Willamette Falls Trust

As the continent’s second largest waterfall by volume, Willamette Falls is a place where multiple histories and cultures converge.

For millennia, Native peoples have fished salmon and lamprey from the Willamette River and gathered foods and materials from its shores. Twentieth century industrialization that vitalized the regional economy at Willamette Falls created serious ecological and cultural damage to the area, limiting the domestic resources relied on by Native peoples and early settlers.

Today, Willamette Falls Trust is guiding the way to create public access for everyone at the Falls. We are achieving this through inclusive collaborative efforts with our many partners, including delegated representatives from the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, and the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs. These official tribal representatives lead through our Tribal Leadership Committee to bring healing to this place of power.

We are proud of our focused collaborative efforts and strong commitment to public access, which includes restoration advocacy, deep community engagement, and the promise that all future generations will have a meaningful connection to Willamette Falls.