Overview

• Location: Lane County, Lasells Stewart Park (Row River, near Oakridge)

• Waterfall Type: Plunge

• Height: ~15 feet (5 m)

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

• Difficulty: Easy

• Best Time to Visit: Year-round

History & Background

Wildwood Falls is a pleasant 15-foot plunge waterfall in Lasells Stewart Park, a Lane County park near Oakridge along the Row River corridor. The park was donated to the county by Lasells and Stewart families and preserves a scenic stretch of the Row River — the same waterway that flows through the Bohemia Mining District and past Cottage Grove’s covered bridges downstream. Oakridge is best known today as a mountain biking destination, and Wildwood Falls provides a quick natural stop in the community itself for visitors and residents alike. The falls are one of the few natural waterfall features directly within or immediately adjacent to an Oregon town.

Geology

Wildwood Falls plunges over a basaltic ledge on the Row River at approximately 1,500 feet elevation near Oakridge. The Row River flows through older Western Cascades volcanic geology before widening toward the Willamette Valley below Cottage Grove. The falls reflect a resistant rock threshold across the river channel.

Directions & Access

• Nearest City: Oakridge, OR (~1 mile east)

• Trail Information:

  • Very short walk from the Lasells Stewart Park parking area leads to the falls; the park is easily accessible from Oakridge

  • Wildwood Falls makes a pleasant addition to any Oakridge mountain biking day, combining the natural feature with the town’s world-class trail network in the surrounding forest

• Parking:

  • Lasells Stewart Park parking area; Lane County manages the park; no fee

• Accessibility:

  • Short, flat access from the park parking area; generally accessible for most visitors

Best Time to Visit

• Spring: Good flows; surrounding park forest vivid green

• Summer: Lower flows; popular park in the mountain biking capital

• Fall: Flows returning with rains; pleasant fall park visit

• Winter: High flows; accessible year-round

Nearby Attractions

• Oakridge (mountain biking capital)

• Middle Fork Willamette River

• Salt Creek Falls (~20 miles east on Hwy 58)

• Row River Trail

• Hills Creek Reservoir

References

• Links:

  • Travel Oregon – Oakridge Mountain Biking

  • Willamette National Forest – USFS

• Books:

  • Oregon Waterfalls by Greg Plumb

  • Waterfall Lover's Guide: Pacific Northwest