Lower Linton Falls

Linton Creek is the most significant stream which drains off the west side of North and Middle Sisters in the Three Sisters Wilderness Area. Over a length of about 4-1/2 miles the creek forms from a broad volcanic plateau studded with springs, through numerous meadows and shallow lakes, and finally tumbles in spectacular fashion into Linton Lake near the McKenzie Pass highway before submerging underground to become the bulk of Lost Creek further down the valley. In this process Linton Creek produces perhaps a dozen significant waterfalls, some of which are among the most impressive in Oregon. Lower Linton Falls is the final significant waterfall along the stream, located about one third of a mile upstream from where the creek empties into Linton Lake. The falls crash 111 feet over a basaltic cliff into a narrow canyon where quite literally every surface - cliffs, logs, trees, and rocks - is coated with a thick carpet of moss which flourishes thanks to the heavy mist being kicked up by the falls. Immediately adjacent to the falls a small spring sends a parallel stream of water bounding down the cliff in tandem with the main falls, merging with Linton Creek about halfway down the falls. Several other springs send rivulets of water cascading into Linton Creek further downstream as well, but as far as we could tell none of them did so as actual waterfalls. The Linton Creek basin covers an area of at least 10 square miles and extends up onto the slopes of North and Middle Sisters. None of the glaciers on either of the volcanoes appear to drain into Linton Creek, but ample winter snow fall coupled with the extremely porous ground in the upper basin ensures an ample flow of water in Linton Creek all year long. The creek itself emerges from Linton Spring as about a third of the volume seen at Lower Linton Falls, with the remainder joining in from a south fork and multiple other springs which empty into Linton Meadows well upstream from the falls.