Golden And Silver Falls Park Profiled

Silver Falls

If you’re looking for a couple of unique waterfalls off the beaten path then I have the answer. Golden And Silver Falls State Park contains two stunning waterfalls with drops of nearly 200 feet respectively. Each of these falls can be photographed after only a very short walk from the parking area. Total hiking trail length in the park is about three miles, however that’s only if you wish to take the upper trail to Golden Falls and back. The lower and shorter trail will yield some great compositions of the falls.

I guess the only downside to this park is the is the journey there, often times traveling over very winding and narrow county roads. We encountered very few cars but did have a couple of loaded log trucks come at us on sharp turns. There are many spots on this road near the end that won’t allow two cars to pass, so be careful.

Golden Falls

Getting There: Heading South on US 101 go completely through the town of Coos Bay. When you see a 7-Eleven on the left take a left turn at the second light. This exit will say Coos River- Allegany. Once you take the exit you will immediately cross a bridge over the Coos River. From this spot set you’re trip odometer as it is exactly 24 miles to the park from here. You will pass through the town of Allegany at the 14-mile mark. Just continue on for 10 additional miles, the last 4 – 6 miles are gravel but it’s not a bad ride as gravel roads go. When you reach the park you will find a rustic outhouse and hiking instructions to each of the falls.

Good Luck..   Shawn

Shroom Season

 

For all you photographers out there who may be in the doldrums this time of year now that we are between fall color and heavy snow fall, I offer you an alternative to your regular landscape photography. Yes it is shroom season between September and the first substantial snowfalls. Pull out you're favorite macro or any suitable lens to find theses sometimes hidden gems in the forest. I recently got back from Silver Creek State Park primarily to shoot waterfalls. The weather was a misty rain and heavy fog which enabled me to divert my attention to the forest floor. This is something very new to me but I can really see pursuing Fungi and mushrooms as a subject for the camera. As I am always looking for color the Amanita Muscaria is more along the lines of those I would prefer to shoot. You know the one, it's bulb shaped with a red top and covered with white flakes. I won't attempt to identify everything I shoot in that there are thousands of species in North America alone. I did find it interesting to learn from different Mycology websites that mushrooms are really the flowering part of Fungi and that the latter is mostly found underground.