Silver creek has a total of 10 falls inside the state park.  The trail of 10 falls is a mild 8.7 mile loop with only 600 ft elevation change.  Next time I go I would like to do the entire loop.  For this trip we only hiked the first two falls.  It would have been a bit difficult once we got to the stair to take the strollers down to the base of lower south falls.  The first 2 falls are an easy two-mile hike down and back that is very easy for children.

Getting There: From Interstate 5 exit 253 in Salem, drive 10 miles east on North Santiam Highway 22, turn left at a sign for Silver Falls Park, and follow Highway 214 for 16 miles to the park entrance sign at South Falls.

The short hike: From the South Falls Picnic Area C parking lot, follow a broad path downstream a few hundred yards to historic Silver Falls Lodge, built by Civilian Conservation Corps crews in 1940. After inspecting this rustic stone-and-log building, continue a few hundred yards to an overlook of 177-foot South Falls. From here take a paved trail to the right. Then switch back down into the canyon and behind South Falls.

A few hundred yards beyond South Falls is a junction at a scenic footbridge. Don’t cross the bridge unless you’re truly tired, because that route merely returns to the car. Instead take the unpaved path along the creek. This path eventually switchbacks down and behind Lower South Falls’ broad, 93-foot cascade.