Located deep in the Umpqua National Forest along Alex Creek in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon, Spirit Falls makes up in beauty what it lacks in size. This forty-foot tall waterfall cascades down a moss-covered bulge of rock and breaks into a wide apron of spray before dropping into the pool at its base. The headwaters of this small creek begin high on the side of 4,400-foot Patterson Mountain a few miles to the east. Well known for its abundance of waterfalls, the Umpqua National Forest takes its name from the local word for "thunder water", or more specifically, the sound water makes when it rushes through canyons and gorges and over rocks. This word aptly describes the nearby Umpqua River as well as this small creek. This vertical photograph was captured with a 6x7 format camera. All photos in these fine art photo galleries may be ordered as fine art framed prints or for stock photography usage.