Oregon is blessed with countless amazing waterfalls. Proxy Falls, Elowah Falls, Silver Falls, Salt Creek Falls, Tumalo Falls and Multnomah Falls are stunning by any standards. It is rare that I find a waterfall that is equally as impressive as those beauties but recently I did find a waterfall that is new to me and as awe inspiring as any I’ve seen before. I present you with Oregon’s beautiful Abiqua Falls!
Abiqua Falls, Oregon
Abiqua Falls is created where Abiqua Creek cascades nearly 100 feet over an amazing formation of columnar basalt. Over time, the basalt columns have been covered with a fascinating array of lichens and and mosses. On the viewers right of the waterfall, the lichen has formed an enchanting bright orange/red area of basalt. The whole amphitheater is something out of “Jurassic Park”. One wouldn’t be surprised to see a pterodactyl swoop out of the sky!
There is a little more to the print of this image than you see in this online image. I’m certain that the print will be amazing. I captured this scene with my large format 4×5 film camera, as I do with all of the fine art photographs that I capture. The detail in the final print will be stunning as will the flow pattern in Abiqua Creek, at the bottom of the image.
Getting to Abiqua Falls has its difficulties. Specific directions to Abiqua Falls can be found many different places on the internet, but I will provide a few precautions. The closest city to Abiqua Falls is the tiny town of Scotts Mills, Oregon and frankly, it’s not that close to Scotts Mills! An extensive drive down poorly marked forest service roads is required and the road can be rather treacherous after a heavy rain. The trail itself is difficult to find and it is quite steep and when muddy it could be very dangerous. Old Ropes are in place to aid in the descent down to to Abiqua Creek. I pity the first hiker who these old ropes fail on as it could lead to a nasty fall. The property that Abiqua Falls is located on is owned by the Mount Angel Abbey which has graciously granted access to explorers like myself. If you choose to visit this amazing waterfall, please respect the property, pack out everything you take in and tread lightly as access could be taken away at any time. To see more of my fine art prints of Oregon’s beautiful waterfalls, please visit the portfolio page of my website, Oregon Waterfall Prints.
Thanks for Visiting,
Mike
Hello!
My name is Mary and I am eloping at Abiqua Falls in Oregon in late June. It is very simple, so we are having a friend of ours who is a professional photographer come to photograph the wedding. We are from Kentucky and are not very familiar with the weather and sunlight of Oregon. We are reaching out to photographers who have photographed at Abiqua Falls to ask their opinion on timing of day for the ceremony. We are trying to determine if we should do it in the morning (around 10:00am), midday (around 12:30pm), or during the “golden hour” approximately 1-2 hours prior to sunset (which we believe would be 7:00-8:00pm). I saw in your albums, which were breathtaking by the way, that you have shot at Abiqua Falls.. Would you mind providing me with your suggestion on timing? Or if there is a time that you HIGHLY suggest NOT doing it for photography/videography purposes? Thank you so much and I so appreciate your time!