Deepwood Mansion & Gardens

Location = Deepwood Mansion. 1116 Mission St SE, Salem OR. The gardens are free to view, however to tour the Mansion & museum you’ll need to reserve a tour and pay the small entry fee. Tours are given Wed thru Sat at 9am, 10am, 11am, and 12 noon. You can tour the gardens any day, from sunrise to sunset.

If you love history, especially pre-1900’s, then come visit this beauty. Deepwood Mansion is an 1894 Victorian home with a carriage house on a 5 acre public park. The detailing is exquisite. They also offer a variety of events like teas, plant sales, and Easter Egg Hunts.

* Win a prize = Be first to correctly guess what year this black & white photo was taken? Hint: find it online.

Plan on 3-5 days. Note: The 45th parallel is halfway between the North Pole & Equator and the green sign on Interstate 5 is just north of Salem. The Willamette River from May-Sept comes alive with activity.

Add one of these trips on to Salem: Troll Patrol, Witch's Castle or Walk the Plank.

I love history - and the older the better. As I begin the tour, it's fun to imagine myself in that era wearing those clothes.... but NOT those shoes, and sleeping in that bed, and playing my role in the household.

Then the tour guide explains what women did every day..... yikes, back the truck up. In a wealthy family, women took hours to dress just to get presentable. And I'd have to play the piano, read books, sip tea, and knit. Can't a girl throw her hair in a twisty bun, lace up some tennis shoes and go hiking in the woods? Without all that knitting business?

If you're a regular Jane - you would spend an agonizingly amount of time preparing food, washing stuff, and taking care of 7 kids. Well that's a deal breaker! I snap out of that dumb, imaginary dream and thank the Lord I can do WAY more fun things than sipping tea in the Parlor all day.

Deepwoods Mansion is a Queen Anne style Victorian mansion built for Dr. Luke Port (who by the way closely resembles Abraham Lincoln), and his wife in 1894. The woodwork & intricate design details are evidence of it's grandeur and luxury.

The Port's lived there for 16 short months, until it was purchased in 1895 by Judge George Bingham and his family, photo left.

The Browns were the last to buy Deepwood in 1924, who commissioned significant renovations to be finished prior to moving in. Alice Brown soon became a widow and it was her vision that brought the gardens to life in 1929. The last upgrade was the kitchen make over in the 1940's.

Alice lived there until 1968. Years later, the City of Salem purchased Deepwood Mansion.

Photo courtesy of the Oregon State Library.

Location = Silver Falls Park Office. 20024 Silver Falls Hwy SE, Sublimity, OR. South Falls Day Use Area = Silverton, OR. $5 Day Use fee. Trail maps here. FYI: Pets are NOT allowed on most trails, but they can be in the Day Use areas. In remote back-country areas - be aware of possible bears & cougars.

This is the crown-jewel of Oregon parks. The trail has an amazing 10 waterfalls along its 7.2 mile loop, with options for shorter hikes: the 5 mile loop and 2.6 mile loop. Click: Park Map & Trails.

Silver Falls Park also has restaurants, a tree climbing adventure, and 35 miles of back-country trails for horseback riding, hiking, and mountain biking.

Within Silver Falls Park are 2 day use areas. I chose South Falls Day Use area with a Nature Store & Cafe close to the trailhead. You can visit the historic area, dog run, picnic tables, and playground that's sure to keep everyone happy.

Silver Falls Park lodging options: cabins, tent/RV campgrounds, and more at the Smith Creek Village.

Silver Falls Hiking & Day Use Area

I parked in the South Falls Lodge Trailhead parking lot which is close to the iconic South Falls trailhead. South Falls is also visible from ground level, or get a great view by getting on the trail and go left for a quick minute. Ready or not, here we go... First up, follow the trail behind the falls. It's AWESOME. And since the volume of water gushing over the cliff is pretty substantial, you can count on almost everything getting wet - maybe even you!

You'll see 2 waterfalls on the 2.6 mile Maple Ridge Loop Trail. There's ups & downs, some stairs, and a little bit of a leg burner section. Next grab some lunch and get ready for more. For the 5 mile loop, you can drive over to the North District parking lot and hike Winter Loop Trail and see 7 waterfalls. I opted to explore the Day Use areas, so I'll come back again to do the 5 mile loop.

The 7 Dwarfs' Cabin

After hiking the 2.6 mile loop, we grabbed the dogs from the cabin and wanted to explore the expansive South Day Use area. Then, there it was - an adorable little path that meandered into the woods I'm naturally curious, so I'm often asking what's around that corner or down that trail? Lucky for me, I usually find some kind of treasure and today was no different.

So off we went. After walking a bit we could make out a small structure. As we got closer, I could see it was clearly a stone cabin. Closer still, it was obvious. That's the cabin in the woods.... for the 7 Dwarfs. Realizing I just stumbled onto the greatest find of the century, I decided it was appropriate to knock on the door. I wondered if Snow herself would answer.

Come on.... tell me that doesn't look like the 7 Dwarfs' cabin: Happy, Dopey, Grumpy, Sleepy, Bashful, Sneezy, and Doc. And NO - I'm not under the influence in case you were wondering. My imagination wanders sometimes. Anyway, it was totally an enchanting experience. Look for the cabin on the Park's map.

FYI: Interesting fact - several movie scenes were filmed here: the 2008 (first) Twilight and the 2003 thriller The Hunted.

