White River Falls State Park

We love it when the state does the right thing against its ostensible interests. Here the State of Oregon has turned a ruin of a hydroelectric plant into a park. And it hasn’t been that ravaged by vandals, though time has taken a toll.
Sometime around the early 1900’s this power plant and dam was built to generate electricity from the White River which originates on Mt Hood in the White River Glacier. The power plant building is strictly off limits to any trespassers like you because it is dangerous!
It had three Pelton turbines, three General Electric generators, three exciters, governors, switchgear and oil backup. It is partially disassembled, all the copper is gone, some parts are missing, but you can get an idea of how it worked.
Here is a little history of electricity involving the plant:
It is one of the finest photo stylist spots of its kind in the region. The trail down is steep, mud and rock, no railing and a dropoff, It’s dangerous. The building interior is just about as dangerous as it could be. Piles of shifting broken concrete, heavy iron castings weighing tons that could shift and crush you, holes in the floor you could fall into, probably carcinogenic contamination from the old electrical gear and a roof which is likely to fall in and knock you unconscious. If you were hurt, no one is going to hear you call. It’s a ruin. It’s dangerous!
It is only open some months of the year, as of now 7AM-​7PM, day use. When I was there, they have guest park hosts in their RV keeping an eye on things and answering questions. I saw children about 6 on up to older folks visiting the site. The 6 year old was holding hands with the parent, so definitely not safe for small children, it’s dangerous! There are good views of the river and falls without the steep hike. There is a sandy beach right by the power plant. There are probably other dangerous swimming locations — it’s a wild river.
The river that time forgot, freed from an old dam, joins an old electric generating plant ruin, with some history!

Great view of a beautiful waterfall just 4 miles off the main highway (197). A sketchy trail down to an abandoned building isn’t worth it. Just enjoy the easy view of the falls right out of the parking lot