Oregon’s capital is the mid-sized city of Salem, located in the western part of the state where most of Oregon’s population is concentrated. I had expected Salem to be a tiny city with very little to do, but while it’s certainly not the biggest highlight of Oregon, there is enough here to make a stop worthwhile. Above is the Oregon State Capitol along with the nearby justice building, both located near the center of the city.
Salem is also home to several colleges and universities, giving parts of the city a noticeable student presence. On the left are students playing sports in a field near downtown. I regret not taking more photos of Salem’s historic areas, but the photo on the right shows the inside of a wine store and cafe I came across while exploring.
I had dinner at an Indian restaurant in Salem and ended up talking with the owners, who were from Punjab. I mentioned that only a few weeks later I planned to cross from Lahore, Pakistan into Amritsar, India. They were enthusiastic about my plans to visit India, although they seemed much less convinced about the backpacking portion through Pakistan. After dinner, most of the shops and restaurants had already closed for the evening, which wasn’t too surprising since I was there on a Sunday.
Salem also has a large riverfront park along the Willamette River. Rather than a commercial waterfront packed with restaurants and entertainment, this area felt more like a traditional city park with open space and paths along the water. I visited fairly late in the evening when only a few other people were around, along with the large boat photographed above. It seemed like the kind of place that would be much more active during festivals, concerts, and summer events.
Silver Falls State Park
One of the best outdoor destinations near Salem is Silver Falls State Park. Oregon’s wet climate and mountainous terrain combine to create countless waterfalls, and Silver Falls is one of the best places in the state to see several of them in a single hike. The park has miles of trails weaving through forests and canyons, with waterfalls appearing one after another along the route. Above are Lower North Falls and Lower South Falls, two of the smaller waterfalls I encountered.
North Falls was probably my favorite waterfall in the park. At 136 feet, it was impressive even from a distance, and the views became better as I approached. One of the most memorable parts of Silver Falls is that several trails actually pass behind the waterfalls, allowing you to walk between the rock wall and the falling water. The photo above shows the trail behind North Falls.
South Falls is probably the best-known waterfall in the park and was my second favorite. The 177-foot waterfall drops in a nearly perfect curtain into the canyon below, and like North Falls, a trail passes behind it. Between the dense forest, canyon scenery, and the number of waterfalls packed into a relatively small area, Silver Falls ended up being one of the best outdoor experiences I had around Salem.
Salem itself was a pleasant stop, but for me the real highlight of this part of Oregon was having Silver Falls so close by. The combination of the capital, the Willamette Valley, and one of the state’s best waterfall hikes makes Salem a much better base for exploring than I had expected before visiting.
