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Waterfall

Lower Kentucky Falls

Oregon

About

Lower Kentucky Falls is a waterfall in the Central Coast Ranger District-ODNRA of Siuslaw National Forest in Oregon, about 7.5 miles from the town of Mapleton. It sits at roughly 1,000 feet of elevation. Summer is the most comfortable time to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Mapleton show July and August highs around 80°F with lows in the mid-50s, and the falls sit about 1,000 feet higher, so expect it to run cooler. The North Fork Smith River Trail starts just 0.1 mile away, and the Kentucky Falls hike is about a mile off. Paddlers can head to the North Fork Smith River, about 2.3 miles away, or Archie Knowles Campground, about 6 miles away, for an overnight base.

Waterfall Facts

Elevation

1,017 ft

Elevation from USGS 3D Elevation Program terrain data (about 10 m resolution).

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Location

Lower Kentucky Falls

Oregon

Name and location: U.S. Geological Survey, Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). Elevation: USGS 3D Elevation Program. View the GNIS record.

Facts about this place

When to go

Best time to go: Apr–Oct. The mildest months here, with typical highs of 62–80°F and lows of 44–54°F.

Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Mapleton, OR weather station, 7.6 mi away. High / low in °F.

  1. Jan52° high41° low
  2. Feb55° high41° low
  3. Mar58° high42° low
  4. Apr62° high44° low
  5. May68° high48° low
  6. Jun73° high51° low
  7. Jul80° high54° low
  8. Aug80° high54° low
  9. Sep77° high51° low
  10. Oct66° high47° low
  11. Nov56° high44° low
  12. Dec50° high40° low

The station sits about 1,000 ft lower than this spot, so expect it to run cooler up here.

Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020

Where it is

Nearest town
Mapleton, Oregon · 7.5 mi

Source: USFS EDW boundaries; USGS GNIS populated places

Conditions

Active alerts for Siuslaw National Forest as of Oct 9, 2026:

Source: USFS forest alerts

Nearby

Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)

    Lower Kentucky Falls — Waterfall in Oregon | Roamze