Short trip to Abiqua

Got in some Indiana Jones action for today's adventure - Abiqua Falls.

Only an hour from home this tiny waterfall has become more well known despite the bumpy road, the lack of any markers, and the steep traverse where ropes are used to ease the trip. The land is private, but visitors are still allowed. Naturally, that makes everything a bit unofficial and feels like a choose your own adventure game. Do you want to go the hard way down or the harder way down?

From the "trailhead" the route to the falls is short, less than a mile, but the road to it is so rough most folks don’t actually make it to the trailhead before bottoming out their vehicle. Needless to say, it’s very common to park further away and make up the distance on foot. 

While we didn’t bottom out the car, we did park a little ways away anyway since the hike was so short. After a couple wrong turns through some poison oak, we made it to the notorious incline with ropes where we descended to Abiqua Creek. Only a short walk away is the falls. 

One set of ropes to the creek

Abiqua Creek

We were blessed to have them to ourselves for a while and I tossed sticks for Nami and waded in myself while debating a swim.

Getting as close as you can to the falls without slipping on the sharp rocks

Nami and I enjoying the water

I had a good laugh when I torpedoed a large log into the water and watched Nami attempt, and somewhat successfully, retrieve it to the shore only to ponder the intricacies of then being able to carry it around proudly. It's hard to be proud dragging around an object bigger than your entire body and making it look graceful. 

Video: Nami fetching logs

Eventually, I caved and dove (ok, rather slowly inched my way) into the water. What a delightful swimming hole! I was unsuccessful at getting Joe to join me so I spent the next half hour or so swimming circles, getting closer to the falls but not under them, and treading water. I watched other visitors from shore but nobody decided to join so I had the water all to myself. 

My little head bobbing above the water while Nami acts as a lifeguard

It’s these moments where I have no photos other than the ones in my head, but lying on my back with the sound of the falls in my ears staring up into the perfectly blue sky, canopy of trees, all surrounded by jagged rocks was breathtaking.

But eventually, when my toes and fingers started to wrinkle and tingle, it was back to reality. Back to the impressively bumpy road and back home where the to-do list never feels like it gets any smaller. Probably a direct result of heading to a waterfall instead of doing laundry and packing. C'est la vie.

Distance Logged: 2.6 mi

Ascent: 659 ft

Descent: 639 ft