Lake Creek Falls
Blachly, Oregon · on Lake Creek · Nw Oregon Siuslaw Field Office
Verified · 4 independent sources · top-verified
- WATER
- waterfall pool
- FALLS
- Waterfall on site
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- No fee found
- SEASON
- Best in summer
About Lake Creek Falls
Lake Creek Falls (also called the Triangle Lake rock slide) is a BLM-managed day-use swimming site on Lake Creek near Blachly, Oregon, about 35 miles west of Eugene. A natural bedrock slide and series of low cascades in a narrow gorge feed a plunge pool, a swimming hole that ranks among the popular summer places to swim and slide in the area.
The falls sit in a narrow bedrock gorge on Lake Creek in Oregon's Coast Range, roughly half a mile downstream of Triangle Lake's outlet, within BLM's Northwest Oregon (Siuslaw Field Office) district.
Swimming at Lake Creek Falls
Visitors slide down a natural, gently inclined bedrock waterslide (BLM describes cascades ~40 ft wide and 15 ft tall in one account) into a plunge pool below; some cliff-jump from surrounding rock into the pool from heights cited at 25-35 feet. BLM's own site warns that swimming in the swift, shallow water near the falls themselves can be extremely risky, so the safer swimming/sliding zone is the pool below rather than at the base of the falls.
How to get to this swimming hole
From Eugene, take Highway 99 North about 10 miles to Highway 36, then go west on Highway 36 for about 26 miles; the parking area is 0.5 miles past Triangle Lake on the right side of the road.
Parking: Small roadside parking lot 0.5 miles past Triangle Lake on Highway 36; official sources note it is limited/can fill during peak season, and visitors must cross the highway carefully to reach the trail.
The hike in
- To the water
- 0.3 to 0.5 miles one-way from parking to the slide/swimming area (BLM and Recreation.gov say ~0.5 mi; oregondiscovery.com says 0.3 mi)
- Time on foot
- roughly 5-10 minutes each way at an easy pace
Difficulty: easy - short walk, but BLM notes the trail can be wet and slippery, so sturdy footwear is recommended
Trailhead: Unnamed short path from the roadside parking area on Highway 36, 0.5 miles past Triangle Lake (visitors must cross the highway to reach it); no formal trail name found in any source.
This is the entire walk, not a segment of a longer trail - it runs directly from the parking pullout down to the falls/plunge pool.
Poison oak is present along the path per BLM and explore.com; watch footing on wet sections.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
Shallow pools and a gentle bedrock slide make the lower pool workable for kids, and oregondiscovery.com calls it good for families, but BLM explicitly warns swimming near the falls themselves is swift/shallow and risky, the slide rock is slippery, cliff jumpers use 25-35 ft rocks nearby, and there's no lifeguard, so close supervision is needed.
Parking
Free
Small roadside lot on Highway 36, 0.5 miles past (west of) Triangle Lake on the right side of the road. Fills up during peak summer times per BLM/explore.com; street parking beyond the lot is not allowed. oregondiscovery.com states no day-use fee; BLM's own page does not list a fee and directs visitors to contact the field office (541-683-6600) for current fee/permit info, so cost is not fully confirmed by the official source alone.
Restrooms
None on site
BLM and Recreation.gov (official sources) both state there are no restrooms at the swimming/slide area, only trash bins. Note: aggregator sites oregondiscovery.com and explore.com claim restrooms/picnic tables are present, but this conflicts with the two official land-manager sources, so official guidance (no restrooms) is treated as authoritative.
Water clarity
Clear
Visitors describe the water as transparent, and Triangle Lake just upstream is known for emerald waters and a placid surface; swimmers note cool water temperatures at the falls in summer. No further first-hand commentary on clarity could be found to corroborate.
Hours
Day-use area open year-round; oregondiscovery.com states sunrise to sunset (single non-official source; BLM confirms year-round access but does not specify daily hours).
On the water
The swimming site itself is a narrow bedrock gorge with cascades, a rock slide, and BLM-flagged swift/shallow water near the falls - not described as watercraft-usable by any source found. Triangle Lake, about 1.2 miles away and the source of Lake Creek, does support kayaking, canoeing, and water skiing (explore.com mentions a kayak/canoe put-in and paddlers/water skiers on the lake), but that is a distinct water body from the falls/swim hole and not part of this site.
Backstory
BLM Oregon & Washington's photo archive describes Lake Creek Falls as a recreation destination since the early 1900s. BLM built a concrete fish ladder at the site in 1989, opening more than 110 miles of upstream habitat to migrating coho and Chinook salmon and steelhead.
Lake Creek Falls: FAQ
Is Lake Creek Falls kid friendly?
Shallow pools and a gentle bedrock slide make the lower pool workable for kids, and oregondiscovery.com calls it good for families, but BLM explicitly warns swimming near the falls themselves is swift/shallow and risky, the slide rock is slippery, cliff jumpers use 25-35 ft rocks nearby, and there's no lifeguard, so close supervision is needed.
How hard is the hike to Lake Creek Falls?
A hike is required, about 0.3 to 0.5 miles one-way from parking to the slide/swimming area (BLM and Recreation.gov say ~0.5 mi; oregondiscovery.com says 0.3 mi) to the water (roughly 5-10 minutes each way at an easy pace). Wear real shoes, since approaches to natural swim spots are often rocky or rooty.
Where do I park for Lake Creek Falls?
Small roadside lot on Highway 36, 0.5 miles past (west of) Triangle Lake on the right side of the road. Fills up during peak summer times per BLM/explore.com; street parking beyond the lot is not allowed. oregondiscovery.com states no day-use fee; BLM's own page does not list a fee and directs visitors to contact the field office (541-683-6600) for current fee/permit info, so cost is not fully confirmed by the official source alone.
When is the best time to visit Lake Creek Falls?
Summer (roughly July through early September) for swimming when water levels are lower and safer; fall and winter draw visitors for salmon and steelhead spawning migration instead.
What are the rules at Lake Creek Falls?
Day-use area open year-round; alcohol is prohibited; pets must be leashed (max. 6 feet); no overnight camping onsite.
What water body is Lake Creek Falls on?
Lake Creek Falls is on Lake Creek, a natural waterfall pool verified in USGS hydrography data.
More swimming holes near Blachly
★ Top verifiedSmith River Falls
North Fork, Oregonriver
🥾 0.1 mi hike⛺🛶
★ Top verifiedShotgun Creek Recreation Site
Marcola, Oregoncreek
⛺
★ Top verifiedLoon Lake Recreation Site
Reedsport, Oregonlake
⛺🛶🏄🚤
Regatta Park
Lincoln City, Oregonlake
🛶🏄🚤
★ Top verifiedTerwilliger Hot Springs
Blue River, Oregonhot spring
🥾 0.4 mi hike⛺
★ Top verifiedMcCredie Hot Springs
Oakridge, Oregonhot spring
🥾 0.1 mi hike⛺