Falls for All Campaign Moves Forward
By Ann Kitchel, Board President
Construction on the new visitor center is progressing and our campaign to raise funds for the project is underway!
This summer we conducted several tours of the site for our volunteers and members. It was such a pleasure meeting so many of you and hearing the many reasons you support the park and the Friends of Silver Falls. You shared your stories about family ties going back generations, significant life events that took place at the park, the love and appreciation for this amazing area, and the sincere desire to see continued conservation and improvements at the park. Truly inspirational!
In that spirit, we are launching our fundraising campaign: Falls for All. Our goal is to contribute funds to provide accessible space and interpretive resources that highlight the human and natural history of the park and the many recreational options for visitors of all backgrounds, ages and abilities.
While some work is currently happening at the site, construction will begin in earnest in January with completion scheduled for the end of 2027. Watch for regular updates on the construction, the timeline and progress toward our campaign goals. We have already made progress with several substantial gifts, and we now invite you to show your support by contributing to this exciting project.
Visit the campaign page to learn more about the project, campaign contributions and goals. If you would like to donate online, you can do so here. Your gift, large or small, makes a huge difference and we are grateful for your support.
Park Updates
By Jason Wagoner, Park Manager
Fall has arrived and we are in the small window of good weather and fewer visitors. Park staff have been working on several projects to improve or maintain our resources. Ranger Scott led a preservation project to treat and seal the Nature Store, hopefully this also helps with heating the building this winter with all the cracks “chinked” up.
We have two projects happening on the Trail of 10 Falls. The Winter Falls Trail received some damage over the Labor Day weekend and staff teamed up to hammer out trail repairs to reopen that area. Ranger Hilbert led staff in making repairs to the Lower South Falls stairways over the last two weeks of September. Some trail closures were involved and people rerouted on to the Maple Ridge Trail to access the rest of the Canyon and waterfalls.
The South Falls Lodge is also receiving some upgrades. Ranger McLain is working to replace several of the rotting log beams that protrude from the roof line. The first one was replaced in September with four more scheduled to come over the next couple weeks. Good work is being done throughout the park and these are just some of the ongoing activities in the park.
Photos from Ranger John Hilbert and Trailkeepers of Oregon
Volunteer Appreciation
By Chelsea Sims, Executive Director
In September, we gathered for our annual Volunteer Appreciation Lunch, one of the few times each year that Friends of Silver Falls and park volunteers all get a chance to come together, mingle, and celebrate everything they contribute to Silver Falls. We enjoyed some great food, tested our knowledge with Silver Falls trivia, and spent time catching up with the people who give so much to the park throughout the year.
Our volunteers do an incredible variety of work, from welcoming visitors and keeping the Nature Store running to supporting interpretive programs, special events, cabin and campground cleanup, park projects, and so much more. Some spend an entire season at Silver Falls, volunteering nearly every day, while others are here weekly or lend a hand for special projects and events throughout the year. No matter how they volunteer, every contribution helps make Silver Falls a better place.
Thank you to everyone who joined us and to all the volunteers who give their time, knowledge, and energy to Silver Falls. We appreciate you!
Thank You Business Sponsors!
Park Passes Go Digital
By Chelsea Sims, Executive Director
Oregon Parks and Recreation Department is transitioning annual day-use parking passes to a fully digital system. Digital annual passes are already available online and allow visitors to register up to two vehicle license plates per pass.
Beginning in January 2027, physical annual passes will no longer be sold in person, including at the Nature Store. Visitors will instead purchase their annual pass digitally. A paper pass can still be requested for an additional fee. We are working to get better internet access at the Nature Store for visitors to purchase passes on their phone.
This change also means the Friends of Silver Falls membership + park pass combination will be coming to an end. We’ll continue offering the current membership + physical park pass option through the end of 2026 or until our remaining supply of park passes runs out, whichever comes first.
Friends memberships aren’t going anywhere! Your membership will continue to directly support projects, programs, and improvements at Silver Falls State Park while providing the other member benefits and discounts.
Updated FOSF Website
By Chelsea Sims, Executive Director
We’re excited to share our newly redesigned Friends of Silver Falls website! We worked with Portland-based Cornerstone Web Design to create a site that makes it easy to explore Silver Falls while better telling the story of the nonprofit work you help make possible.
The new site brings together information that can be difficult for visitors to find in one place, including pages on the park’s flora, fauna, waterfalls, history, geology, and watershed. New hiking cards make it easy to find trails based on features like pet-friendly routes, birding, running, and accessibility features. You can also explore a new timeline highlighting the history of Friends of Silver Falls and our decades of partnership with the park.
Accessibility was an important part of the redesign, with tools to adjust font size and contrast, create a dyslexia-friendly display, and more. We’ve also made it easier to understand what Friends funds and how people can support the park.
A special thank you to Park Host Phil for capturing the beautiful drone footage featured on the main page. With the park’s permission, we have been collecting drone footage for the past several years and it’s great to see it put to use!
We hope you’ll take some time to explore the new site. It’s a great resource for learning more about Silver Falls, planning your next visit, and seeing some of the work your support makes possible.
Upcoming Events
Silver Falls Trail Runs: Oct. 16-18
Our partners at Silver Falls Trail Runs will host the 16th Annual Silver Falls Trail Running Event this October. This is three days of action-packed races featuring a 5K, 7 Miler, Half Marathon, Marathon, and 50K. All ages and abilities are welcome!
20% Off for Members: All December
As a small thank you for your support throughout the year, Friends members will receive 20% off at the Nature Store for the month of December. We’re grateful to have you as part of Friends of Silver Falls and appreciate everything your membership helps make possible.
Winter Festival Returns: Dec. 12-13
Join us for the annual Silver Falls Winter Festival. Celebrate the beauty of winter by making a wreath, joining a guided hike, building a bird nest box, and more! You’ll also have the chance to collect the 2026 commemorative Silver Falls wood cookie ornament. All activities are FREE; parking is $10 per vehicle.
First Day Hikes: Jan. 1
Kickoff the new year at Silver Falls! Guided hikes will be offered January 1, 2027. More information is coming soon!
