Oxalis Falls

Oxalis Falls is accessed from the Goat Creek Trail south of Riffe Lake. Drive east from Morton along Highway 12 and turn right onto Kosmos Road, signed for Riffe Lake and Taidnapam Park. Turn left very shortly, still following signs for Riffe Lake and then proceed another 4 1/4 miles across the bridge over Riffe Lake. Turn right immediately on the other side of the bridge, follow the gravel logging road for 3/4 mile, and then bear left again onto FR 2750 (which isn't signed). Shortly after turning onto Road 2750 is a sign pointing the way to the Goat Creek Trail, which is reached in another 3 3/4 miles of narrow and winding, but generally good condition road. The trail is unsigned but is obvious where it starts along the old roadbed. Oxalis Falls is encountered 3.1 miles along the trail, about one-quarter mile past where the trail crosses the West Fork Goat Creek on a huge log.Oxalis Falls is the largest waterfall along the West Fork Goat Creek as it descends from the basin south of Vanson Peak to join the main stem. The falls are made up of four distinct tiers where the creek makes a gradual bend around a small knoll in the valley. The falls begin with a 62-foot tall veiling horsetail that ends with a plunge into a misty grotto, followed by a narrow 5-foot flume. For the third drop the creek splits into side-by-side channels and falls 17 feet, then enters a 15-foot tall, 40 foot long sliding cascade which immediately terminates in the final plunging fall of 18 feet. By the time the creek reaches the base of the falls, it's twisted about 45 degrees counterclockwise from the angle which the falls begin.This waterfall has no official or colloquially recognized name, so we've opted to name it for the profuse amount of Oregon Oxalis (Redwood Sorrel) that grows throughout the forest along the Goat Creek Trail.