Silver Falls (11)

Silver Falls State Park is one of the most popular parks in Oregon, so avoid the summer weekends if you can since it'll be a zoo. The seven (or so) mile hike around the park takes you past eleven spectacular waterfalls. I started the hike from the South Falls Day Use area walking clockwise along the trail, so the clues for the boxes will be listed in that order. Feel free to start from any of the trailheads, though.

The trail that loops past all eleven waterfalls is heavily traveled and it may be difficult to look for many of the boxes discreetly. So if you can't visit the park on non-peak days, try visiting them at non-peak hours. (I've noticed it doesn't really start to get busy until after 10:00am.)

Finding all of the boxes requires about 8 miles of hiking with a little less than 1,000 feet in elevation gain, but you can also break the hike into several smaller loops for easier hikes that can be done over different days.

Clue

Frenchie Falls
Placed by Funhog in October of 2002
Près du commencement du Trail of Ten Falls près de South Falls il y à un escalier de bois. Montez les escaliers, puis suivez le sentier à la gauche. Marchez jusqu'à ce que vous atteignez deux petits ponts et une clôture où vous pouvez voir la tête de la cascade. Par-dessus de votre épaule gauche vous verrez un sentier et deux arbres avec une fourmilière formidable entre eux . Après quinze pas sur le gravier vous trouverez la boîte aux pieds d'un arbre à côté d'une autre fourmilière. Ne molestez-pas les fourmis!

In case you don't know French, perhaps the online translater at http://babelfish.altavista.com might help.

South Falls Box (Missing--probably!)
Would you believe a man went off these falls in a canoe and lived to tell about it? It's a fascinating story you can read all about in Hiking Oregon's History by William Sullivan. This box is dedicated to that event. Find a large stump with a view of South Falls at 120 degrees (magnetic). Take 40 steps beyond the stump. Follow a side trail on the left to a group of large, fallen logs. The box is hidden under the far end of the longest (and largest) log.

Lower South Falls
Continue down the trail to a large sitting log on the left side of the trail. Aim down the down, across the trail, to an evergreen tree. Look behind and at the base of the tree for the Lower South Falls letterbox.

Lower North Falls (Missing)
So you're walking along, from Lower South Falls to Lower North Falls. Shortly before Lower North Falls, you'll cross a bridge spanning the river--just recently arrived from the exciting drop down Lower North Falls. Count 50 steps beyond the bridge to a large, vertical stump on the left side of the trail. The box hides under a rock near the to of this stump. Please be sure to rehide the box well, since it could easily go missing otherwise!

Double Falls
When you come to a bridge, turn around and take 60 steps following the trail to Double Falls. A large log should be on your left. The box is hidden in the log, covered with bark. Please be careful not to damage the stump! It's very fragile! Note: It's very likely people will be around admiring the falls here, so it may be better to look for this box during non-peak hours.

Drake Falls
From the sign marking Drake Falls, continue 95 steps east. Look for the box in the remains of a decomposing stump on your left near a slight bend in the trail. Please be careful not to damage the stump! It's very fragile!

Middle North Falls (Missing)
Where the falls are at 120° and a cliff looms above you, search the cracks at the base of the cliff for loose rocks that hide the Middle North Falls letterbox. Please note that this location is extremely well visited since it is the main viewing area of the falls and you may have to wait for quite some time on busy days to nab this letterbox discreetly.

Twin Falls
Near Twin Falls, you'll come to an intersection. A tall stump stands at 160 degrees. A fat stump stands at 200 degrees. And a trail leads upwards at 330 degrees. Follow this trail 60 steps to a badly decomposed (terrorized?) stump on your right. The box is hidden at the base of the tree to the right of the stump.

Upper North Falls (Missing)
You've made it far. Rest at the end to admire Upper North Falls. (I had lunch. Yum, yum.) When you're ready to continue the hunt, take 183 steps back towards the parking lot. Look in a tall tree on your left, at eye level, hidden with dirt, is the letterbox you seek.

North Falls (Missing)
After taking the high road, you'll soon lose sight of North Falls. You'll come across a small trail (I think it might be from water runoff, since I can't image people would actually use it!). At this point, you can still hear North Falls at about 15 degrees. The box is hidden in a small, non-descript stump about 15 feet to your left.

Winter Falls
From the base of Winter Falls, walk "inland" looking for a pot-bellied tree. (Don't confuse this with the Buddah mentioned in Funhog's clue. They aren't the same. Yes, Buddah has a pot-belly, but you're looking for a TREE with a pot-belly, not Buddah.) From this tree, walk an additional 20 steps. A stump should be to your right, and a letterbox hides in its roots. Please be sure to rehide this box well, since it's easily seen and likely to go missing if not rehidden well.

Hike Length: 8.0 miles
Elevation Gain: 800 feet