KENTUCKY FALLS

North Fork Falls (left) and Kentucky Falls (right fall side by side in a most spectacular fashion.

HIKE STATS:

Distance: 4.8 miles out and back

Elevation Gain: 800 feet

Trailhead Elevation: 1,537 feet

Trail High Point: 1,570 feet

Season: March - November

Best: April  - May

Pass: NW Forest Pass

GPS Track: April 2021

On the traditional lands of: the Quuiich (Lower Umpqua), Siuslaw, and Coos peoples


DIRECTIONS FROM REEDSPORT:

  • From the north end of Reedsport, turn right on Smith River Road.

  • Drive 14.9 miles on this road (which becomes County Road 48) to a junction with North Fork Road (County 48A), immediately before a bridge. Turn left here.

  • Drive this road for 7.4 miles to a bridge, where the road narrows to one lane and becomes FR 48. The road turns to gravel just after the bridge.

  • Drive 2.7 miles of alternating gravel and paved road to a fork in the road. Turn right on FR 23.

  • Drive 4 miles of narrow paved road to the North Fork Smith Trailhead on the left. This is the lower Kentucky Falls trailhead.

  • To continue to the upper trailhead (where this hike begins), drive uphill on winding FR 23 for 5.6 miles to a fork.

  • Turn left onto FR 919 and drive 2.7 miles downhill to the Kentucky Falls Trailhead on the right side of the road.

  • Trailhead: Kentucky Falls Trailhead

  • Note: This hike is much easier to find from the Reedsport side than it is from the Eugene side. If you’re coming from the Willamette Valley, consult these directions at the Oregon Hikers Field Guide.

 

Hike: From the trailhead, locate the well-signed Kentucky Falls Trail on the opposite side of the road. You will begin hiking gradually downhill under huge and ancient Douglas firs in a peaceful canyon. After 0.8 mile, the trail passes by the top of graceful Upper Kentucky Falls before descending to the base of the falls via series of switchbacks. Take a moment in this beautiful spot, deep in the mossy woods far from the worries of the world.

From the upper falls, the trail passes by an unnamed falls and soon crosses the creek on a bridge. You will soon begin switchbacking gradually downhill. At a little over 2 miles from the trailhead, reach a junction with the North Fork Trail. Continue straight and you will soon arrive at a most wondrous view: North Fork Falls on your left, and Kentucky Falls on your right, falling side by side. Wow! Nowhere else in Oregon can you reach such a view with so little effort. The trail leads to a mossy boardwalk and ends at a viewing platform below Kentucky Falls. From this vantage North Fork Falls is somewhat obstructed; for a better view, you will have to hop off the trail, cross the creek, and climb up the banks of the North Fork Smith River - something I do not recommend. Most hikers will prefer to return the way they came.

Continuing your hike: Adventurous hikers may want to continue downstream along the north fork of the Smith River. The trail continues 6 miles downstream to the North Fork Smith Trailhead mentioned in the directions. There are no waterfalls but the scenery is wild and will satisfy the most adventurous souls. If you’re coming from Reedsport and you’re craving just a little more time on the trail, consider instead hiking the Nature Loop, which departs from the lower trailhead. This lovely ramble, less than a mile long, leads hikers through a grove of magnificent ancient forest amid a carpet of moss, ferns, and spring flowers. It is highly recommended!