There was still quite a bit of snow at the upper parts of Highway 6 to the coast that my original goal of University Falls was put off for another day. i prefer my solo hikes in the snow to be somewhere i've at least been to before. plus it was pretty foggy there and much nicer on the horizon towards the coast.
anyone that has been this way to the coast (via Tillamook) has seen the rv park/resort that sits on the bank of the Wilson River as you leave the forest. or at least it did until the storms last month. here's what it looked like today as some of the last debris was being hauled away..
7 miles south of the 101/ Highway 6 junction is a small side road that leads a couple miles to the trailhead for Munson Creek Falls. it is only 1/4 mile from the trailhead to the falls. there used to be a spur up to the middle of the falls or so but it hasn't been maintained and i couldn't find it after a few false starts. from what i read the brush up there has probably overgrown the viewpoint anyway. and the wet leaves were pretty slippery.
Munson Creek Falls at 319' is the tallest falls on the coast..
and from a bit closer..
here's a full view of the entire falls from the middle of the stream..
back to the car and another 10 miles or so farther south on 101. the Nestucca River Road takes off from the town of Beaver. it's 12 very scenic miles through rolling farms and cow pastures and then alongside the Little Nestucca River.(eventually this road is supposed to lead back over the Coast Range to Carlton, just north of McMinnville and south of Forest Grove -or in between them somewhere- this would cut about 40 or more miles off my route but trying a forest road over the mountains that i've never driven before didn't seem like the most brilliant of ideas)... anyway at about the 12 mile mark there's a turn with a half broken sign that leads to the Niagara Falls trailhead. it's 4 1/4 miles and then right down a huge hill for about 3/4's more. i kept seeing snow along the road and figured it was just a matter of time before i'd have to turn around but the road was basically clear , after moving a couple tree branches.. again it's a nice drive the 5 miles to the trailhead with a number of open views of endless forested hills (and of course some clearcuts..)
from the trailhead it's about a mile and 300' of elevation loss down to the falls.. here's a first look at Niagara Falls, 107' and flowing much stronger than earlier this year..
and Niagara Falls again from a closer in look...
and from this angle you can see a small upper part to the falls..
just before the trail ends at Niagara Falls comes Pheasant Creek Falls, listed at 112'
Munson Creek Falls is probably best on weekdays. it's close to the freeway and easy to walk to with a very small parking area that seems it would have to be crowded on weekends. it's a level walk up a box canyon fine for all ages.
Niagara / Pheasant Creek Falls has some steep spots and is slippery going down with the wet leaves but not really dangerous if you're paying attention (something i'm not always good at when wandering the forest) in my opinion. in the two times i've been there i haven't even seen another car on the access road the last 5 mile stretch into the falls much less on the trail.. the deep forest is incredibly quiet away from the creeks and falls.
then back to the freeway to Hebo , Highway 22 over to Valley Jct and on back to Tigard in a straight line on Highway 18 /99W.. kind of a long drive (about 200 miles total) for a couple short walks but a great day outside nonetheless.... | 
