Adventurous Oregon Waterfall Engagement Session in the Willamette Valley
Cheyna and Kyle are getting married in Maui early next year, where Cheyna is originally from. But since they live in Portland, they wanted to capture their engagement photos adventuring among the majestic waterfalls of Oregon. The location they chose also holds a special place in their heart since it’s the same spot where they had their first date. I can see why they wanted to come back because this place is just absolutely incredible. It is definitely one of the most amazing waterfall locations I’ve ever been to!
We met at Silver Falls State Park, just over an hour south of Portland, and spent our time adventuring along the Trail of Ten Falls. This trail is so beautiful. It’s about a 7 mile hike through a forested canyon with one epic waterfall after another—ten to be exact! It really is a magical place. Aside from the breathtaking waterfalls, there are so many picture-perfect spots along the trail. We stopped along a suspension bridge and took some really cute photos before heading down to get up close to one of the waterfalls. We even got some gorgeous photos from behind the most incredible cascading waterfall!
Well-known for its abundance of waterfalls, Silver Falls State Park is a popular destination, but there’s plenty of room to explore. To see all the waterfalls, you can spend a few hours hiking the trail in its entirety (like Cheyna and Kyle!) or opt for a shorter hike to some of the closer waterfalls, including the impressive South Falls. There are also a few trailheads to choose from so you can definitely see quite a few waterfalls without doing the full 7 mile loop. The waterfalls on the Trail of Ten Falls include:
- South Falls – Arguably the most famous of the ten, South Falls stands 177 ft tall and you can walk behind it! Plus, it’s only a short walk from the South Falls day use area.
- Lower South Falls – About a mile past South Falls, you can do the shorter 2.6 mile Maple Ridge Loop to see both South and Lower South Falls.
- Lower North Falls & Double Falls – If you continue on past Lower South Falls for about a mile, you’ll reach Lower North Falls and the two-tiered Double Falls.
- Drake Falls – Continuing on just a bit further, you’ll find Drake Falls.
- Middle North Falls & Twin Falls – Less than a half mile past Drake Falls, you’ll come to Middle North Falls where you can walk a separate trail behind it, and Twin Falls just 0.3 miles further.
- North Falls & Upper North Falls – About a mile further, you can take the stairs up and behind North Falls and then take a short flat hike to Upper North Falls. Both of these waterfalls are also accessible from the North Falls Trailhead where you can take a shorter 1.8 mile loop to see both.
- Winter Falls – Head back along the Rim Trail stopping at a viewpoint of North Falls before reaching Winter Falls. You can also reach this waterfall using the Winter Falls Trailhead where you can take the 5 mile Winter Falls loop to see 7 of the 10 waterfalls.
































More Oregon waterfalls for you adventure elopement or engagement photos
Fortunately, there is no shortage of waterfalls in Oregon. In the Portland area alone, there are over 90 waterfalls! So if you’re wanting to do an adventure elopement or engagement session, you’ll have plenty of gorgeous options to choose from. I’ve included some of my favorites below (and if you’re looking for an adventure elopement photographer, I can help with that too!
Willamette Valley waterfalls
The epitome of Oregon wilderness and a perfect elopement location for any outdoor-loving couple. The Willamette Valley is a mix of old growth forests, narrow canyons, tall mountains, and cascading waterfalls including:
- Shellburg Falls
- Marion Falls
- Sahalie and Koosah Falls
- McDowell Creek Falls
Columbia River Gorge waterfalls
Just outside of Portland, the Columbia River Gorge is a magical place for an elopement or engagement session. Frolic among colorful wildflower fields, walk through old-growth forest, or stand beneath gushing waterfalls like:
- Multnomah Falls
- Latourell Falls
- Wahkeena Falls and Fairy Falls
- Horse Tail Falls
Ready to book your Oregon waterfall elopement or engagement session? Contact me!
naomilevitphotography@gmail.com
808.250.3424
What a beautiful session and love those greens everywhere. Oregon is perfect!
Wow! What an absolutely incredible waterfall! It looks so worth the hike in! I love these photos, you really captured the love between them. I want to go to Oregon so badly and get a couple session with my wife!
Waterfalls on waterfalls on waterfalls! I love that you took them to such amazing locations, and also shared those with us. I’m traveling to Oregon next summer and will be sure to check some of these out. Amazing photos!
LOVE all these waterfall picks. Waterfalls are my special happy place. :)
These images are so gorgeous! What a dreamy location :)
Beautiful, soft light. Lovely work.
I love the vibe of this session so much! I can’t wait to visit Oregon to check out all of these waterfall- They all look like great locations for the perfect photo session!
Please, please go chasing waterfalls. These are gorgeous
Love how adventurous this Williamette Valley engagement session is, so many beautiful photos and unique locations, love the waterfall ones!