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All the United States Oregon Sherars Falls
AO Edited

Sherars Falls

Members of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs still net migrating salmon in the traditional way at this cataract on the Deschutes River.

Tygh Valley, Oregon

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slgwv
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Sherars Falls, looking east at the fishing platforms.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Sherars Falls, looking east at the fishing platforms.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Looking west across Sherars Falls. The highway on the far side is Oregon SR 216.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Looking west across Sherars Falls. Note the fishing platforms.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Sherars Falls, looking northeasterly at the fishing platforms.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Sherars Falls, looking east at the fishing platforms.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Upper Sherars Falls, looking southeasterly.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Sherars Bridge, below the falls.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Deschutes River below Sherars Bridge.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Deschutes River below Sherars Bridge.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Overview looking west across Sherars Falls. Note the fishing platforms on this side.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Deschutes River downstream, from parking area just west of Sherars Bridge.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
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About

The Deschutes River flows north along the east side of the Cascade Mountains, joining the Columbia east of The Dalles. The lower part of the river remains undammed and thus supports a vestigial salmon run.  

At Sherars Falls, the Deschutes drops into a narrow slot forming a cataract so turbulent it's a mandatory portage even for whitewater craft. The salmon have to pass the cataract by making multiple jumps up it, and they can be netted from platforms built out over the river. The tribe also sells fishing permits to non-members.

Sherars Falls was given to the tribes in partial (and inadequate) compensation for the loss of the traditional fishing grounds at Celilo Falls on the Columbia River. Those falls were drowned by The Dalles Dam in the late 1950s.

Related Tags

Fishing Native Americans Waterfalls

Know Before You Go

Oregon State Route 216 crosses the Deschutes River at Sherars Bridge, just downstream of the falls, and then runs along the west bank of the river up to the falls. The east side of the falls is reached from the Deschutes River Access Road, which intersects SR 216 just east of Sherars Bridge.

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slgwv

Published

May 13, 2022

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Sherars Falls
Sherars Falls, Oregon, USA
Tygh Valley, Oregon
United States
45.257745, -121.039081
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Oregon

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Oregon

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