White River Falls State Park

One of Oregon's secret hideaways is located just east of Tygh Valley along Highway 216. The White River plunges 90' over a basalt shelf. The park offers excellent viewpoints of the White River falls. A rugged quarter-mile trail takes hikers down deep within the canyon to the historic hydroelectric power plant at the base of the raw, churning power of the falls. The power plant supplied electricity to Wasco and Sherman Counties from 1910 until the completion of The Dalles Dam in 1960.

The park is a popular picnicking, hiking and fishing retreat for visitors to the Deschutes River corridor. Opening early each spring when the desert flowers are in bloom and closing after the leaves turn in the fall, this park offers all of the intrigue of history since time began. The chasm of the falls tells a geological story of violence and power; the old grist pond tells the story of people learning to use that power. The hydroelectric plant at the bottom tells the story of human ingenuity and persistence as we turned the Pacific Northwest's abundant natural energy into electricity.

Major Features & Activities

Hiking Trails
Picnicking
Fishing