White River Falls

White River Falls drops about 90 feet over a ledge of basalt, about 4.5 miles east of Tygh Valley and three miles above where the White River meets the Deschutes. Starting in 1910, a power plant at the base of the falls made electricity for north central Oregon until the 1960s; its ruins still stand by the river.

The trail down to the powerhouse and the lower falls is short but steep and rough, about 0.7 miles with roughly 150 feet of drop. Don't climb on the cliffs or the old buildings. There's no parking fee, it's day use only, and in winter the gate and restrooms close, so you'll walk in from the main gate. Downstream, rafters on the Deschutes float right past the spot where the White River pours in: Raft the Deschutes from Maupin.