Steelhead Falls Trail

In steps, it is only about .5 miles from the trailhead to Steelhead Falls. In terms of geologic time, it is a few million years. Colorful grooves decorate cliffs and show the erosion of time. Wildflowers dot the slopes in the spring and golden eagles soar overhead. The trail to the falls is relatively easy, with one small, steep section. Hike down for a picnic, fish in the Deschutes River, explore the rocky shores, or just sit and relax and let the sound of the falls erase the world around you. The Deschutes Canyon-Steelhead Falls Wilderness Study Area (WSA) (OR-5-14) is part of a larger study area that includes U.S. Forest Service lands. This WSA is located in a triangle formed by the towns of Madras, Redmond and Sisters, in Central Oregon. The Steelhead Falls study area is a long narrow area located along the upper Deschutes River, within and adjacent to the U.S. Forest Service-administered Crooked River National Grasslands.