Fishhawk Falls is one of the prettiest waterfalls in Oregon that no one visits. More than its 74-foot height, the shape makes it unique. Water cascades over basalt in a sloped upper tier before turning sharply and spilling over a more powerful lower tier. Surrounding it is an old-growth forest with some of the mossiest trees in Oregon’s Coastal Mountains. It’s an easy stop to stretch your legs after looking for elk down the road at Jewell Meadows Wildlife Area. Here’s how to visit Lee Wooden Fishhawk County Park.

Mossy tree branches hang over hiking trail — *Trail to Fishhawk Falls*

Quick stats

Distance: 0.5 miles out and back

Elevation gain: Minimal

Difficulty: Easy

Pass required: None

ADA access: No

Know before you go

Cost: It’s free to visit Lee Wooden Fishhawk Falls County Park.
Parking is in a gravel lot. It’s a little bumpy but doable with a low-clearance vehicle. I doubt you’ll have any trouble getting a spot. Both times I’ve gone, I’ve been the only one there.
Amenities: Picnic tables. No restrooms.
Dog-friendly: Yes, leashed dogs are welcome on the trails.
Leave no trace: Please pack out any trash.
Kids: The trail to Fishhawk Falls is easy and family-friendly. It has some steps and wouldn’t accommodate a stroller.
Season: All year. The park may get snow and ice in the winter.

Fishhawk Falls Hike

Signs in Lee Wooden Fishhawk Falls County Park parking lot — *Start here*

From the parking lot, follow the grassy trail into a very old forest. Thick moss covers the branches of cedars, Sitka spruce, and big-leaf maples. The dense undergrowth is wood sorrel, ferns, salal, and berry bramble. Despite its obscurity, the park is clearly loved and regularly maintained.

Hiking trail through mossy forest — *Trail to Fishhawk Falls*

A little past the trailhead, you’ll reach a fork. The wider trail to the right leads to Fishhawk Falls. The trail to the left is a short spur to Fishhawk Creek.

Fork in trail through dense forest — *Keep right for Fishhawk Falls*

This first access point for Fishhawk Creek is a little less interesting than the one at the end of the hike. You can’t see the waterfall yet, but it would be a peaceful wading spot in the summer. Giant mossy trees lean over clear, trickling water.

Back on the main trail, you’ll walk next to Fishhawk Creek on your way to the waterfall.

Lush forest surrounds creek and hiking trail — *Fishhawk Creek*

In late spring, flowers were on the thimbleberry and a few holdout salmonberry bushes. In the undergrowth, look for Pacific bleeding hearts and violets.

Flowers on thimbleberry bushes — *Thimbleberry*

A little before you reach Fishhawk Falls, you’ll pass a shaded picnic table in a neat-as-a-pin grassy clearing.

Picnic table in Lee Wooden Fishhawk Creek County Falls — *Trailside picnic spot*

When you reach the little set of stairs, you’ll see the first glimpse of Fishhawk Falls through the trees.

A few stairs on hiking trail through forest — *Almost there*

After the easy, quarter-mile hike, you’ll reach Fishhawk Falls. The trail ends downstream of the waterfall, which is easiest to see in the winter when the undergrowth is dormant. To get closer, you’d need to cross Fishhawk Creek. Depending on the season, it’s not necessarily a deal killer. My first visit was in December. It was below freezing, and the creek was high, making the crossing too dangerous to attempt. In May, it was a different story. I was willing to risk getting my feet wet on a 60-degree day and crossed over on a log. In the summer, you could wade. The water looked less than knee deep.

Fishhawk Falls in winter — *Fishhawk Falls*

That being said, the crossing is awkward. Then, when you make it to the other side, the bank is covered with spiky devil’s club and slippery rocks. If you stop at the end of the trail like a rational person, the view is still beautiful, if hard to capture with pictures. More than the distance from the waterfall, I think it’s the forest that makes it feel different in person. The first time I visited, Fishhawk Falls impressed me so much that it eclipsed everything else. The second time, it was the setting that stuck with me.

Spring greenery around Fishhawk Falls — *Closer look at Fishhawk Falls*

The secret picnic table

Lee Wooden Fishhawk Falls County Park has a few picnic tables. One is next to the parking lot. Another is along the trail just before you reach Fishhawk Falls. Then, there’s the hidden one tucked back in the trees. To find it, look for a faint trail on your right as you’re walking toward Fishhawk Falls. It’s near the trailside picnic table. Follow the narrow path about 50 feet to a clearing with a table under some enormous mossy trees.

Picnic table under mossy branches of giant trees — *The hidden picnic spot*

Unlike the rest of Lee Wooden Fishhawk Falls County Park, this grove looks like no one has visited in ages, with thick wood sorrel and bleeding hearts around and underneath the picnic table. It’s perhaps more interesting for the atmosphere than as a lunch spot. The table has acquired a layer of dirt as nature reclaims it. If a picnic area could look feral, this one does.

Getting there

From Portland, take US-26 W to OR-103 N and follow it for 8.9 miles. When OR-103 N ends at a T-intersection in Jewell, take a left onto OR-202 N. Follow OR-202 N for 4.1 miles until you reach Lee Wooden Fishhawk Falls County Park. A small sign points to the park when you arrive. You’ll turn left onto a dirt road, which ends at the parking lot in 0.1 miles. Note that my GPS navigation stopped working after I left US-26. The drive from Portland takes about 80 minutes.

Jewell Meadows Wildlife Area

Elk eating hay — *Elk at Jewell Meadows*

Jewell Meadows Wildlife Area is the reason I found Lee Wooden Fishhawk Falls County Park. Only a few minutes away, it’s a hotspot for elk sightings during the winter when the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife runs a supplemental feeding program. To park, you’ll need an ODFW pass, which costs $10/day. Buy one online ahead of time. Jewell Meadows has restrooms and picnic tables overlooking fields where elk often graze. Even if you don’t park, you can sometimes spot them from the road. The chances of seeing elk in the winter are high. The rest of the year, Fishhawk Falls is a good consolation if they’re not around.

Explore nearby

Seaside beach — Spend the perfect day in **Seaside, Oregon**.

Lee Wooden Fishhawk Falls County Park