Home / Environment / Oregon Buys Iconic Abiqua Falls for Public
Oregon Buys Iconic Abiqua Falls for Public
12 Mar
Summary
- Oregon lawmakers approved $2.1 million to purchase Abiqua Falls.
- The waterfall, privately owned for over a century, will remain public.
- The state's purchase ensures continued public access to the natural wonder.
Oregon is set to acquire the iconic Abiqua Falls, a stunning natural site known for its 92-foot drop. For more than a century, the waterfall and surrounding land were privately held by Mount Angel Abbey and later The Abbey Foundation of Oregon. This past February, the foundation placed the property on the open auction market.
Responding to public concern over potential restricted access, a bipartisan group of Oregon lawmakers recently approved $2.1 million to purchase the falls. This action ensures that the waterfall, located about 30 miles east of Salem, will continue to be protected and accessible to the public.
The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department must now complete its due diligence before the sale is finalized. While the property is not guaranteed to become a state park, management options include local or tribal governments. Conservationists, including the Willamette River Preservation Trust, have supported the state's move to secure this cherished natural wonder.
