Find incredible waterfalls and industrial ruins at this Oregon state park

An old piece of industrial equipment sits by a viewpoint at White River Falls State Park in north-central Oregon. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

The pair of tall, dramatic waterfalls seem to come out of nowhere, emerging like a mirage from the arid, rolling hills on the eastern flank of Mount Hood.

So do the ruins.

At White River Falls State Park, both the natural and human-created attractions have become big draws for visitors, with trails that lead to the base of the powerful falls as well as to the crumbling walls and rusted pipes of an old hydroelectric plant that has been shuttered for decades.

All of it is contained in a roughly 300-acre park that’s found just off the beaten path and that fewer than 100,000 people visit each year.

The best time to visit the park is in the full thrust of spring, when snowmelt and rainfall feed the 75-foot White River Falls and the 41-foot Celestial Falls found just downstream. (The latter is sometimes considered to be another tier of White River Falls, but is technically a separate feature.) A viewpoint above the falls offers a great look at the roaring waters, while a trail runs down to some better viewpoints below.

Come summer, the falls’ spray may be a balm to those traveling across central Oregon or around the eastern flank of Mount Hood. The pool at the base of Celestial Falls may be tempting for swimmers, but the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department warns against the “deadly and unpredictable river currents” below the falls.

By fall, the waterfalls can reduce to a trickle, allowing the landscape to grow a little quieter. In winter, the basalt cliffs can become covered in ice, offering visitors a whole other reason to stop by.

The waterfalls aren’t the only draw.

Hike the rough trail down toward the base of the falls, and you’ll find people swarming like ants over the remains of the Tygh Valley Hydroelectric Plant, which supplied electricity to Wasco and Sherman counties from 1910 to 1963, according to Oregon State Parks. While listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the old plant can now only be described as ruins.

The roof of the main building, which sits at the foot of Celestial Falls, is partially collapsed. Old equipment inside is covered in graffiti, despite bars on the open windows and big “NO ENTRY” signs. Big, rusted pipes jut out from the ground and run uphill, some graffitied, some obscured by brambles. All of it is slowly crumbling, its foundation and walls returning to the earth.

Take a step back to one of the broader viewpoints, and you might find some beauty in the dichotomy of these two attractions: the fresh flowing waterfalls that bubble with life, and the hard-edged ruins that exude a state of demise.

At the bottom of the canyon, the trail continues on a short way downriver, where the steep cliffs level out into gentle-sloping hills, and sagebrush sprouts out of the black basalt. In just an eighth of a mile, the riverside rock flattens out, making benches that are perfect for a sit by Lower White River Falls, a lovely little 21-foot plunge.

Here, the drama of the big waterfalls and the industrial ruins vanish, leaving you with a quiet place to sit in nature — yet another good reason to visit this little park.

White River Falls State Park is open from dawn to dusk daily, year-round (the main parking lot and restrooms close for the winter); found on Oregon 216, four miles east of U.S. 197; 541-739-2322.

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