South Falls
Oregon · 177-foot drop · Silver Falls State Park · Last verified 2026-05-15
South Falls is at 1,230 cfs of flow today, on the upper end of typical conditions.
Expect dry conditions today — don't drive out for this one. Flow is at 1,230 cfs (bottom 0% of the last 30 days, vs. 1,334.8 cfs average). The 7-day NOAA forecast shows no significant rain.
Right now
Streamflow
1,230 cfs
NORTH SANTIAM RIVER AT · 20m ago
Overnight
52°F
Mostly Clear
Friday
74°F
Sunny
Today's daylight
Sunrise 5:33 AM · Sunset 8:57 PM · 15h 24m
Snapshot built 5m ago. Sources: USGS · NWS PQR.
South Falls is a waterfall in Marion County, Oregon. It drops roughly 177 feet. Access details and conditions have not yet been verified in person by Fallspots — the data on this page comes from OpenStreetMap and USGS GNIS.
South Falls sits in Marion County, Oregon. The falls are inside Silver Falls State Park. The base sits at roughly 1,509 feet of elevation. Drive time is about 10 minutes from Lyons. A trail — Canyon Trail — runs within 0 meters of the marked location. No public parking is recorded within 2 km, so a longer approach is likely. It draws modest visitor attention — busier weekends, quiet weekdays. Source records come from OpenStreetMap and USGS GNIS.
Entry is free. Dogs on leash are welcome on the access trail.
Is the water flowing right now?
Most waterfall sites don't tell you this. The waterfall itself is almost never gauged, but a USGS streamgage in the same watershed can tell you whether snowmelt has started, peaked, or run dry.
USGS gage 14183000 · 6.5 mi away
NORTH SANTIAM RIVER AT MEHAMA, OR
View live discharge data →
30-day streamflow
Near 30-day average↻ Same date last year: 1,180 cfs · 104% of last year — similar
Compare to nearby falls
If this one isn't the right fit, here's how it stacks up against the closest documented falls. Every column is filterable on the site — not buried in 13,000 reviews.
| Waterfall | Distance | Height | Trail | Dogs | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Falls (this page) | — | 177 ft | — | Y | Free |
| Frenchie Falls | 0 mi | — | — | Y | Free |
| Lower South Falls | 0 mi | 92 ft | — | Y | Free |
| Winter Falls | 1 mi | 135 ft | — | Y | Free |
| Drake Falls | 1 mi | 26 ft | — | Y | Free |
| Middle North Falls | 1 mi | 105 ft | — | Y | Free |
Related waterfalls
Similar height (~177 ft)
- Shady Creek Falls177 ft
- Angel Falls174 ft
- Bridal Veil Falls180 ft
- Eden Falls174 ft
- Mill Creek Falls173 ft
Questions visitors ask about South Falls
Answers built from our structured data. If a question isn't here, the fact is unverified — we'd rather omit than guess.
How tall is South Falls?
South Falls is 177 feet (54 m) tall. Height is sourced from OSM.
Is South Falls in a national or state park?
Yes — South Falls is inside Silver Falls State Park. We inferred this from OpenStreetMap protected-area polygons; if you find we got the boundary wrong, please report it. See the park page for fees, hours, and current conditions.
Can I bring my dog to South Falls?
Yes — dogs are allowed (Silver Falls State Park permits leashed dogs in most areas). Inferred from park type; check the official site for trail-specific restrictions. Always leash and pack out waste.
Is there a fee to visit South Falls?
No entrance fee. Silver Falls State Park is free to access. Some trailheads may charge a parking fee separately.
How far is South Falls from a major city?
South Falls is 7 miles from Lyons (about 10 minutes' drive).
More waterfalls in Oregon
Where it is
44.8788, -122.6588
Sources and live status
Where we got the data, and where to check current conditions before you drive.
Last verified by Fallspots: 2026-05-15
Been there?
Marina and Theo verify pages one road trip at a time. If you've been to South Falls recently, your local knowledge improves the page for everyone. Pick the kind of contribution that fits — every email lands in our inbox and gets read (and credited when we publish).
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