Sahalie and Koosah Falls
STATS
Fitness Level: Easy
Experience Level: Easy
Distance: 2.6 mile loop
Elevation: 400 feet
Open: May through November
Good for: Day hiking, photography
Usage: Heavy
Accessibility: Honda Civic, parking lot is paved
Quick Take
This easily accessible hike offers two beautiful waterfalls for the price of one. However, the real star of the show is the section of river between the two, featuring pure, blue water rushing through a lush green forest.
Trip Report
On Halloween Tessa and I teamed up with a few of our friends for a rainy day hike. I had seen some gorgeous photographs of Sahalie and Koosah Falls on Instagram, and felt like it was a no brainer to cross these two easily accessible waterfalls off of our list.
This journey begins near the headwaters of the McKenzie River, and is accessible from Oregon Highway 126 between Blue River and Sisters, Oregon. Parking and trailheads are available at booth Koosah and Sahalie Falls, but we chose to park at the Sahalie trailhead and take the short hike down to Koosah.
Our hiking companions for the day, Sam, Kathleen, and Sophie, an extremely cute English Cream Retriever that Kathleen was dog sitting at the time.
Just look at that face!
While Sahalie and Koosah Falls are technically the main events on this hike, we all agreed that the coolest part of this journey is the river itself. Make sure to explore some of the side trails down to the water to fully experience its beauty.
The camera really doesn't do this image justice, we were shocked by the beauty of this misty section of river, and the rocks covered in vibrantly green algae.
The shades of blue that developed in the tumultuous section of the river were breathtaking, especially when contrasted with the green of the woods around the river.
Photography Pro Tip: encourage the people you hike with to wear colorful clothing. Red, blue, and orange are all great options. Tessa's red rain jacket just popped in these pictures.
Tessa looked over the edge from above Koosah Falls, while Kathleen struggled to control a wild beast.
Sophie sure was elegant, English Cream Retrievers also happen to be one of Tessa's favorite dog breeds.
More cliff shots, I'm sure Tessa's mom will love these.
We were fascinated by the black color and rolling texture of the water in the pool below Koosah Falls.
This was on an unofficial trail below an established stone overlook. As usual, the money shots at Koosah Falls are not on the beaten path.
This pool was easily the most memorable spot on our trip. We couldn't get enough of the churning bubbles and light blue water. If the water wasn't so cold this would be a spectacular swimming hole.
Koosah Falls in the background should give you some idea of where the pool is located.
Sophie being super cute on our way back to the car. She insisted on exploring every little side path when given a chance.
Took one last shot at Sahalie Falls before heading home.
While this certainly wasn't our craziest adventure, everyone (Sophie included) had a good time and enjoyed the opportunity to get outside for a bit. Sahalie and Koosah Falls are well worth a stop for anyone passing by on Highway 126.