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Linton Falls is one of the few large waterfalls in Oregon that has remained widely undocumented, the reasons for which are a little puzzling. Linton Lake, which the falls drain into, is a popular destination along the McKenzie Pass corridor, and parts of the falls are plainly visible across the lake. There are even pretty well established trails leading up the creek to the falls, yet there has never been any good documentation on the falls. So, after pouring over the beta I'd received from resident Oregon waterfall guru Todd Singleton, I found that Linton Falls is actually three separate waterfalls. The lower falls are located at roughly the 4100 foot level, well downstream of where the USGS has Linton Falls marked, and far enough downstream from the next fall on the creek that this is legitimately a separate waterfall from the two others. Here, Linton Creek pounds 60 feet into a beautiful canyon in a very attractive fan-shaped fall - the large volume of Linton Creek making the whole canyon echo and reverb from the roar of the falls. Accessing the falls is a lot easier than first glance might suggest, as an informal trail passes right by the brink of the falls, but this isn't a route that should be followed by novice hikers.
- Lower Linton Falls is the Unofficial name of this waterfall.
Located near Linton Lake along the McKenzie Pass Highway. The Linton Lake Trailhead is located directly across the road from the Alder Springs campground, about 1.8 miles east of the Proxy Falls trailhead - about 8.3 miles east of the junctions of Highways 126 and 242, or 11 ½ miles west of the McKenzie Pass summit. The trail to Linton Lake leads an easy 1-½ miles to the mouth of Obsidian Creek, passing across rough lava fields and through a dark forest along the lakeshore. At Obsidian Creek, the official trail ends, but an obvious route continues another 1/3 mile to the mouth of Linton Creek. From there, the trail becomes a little less obvious - but still easy to follow after the initial climb up the hillside - as it climbs up alongside the gorge of Linton Creek. Stay away from the stream, but keep the water within earshot. The falls come into view after another 500 feet of more difficult walking. The trailside views are somewhat obstructed, and the only clear views require scrambling to a precarious perch a good 80 feet above the bottom of the canyon, so be sure to stay on your toes here.
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