Wednesday to Tumalo Falls

Our friends Linda and Jim (who had been with us on the coast at Whaler's Rest and came to Bend right after that) as well as Carl's daughter, Joan, had recommended visiting Tumalo Falls, so we headed there on Wednesday morning.

It was a beautiful drive from Bend up to Tumalo Falls (please excuse the dusty Jeep hood!).

We were driving through a high desert evergreen forest.

Some information from signboards at Tumalo Falls:

The water in the falls comes from winter snow and spring rain that collect in the Cascade Mountains, and then percolate through porous volcanic rock and emerge through fissures as springs. Tumalo Creek eventually joins the Deschutes River.

The Tumalo Creek watershed sustains ecosystems, waters farmland, and provides the City of Bend with drinking water.

It was a short walk from the parking area to the view of Tumalo Falls.

You may be able to see an overlook above the falls on the left -- we had decided we wanted to hike there too...

Obligatory selfie at the falls

Trail marker to the Tumalo Falls Viewpoint. Interesting that mountain bikes can ride up, but no e-bikes and no pedal assist. (We have ordered e-bikes that we hope to get in the next few weeks, but we would not ride them on a trail like this even if they were allowed...)

The view of the falls from up near the top -- we both thought that it would have been nice if they had removed the dead tree, but, from the information on the signboard, I guess that helps to stabilize the ground around the stream.

Looking back down toward the area where we had seen the falls and where the parking lot is located.

Another view from up near the top.

Another view downstream...

... and a view upstream.

Carl at the upstream overlook.

We hiked a little further up the trail, wanting to get at least a mile of hiking in (Carl is in the shadows of the trail).

A picture of the "Oops" that we collaborated in doing in the parking lot. There was only one "potential" parking space, and we figured the Jeep would fit... and it did... but even with one watching and one driving, we managed to impact one of the rocks bordering the parking area and do a little damage to the front bumper cover on the Jeep. Another thing to get addressed the next time we go to Mexico!

We enjoyed Tumalo Falls and headed into Bend -- more pictures of that visit on another blog post -- too much for just one!