massive-diameter trees creating a cathedral canopy overhead — reflects the exceptional ecological value of this lower North Umpqua watershed forest.

Directions & Access

• Nearest City: Glide, OR (~5 miles north); Roseburg, OR (~30 miles northwest via Hwy 138)

• Trail Information:

  • From Wolf Creek County Park on Little River Road south of Glide, the trail follows Wolf Creek 1.2 miles through old-growth forest to the base of the 175-foot falls

  • Wolf Creek Falls pairs well with nearby Susan Creek Falls and the Little River Road waterfall corridor (Hemlock Falls, Grotto Falls) for a full Douglas County waterfall day

• Parking:

  • Wolf Creek County Park parking area; Douglas County manages the park; day-use fee may apply

• Accessibility:

  • Relatively easy 1.2-mile trail; generally accessible for most visitors on natural surfaces

Best Time to Visit

• Spring: Best flows; the 175-foot horsetail fans impressively; old-growth forest vivid green

• Summer: Lower flows; the shaded old-growth forest provides exceptional cool hiking; popular destination

• Fall: Flows return with October rains; quiet and beautiful; fall steelhead in Little River

• Winter: Full flows; trail accessible year-round at this low elevation; the falls most powerful after winter rains

Nearby Attractions

• Little River Road waterfall corridor (Hemlock Falls, Grotto Falls)

• Susan Creek Falls (~10 miles north)

• Glide, Oregon

• North Umpqua River fly fishing

• Roseburg (~30 miles northwest)

References

• Links:

  • Umpqua National Forest – USFS

  • Travel Oregon – Little River and Glide Area

• Books:

  • Oregon Waterfalls by Greg Plumb

  • Waterfall Lover's Guide: Pacific Northwest