Opal Creek Falls is part of the West Cascades and is known for the greenish tint of the water at Opal Pool.

This 7 mile trial is covered in moss and lava flows from extinct shield and cinder volcanoes. All of this terrain is highly eroded due to the volcanoes becoming extinct around 50 million years ago. Some of the trees along Opal Creek are roughly 700 years old.

Opal Creek was also the location of a short lived mining and logging operation. Merten Mill, built in 1943, was a steam-powered sawmill that logged five of the surrounding acres. The operation ended after two of the company’s logging trucks fell off a steep area of the road.

Some of the mining shafts and logging equipment have been preserved there.

We found a lovely spot to relax overlooking Opal Creek.

At about the 6 mile mark, you reach Opal Creek Falls. It's one of the cooler waterfalls in the area, I think. The erosion of the landscape has created a small gorge and overlapping waterfalls. You can even climb down the rocks to sit right along the falls!

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