Upper Proxy Falls

Located along the McKenzie Pass Highway. From the junction of Highways 126 (McKenzie River Byway) and 242 (McKenzie Pass Highway), follow Highway 242 east for 6 ½ miles to the well signed Proxy Falls trailhead. The trail to the falls is set up as a loop, and I suggest hiking in the opposite direction from what the signs state. Following the trail in a clockwise fashion leads hikers to Upper Proxy Falls first, saving the better of the two falls (Proxy Falls) for last. The Upper Falls are reached after about 2/3 of a mile of easy walking, following the first spur to the left.Fed by springs issuing from the wall of the valley, Upper Proxy Falls is more like a bonus attraction, but it's not all that noteworthy of a waterfall by itself. The coolest feature of this drop is that after cascading down the boulder-strewn slope, the creek enters a 30-foot diameter pool and just stops. The water vanishes into a hole in the ground and emerges miles downstream in one of the countless springs in the area. The falls themselves border right on the line of what can be considered a legitimate waterfall; two streams skip down a very steep slope, which appears to be mostly bedrock towards the top, but intermingles with large rocks towards the base of the falls. The total drop of the falls is 129 feet, with an additional 25 feet of cascades over logs and talus before the stream enters the pool. Professional photographers also use this waterfall as a very common study, and the would-be Houdini creek will undoubtedly enthrall kids, but as waterfalls go, there are much better falls in the area.