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Ruth Falls is the first waterfall one passes along the Rogue River Trail when traveling downstream from the Mazama trailhead. However, because of the shape of the canyon and several stands of trees growing mid-slope, the falls are almost entirely obscured from the trail and are not easily seen at all. That said, Ruth Falls appears to be one of the taller waterfalls in this stretch of the river, dropping a clean 30 feet over a mossy outcropping. The only viewpoint of the falls that could be found from above requires descending about 50 vertical feet into the canyon among crumbly ash slopes with steep vertical drops immediately below, and it is not recommended that this be attempted.
- Ruth Falls is the Official name of this waterfall.
Ruth Falls is located approximately 2 1/2 miles west of the uppermost trailhead of the Rogue River Trail at the Mazama viewpoint along Highway 230. It is possible to cut the walking time in half, however, by driving about 1 1/2 miles west from the Mazama trailhead, parking alongside the highway, and walking through the woods to intersect the Rogue River trail, then hiking about a mile east to where the falls are audible. Again, I don't recommend attempting to view the falls from anywhere but on the trail, because the slopes of the canyon are extremely unstable.
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