Dillon Falls

Deschutes National Forest / Bend, Oregon, USA

About Dillon Falls

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Waterfall Safety and Common Sense

Dillon Falls was a run of class V rapids and cascades on the Upper Deschutes River while flanked by lava fields deposited from the Lava Butte eruption 7000 years ago.

It’s a similar situation to the nearby Benham Falls further upstream, but Dillon Falls felt less developed.

Dillan_Falls_039_06272021 - Dillon Falls
Dillon Falls

Indeed, Benham Falls had the sanctioned lookouts and two trailheads to access it, but Dillon Falls required that I go on either a bit of a dusty drive to reach its nearest trailhead or else hike an additional 3.5 miles from the Benham Falls East Trailhead.

That said, due to the less-developed nature of Dillon Falls, trying to find that satisfying all-encompassing view was hard to come by.

So I had to be content with the partial views that I was able to safely find.

Nevertheless, the flip side to its rather wild and undeveloped nature was that I at least enjoyed a more serene experience thanks to there being far fewer people.

Dillan_Falls_005_iPhone_06272021 - Looking across the profile of Dillon Falls where the Deschutes River was about to bend due to the lava cliffs across it
Looking across the profile of Dillon Falls where the Deschutes River was about to bend due to the lava cliffs across it

Speaking of development, Dillon Falls was named after a homesteader by the name of Leander Dillon, according to my Gregory Plumb book.

From the Dillon Falls Day Use Parking Lot, I passed a picnic area and skirted by a calm part of the Deschutes River, where I could see people tubing or kayaking.

However, at about a quarter-mile, the river started to become turbulent, and this was where I suspected the Dillon Falls run began.

I probably spent the majority of my time on this excursion scrambling to try to find the best viewing spots without putting too much risk to my safety since there were no guardrails or designated lookouts.

Dillan_Falls_010_iPhone_06272021 - This was as much of the run of Dillon Falls that I could capture in a single photo, but as you can see, the run kept going in both directions of the Deschutes River
This was as much of the run of Dillon Falls that I could capture in a single photo, but as you can see, the run kept going in both directions of the Deschutes River

I ultimately went as far as an additional 0.15-0.2 miles or so further downstream where I felt the Deschutes River was starting to calm down and represent the end of the run of Dillon Falls.

That said, it’s not like there’s an obvious spot where the Dillon Falls started and ended so the extent of my exploration was just my judgment call.

After having my fill of Dillon Falls, I just backtracked the way I went, and I wound up spending a little over 30 minutes for the entire excursion.

Authorities

Dillon Falls resides in the Deschutes National Forest near Bend in Deschutes County, Oregon. It is administered by the USDA Forest Service. For information or inquiries about the area as well as current conditions, visit their website.

Maps and Routing Content are for annual subscribers. See Membership Options.
Content is for subscribers. See Membership Options.
Tagged with: deschutes, bend, rapids, upper deschutes, conklin road, cascade lakes



Visitor Comments:

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Deschutes River run August 22, 2021 1:02 am by Steve Gillett - Dunno if you're into whitewater rafting, but there's a short trip between Dillon Falls (unrunnable, at least commercially) and Lava Island downstream (ditto). There's a nice Class III rapid, Big Eddy, in the middle. The run takes only about an hour (IIRC), and you can sign up (again IIRC) with an outfitter at the nearby… ...Read More

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Johnny Cheng

About Johnny Cheng

Johnny Cheng is the founder of the World of Waterfalls and author of the award-winning A Guide to New Zealand Waterfalls. Over the last 2 decades, he has visited thousands of waterfalls in over 40 countries around the world and nearly 40 states in the USA.
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