Umpqua National Forest

Celebrating 63 Among Oregon's Waterfalls

There are birthdays you celebrate with candles and cake, and then there are birthdays you remember because they remind you how fortunate you are to still be exploring this incredible country.

For my 63rd birthday, I found myself deep in Oregon's Umpqua National Forest, surrounded by towering Douglas firs, emerald moss, crystal-clear rivers, and some of the most spectacular waterfalls I've ever seen. It was the perfect place to pause, reflect, and celebrate another year of life on the road with Bella faithfully by my side.

I made my home for a few days at Umpqua's Last Resort, a wonderful LGBTQ+-friendly campground tucked into the forest near Idleyld Park. Hidden along the North Umpqua River, it offers peaceful RV sites, cozy cabins, and easy access to one of Oregon's greatest natural treasures—the famous Highway of Waterfalls. It was one of those unexpected discoveries that makes traveling the back roads so rewarding.

Every day seemed to reveal another waterfall, each with its own personality.

The towering Watson Falls, Oregon's third-highest waterfall at 272 feet, plunges dramatically through a narrow canyon before disappearing into a sea of ferns. The short trail winds through old-growth forest where the air grows cooler with every step until the roar of falling water completely surrounds you.

Just a few miles away, Toketee Falls may be the most photogenic waterfall in the Pacific Northwest. After a pleasant walk beneath giant Douglas firs, the trail opens to reveal water cascading through perfectly sculpted basalt columns into a turquoise pool far below. It is one of those scenes that almost seems too perfect to be real.

At Clearwater Falls, the mood changes completely. Rather than a dramatic plunge, the North Umpqua River glides effortlessly over wide shelves of volcanic rock, creating countless ribbons of white water framed by moss-covered boulders and ancient forest. The sound is soothing rather than thunderous, inviting visitors to simply stop and listen.

I also explored Whitehorse Falls, a quieter destination where the water tumbles into a peaceful pool beneath towering evergreens. Nearby, hidden gems like Spirit Falls, Moon Falls, and Pinard Falls reward those willing to venture a little farther into the forest, each offering its own spectacular display of cascading water. 

What struck me most wasn't simply the waterfalls themselves, but the forest surrounding them. Massive Douglas firs, western hemlocks, cedar, and maple create an almost cathedral-like canopy overhead. Thick carpets of moss cover every fallen log and rock. Ferns blanket the forest floor, while the North Umpqua River rushes alongside the highway in shades of emerald and turquoise so vivid they almost seem unreal.

Travel has taught me that birthdays become less about counting years and more about collecting moments. Standing beside waterfalls that have been carving these mountains for thousands of years has a way of putting everything into perspective.

There could have been no better place to celebrate turning sixty-three.

Just me, Bella, towering forests, countless waterfalls, and another reminder that life's greatest gifts are often found far from the crowds, down a winding forest road, where the only soundtrack is rushing water and the whisper of the trees.