Sahalie Falls

While in Sisters, we thought it would be fun to try a new hike. After driving over Santiam Pass, we only had a short drive to the McKenzie River trailhead. The 2 1/2-mile loop hike included a gentle descent of about 400 feet, and we were treated to two amazing waterfalls.

The first one, Sahalie Falls, was a sight to behold! It tumbled 100 feet over a natural lava dam that had been around for 3,000 years. If you’re a fan of movies, you might recognize the waterfall from the Disney movie Homeward Bound. The water splashing down below created a beautiful rainbow that we both enjoyed.

Koosah Falls

After hiking another half mile downstream, we arrived at Koosah Falls. It dropped about 70 to 74 feet into a deep, mesmerizing emerald pool. While Sahalie seemed like a powerful chute, Koosah was much wider and had a block-like shape. But by late summer, it had split into two parallel streams.

The McKenzie River’s steep slope meant we had lots of little waterfalls and rapids to admire along the way, and the sound of the water was just mesmerizing.

After reaching a dirt road, we crossed the river and followed the McKenzie River Trail up past the waterfalls again. The views weren’t quite as spectacular from this side, but they were still pretty impressive. After crossing a footbridge, we headed back to the trailhead. We both thought it was an amazing hike and definitely worth doing again.