Location = Drift Creek Falls Trail. Otis, OR about 57 miles west of Salem. From Hwy 18 it's about 8.8 miles to the trailhead. Travelling west on Hwy 18, turn left on N. Bear Creek Rd. When the road splits, stay left on Bear Creek Rd. After passing NS-1780 on the right, at the road splits go left on NF-17. At the next split, stay right on NF-17. At the "T" intersection turn right to stay on NF-17. At the next split go left. A short way further, the trailhead is on the left.

FYI: Drift Creek Falls requires a Pass. Either a Day Pass online or the Recreational Pass at the trailhead. Restrooms are onsite. Parking is limited in peak seasons. Dogs allowed on leash. No bicycles. Afraid of heights (you or your dog) - read below about the Suspension Bridge.

The trail is 3.1 miles roundtrip, and great fun for everyone. The trail follows a wide path thru the forest, with thick foliage and moss covered trees. It's beautiful with almost a mysterious quality. Continue for 1.25 miles to the bridge.

Drift Creek Falls Suspension Bridge

If you're a new reader, you may not know about my fear of heights. I was just beginning to psych myself up to conquer that fear - and this was my 2nd attempt. The moment came... I was standing at the bridge and that's when my heart started banging against my ribcage!

Drift Creek Falls bridge is 240 feet long and dangles 100 feet up. I'm wondering if they check the bolts & cables? The Forest Service says it can hold 165,000 pounds, so having 20 people on it certainly won't stress-test it. On the FLIP SIDE, with 20 people on it there's going to be some serious bounce. NOPE... not a friend of the bounce.... do NOT like the bounce. So, I apologized profusely and asked if I could go alone with my daughter, and doggie stroller.

Note - my daughter's small dog put 1 paw on the bridge and freaked out, trembling worse than I was. I always bring my covered dog stroller, so we put Mr. shaky-pants in the back behind my dog who just goes with the flow. As for me, I was trembling on the inside. The only way I could move forward was to start mumbling "help me, help me, oh Lord help me". My body was tensed and I could only stare a few feet in front of me.

I was in my own little bubble. Suddenly, I felt a small wave of peace wash over me, and I was actually able to turn my head and look to the right. And WOW, I saw Drift Creek Falls.... for just a moment. This was a first for me. I kept walking and praying - feeling delighted in my accomplishment. Then I heard my daughter behind me say, you're almost there. I looked up and realized I only had about 60 feet left of the 240 feet total. Whew!

Once we were across, you can actually scramble down to the falls. Since my legs were still tensed from that hyper-focused death walk - I stayed put and admired the scenery from up top. I learned later in my research that in 2010, that the front of the rock face slid down the cliff, which is why you see that jagged basalt rock. And how it formed was by the rapid cooling of volcanic lava. Well isn't that great.... a volcano erupted near here, like 12 years ago. FABULOUS!!!

Location = Enchanted Forest. 8462 Enchanted Way SE, Turner OR.

If you're still a kid at heart, or, if your wife dragged you here because you have twin 6 year olds - you'll be amazed at how much fun you can have. Enchanted Forest is an adorable, enchanting, and magical forest with big surprises down every path.

Enchanted Forest is a park is filled with themed villages, carnival rides and crazy slides - and some are even in the water. There's also fun games just for the kids to try. The theme is all nursery rhymes and fairy tales.

You'll be enchanted by the Haunted House and the Challenge of Mondor with dragons and such. Plus, there's Storybook Lane where you can say hello to Alice and Wonderland and some other favorite friends. Enchanted Forest is a magical place and enjoyable for kids from 2 to 92.

More Fun Things to Do

• Salem has hiking trails, waterfalls, and hot springs galore. The highest rated trails include: Riverfront Park, Walsh’s Landing, Minto-Brown Island Park, and Bush’s Pasture Park.

• Willamette Heritage Center has 14 historic buildings dating back to 1841 and a water-powered wool mill.

• Riverfront Park – Fun for the whole family, with a sternwheeler boat cruise on the Willamette River, a carousel, trails, and more.

• Smith Rock State Park - Explore by hiking or mountain biking. Enjoy the river canyons, or take your pick of thousands of rock climbing adventures.

Vacation Travel Tips

• Average temps high/low = Summer 84/48 degrees F. Winter 51/34. Summer can get rainy. Expect snow in some lower elevations, however, rare in the cities.

• Backpack essentials - water, bug spray, sunscreen, whistle, flashlight, cell phone, pocket knife, camera, and a light jacket for summer.

• Winter Essentials - thermal blanket, waterproof hiking boots, and extra warm clothing.

• Hiking conditions - trails can be wet & slippery even in summer. Expect 2+ feet of snow in some lower elevations.

• Vehicle safety – Keep a spare blanket, boots, jacket, gloves, and snacks in the car. Winter roads can be icy & covered in snow - use “winter” tires. FYI: If you have "all season" tires, take snow chains.

• Wild animals - rarely seen on trails, but they're out there.

• Trash - Pack out what you pack in.

• Rivers/lakes – river shoes are a must. Heavy winter rains/snow means ice-cold, deep, & fast moving water.

• Poison Oak - it grows as a vine or a shrub, and has 3 or more leaves/group.

• Rattlesnakes - prefer dry/warm areas, not usually found above 6,000 ft.

• Wilderness areas – take a buddy & tell someone your travel plans.

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