# 8 Drift Creek Falls, Lincoln City, Oregon

Drift Creek Falls and Bridge

Hike #7  Drift Creek Falls, Lincoln City, Oregon
#52HikeChallenge

Date:  March 7, 2020
Distance: 3.2 Miles
Weather: Bliss!  The trail was gorgeous--there was a little rain but it was so worth it!
Type: Waterfall
Company: Sue, Traci, Jennifer-- Ripley and Jack

Reflections: This was the dream hike! My dream hike. I have been wanting to go on this hike for years!  About four years to be exact. Back to the moment when I fist start hiking and saw the pictures on Facebook. I was in awe that this place existed and knew that I had to see it someday!  It is about four hours from my home...so not exactly a day trip.  It's taken me a minute to pull it all together and make it happen. When I first started considering it for my birthday, I originally thought I would go by myself because I didn't think anyone would be able to get away on such short notice. I was wrong. When I mentioned it to my friends, they immediately rallied and joined me for the entire weekend.  I am so insanely grateful for friends who are willing to drop everything for a friend.  We rented a condo in Lincoln City for the weekend and spent a lot of time relaxing, laughing, and just being in the moment.  Moments are good!

Who ordered snow? 

After a somewhat eventful morning at the condo involving overflowing toilets, backed up bathtubs, and service calls, we finally headed out for the hike.  On the way up to the falls, we drove through snow...SNOW--Hello, Oregon what are you doing to me?! I waited a long time to get here and now you are going to bring snow into the mix! SNOW!  Okay, to be fair it was not a lot of snow but it was SNOW!! Even with the distance, I actually would have turned around and left if I had been there by myself. I am a wimp when it comes to snow and would have been nervous about driving into deeper snow.  Fortunately, I was not alone and Sue drove on through the snow like a pro!  As it turns out, we drove out of the snow...not into more!  So glad we did not turn around!  By the time we made it to the falls, the weather was beautiful and perfect for a hike! The dream hike!

Drift Creek Falls

The trail is pretty gentle both in and out and is filled with ttrees, muddy trails, a couple of bridges, mossy trees, and flowing rivers.  Paradise! Gradual inclines and declines that left plenty of time for conversation, laughter, goofiness, taking in the views, and just marveling at natures' wonders. I feel confident claiming this as my favorite hike to date.  Hands down.  The suspension bridge was as amazing as I expected. The pictures definitely DID do it justice. For the record, I am not saying mine will--just that others I have seen did.  Sadly, there was one casualty on the hike though. Let's all take a moment to remember my lovely sunglasses that fit perfectly over my regular glasses.   They were on my hat when I entered the bridge and were gone by the time I reached the other side. They were clearly sacrificed to the cavern as I stood on the bridge peering down at the magnificent falls.  They were good glasses and served me well. sniff sniff. Sad.  But even after that loss--all I can say is...WORTH IT!

I waited so long to go on this hike and I feel like I should have some profound, witty, insightful bit of information...but I am still pretty awestruck and all I can say is WORTH IT!! Along those same lines, for someone who wanted to go on this hike so bad, you think I would have put more effort into documenting it with Insta Worthy photos. But I didn't. I didn't take a lot of pictures at all...INSTAworthy or not.  I just took in the moments. Breathed. Hiked. Enjoyed.  It was all I had hoped for and everything I wanted!  Happy 52nd to me!

 

Sue, Jack, Debi, Traci, Ripley, and Jen
March 8, 2020
Drift Creek Falls

There were quite a few people at the falls and we were able to convince one kind soul to take a group shot of us. The pups were not on point and I had my normal awkward pose--sort of like my daughter's awkward, "I'm with a famous person" head tilt from her concert days--but we were happy to be there and grateful for the photo!  Quick question though--why AM I such an awkward poser? I think I need to go on one of those Instagram Photo Tours Jen told me about so I can learn how to pose naturally at beautiful locations!  Maybe that will be the trip for my 53rd.



I can't really leave things there though, can I? I mean we were in Lincoln City for the whole weekend, right? What else did we do? Well, what would you do if you were on the coast for a beautiful weekend? Hang out at the beach? Check. Watch the sunset? Check.  Sit around a fire pit and listen to the waves? Check (until I wimped out from the cold!)  Relax. Unwind.  Breathe. Check. Check. And Check.

Sunset, Lincoln City
March 2020