Overview

• Location: Yamhill County, Tualatin River watershed (near Sheridan)

• Waterfall Type: Cascade

• Height: ~8 feet (2 m)

• Trail Distance: ~1 mile round-trip via short trail

• Difficulty: Medium

• Best Time to Visit: Fall through spring

History & Background

Little Lee Falls is a small cascade on a Tualatin River tributary near Sheridan in Yamhill County, located on the western fringe of the Willamette Valley where the valley floor meets the Coast Range foothills. Together with nearby Lee Falls on the same creek system, Little Lee Falls forms part of a pleasant pair of small waterfall destinations in the rural landscape west of Sheridan. Yamhill County is best known as the heart of Oregon’s wine country, producing world-class Pinot Noir from the Eola-Amity Hills and Chehalem Mountains appellations, but the county’s western hills preserve pockets of Coast Range forest where small creeks and modest falls reward quiet exploration.

Geology

Little Lee Falls cascades over a basaltic ledge in the Tualatin River watershed at approximately 650 feet elevation in the Yamhill County Coast Range foothills. The creek drains from the forested hills above Sheridan, receiving 60–80 inches of annual rainfall typical of the Coast Range transition zone. The surrounding riparian forest of red alder and bigleaf maple with Douglas fir on hillsides is characteristic of this moist, transitional landscape.

Directions & Access

• Nearest City: Sheridan, OR (~5 miles east); McMinnville, OR (~15 miles northeast)

• Trail Information:

  • Short trail from a road access point near Sheridan leads through riparian and conifer forest to the small cascade

  • Little Lee Falls can be visited together with nearby Lee Falls on the same creek system for a combined waterfall outing in this quiet corner of Yamhill County

• Parking:

  • Limited roadside or pullout parking near the trail access; no formal facilities

• Accessibility:

  • Not wheelchair accessible; natural trail surfaces with moderate terrain

Best Time to Visit

• Spring: Best flows; the creek runs actively after winter and spring rains

• Summer: Reduced flow; shaded forest provides cool relief

• Fall: Flows return with October rains; autumn in the Willamette Valley wine country is beautiful

• Winter: Highest flows; road access open at this low elevation

Nearby Attractions

• Lee Falls (same creek, nearby)

• Sheridan, Oregon

• Yamhill County wine country

• McMinnville

• Grand Ronde Tribe

References

• Links:

  • Travel Oregon – Yamhill Valley Wine Country

  • Tualatin Riverkeepers

• Books:

  • Oregon Waterfalls by Greg Plumb

  • Waterfall Lover's Guide: Pacific Northwest