Upper Chush Falls facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Upper Chush Falls |
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| Location | Cascade Range southwest of Sisters in the U.S. state of Oregon |
| Coordinates | 44°08′34″N 121°41′05″W / 44.14278°N 121.68472°W |
| Type | Horsetail |
| Elevation | 5,630 feet (1,720 m) |
| Total height | 200 feet (61 m) |
| Longest drop | 130 feet (40 m) |
| Watercourse | Whychus Creek |
| Average flow rate |
40 cubic feet per second (1.1 m3/s) |
Upper Chush Falls is a beautiful waterfall in Oregon, USA. It drops about 200-foot (61 m) (61 meters) down a cliff. You can find it on Whychus Creek in the Cascade Range. This area is southwest of a town called Sisters.
Upper Chush Falls is part of a group of waterfalls. Further down the same creek is Chush Falls, which is about 50-foot (15 m) (15 meters) tall. Between these two, there's another waterfall known as The Cascade. All these falls are located inside the Three Sisters Wilderness, a special protected area. The best time to see the water flowing strongly is usually from May to August.
Visiting the Waterfalls
If you want to see Upper Chush Falls, you can hike there! The United States Forest Service takes care of the Chush Falls Trail. This trail follows the east side of Whychus Creek. It leads you to a viewpoint above Chush Falls.
From that viewpoint, the official trail ends. However, many hikers continue along the creek. You can walk about 0.5 miles (0.8 km) (0.8 km) further to reach The Cascade. If you keep going for another 0.25 miles (0.40 km) (0.4 km), you'll arrive at the bottom of Upper Chush Falls. Remember, you need a special pass called a Northwest Forest Pass to park your car at the trailhead.
How the Falls Got Their Name
The name of the creek, Whychus Creek, used to be different. It was called Squaw Creek. However, this name was changed in 2006 because it was considered offensive.
Upper Chush Falls also had a different name before 2005. It was known as Squaw Creek Falls. The United States Board on Geographic Names officially changed its name to Upper Chush Falls. The word Chush comes from the Sahaptin language, and it means "water."
Before the official name change, some people called Upper Chush Falls by other names. These included Kaluwas Falls, Upper Squaw Creek Falls, and Whychus Creek Falls.
