Yocum Falls (Clackamas County, Oregon) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Yocum Falls |
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| Location | Salmon–Huckleberry Wilderness |
| Coordinates | 45°18′25″N 121°47′35″W / 45.30694°N 121.79306°W |
| Type | Cascade |
| Elevation | 3,355 ft (1,023 m) |
| Total height | not cataloged |
Yocum Falls is a beautiful waterfall found deep inside the Mount Hood National Forest in Clackamas County, Oregon, in the United States. It's in a special area called Zigzag Canyon, which is also home to other cool waterfalls like Little Zigzag Falls and Ramona Falls. The waterfall, along with a nearby ridge called Yocum Ridge, got its name from a businessman named Oliver C. Yocum.
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Where is Yocum Falls?
Yocum Falls is about 10 miles (16 km) from a town called Government Camp. You can find it along U.S. Route 26 as it goes through the amazing Mount Hood National Forest. The waterfall is located in a protected area on the north side of Tom Dick and Harry Mountain.
A Look Back in Time
The forest around Yocum Falls has grown a lot over the last 100 years. This new growth covers up the effects of a huge fire called the Sherar Burn. This fire once destroyed forests all the way from the Salmon River to Camp Creek. In the 1920s, the area was full of beargrass and huckleberry plants. Now, tall trees fill the landscape, even up to Mirror Lake. In the early 1930s, a new hiking trail was built to Mirror Lake, starting from the newly made Route 26.
What Yocum Falls Looks Like
Yocum Falls is made up of several waterfalls that flow one after another. You can usually reach the top part of the falls and its lower section. This lower part spreads out about 25 to 35 feet (7.6 to 10.7 meters) over a rocky ledge along Camp Creek. The middle part of the waterfall is harder to get to because it's surrounded by many old, tall trees. The hills around the falls, part of Tom Dick and Harry Mountain, are very old. They are made of volcanic rock called andesite, which came from ancient lava flows.
How to Visit Yocum Falls
To hike to Yocum Falls, you can start at the historic Laurel Hill monument. This monument is on the Barlow Road, which was part of the famous Oregon Trail. The hike to the falls and back is about 1.6 miles (2.6 km) long. It's a fun hike, but it does require some skill. Always remember to follow safety rules when hiking near waterfalls!
About halfway along the trail, you will cross paths with the Pacific Crest Trail. This is a very long hiking trail that goes all the way from Mexico to Canada! A little over a mile (1.6 km) south of the falls is Mirror Lake. The trail to Mirror Lake starts near where Route 26 gives you access to Yocum Falls. If you keep going about 2 miles (3.2 km) further south from Mirror Lake, you can reach the top of Tom Dick and Harry Mountain.
