Oregon lawmakers propose deal to acquire Abiqua Falls in Santiam State Forest
A popular waterfall located an hour east of Salem could soon become public property under a bill up for a vote this week in the Oregon Legislature.
Lawmakers are scheduled to vote on Senate Bill 5701, which would allocate $2.1 million to acquire 200 acres of the Abiqua Creek area, including the 92-foot-tall Abiqua Falls to keep the 0.8-mile hike publicly accessible. The bill has bipartisan support, but to succeed it must pass the Oregon Senate and House by March 8 — the constitutional deadline for lawmakers to adjourn the 2026 legislative session.
Sen. Fred Girod, the Silverton Republican behind the plan, said the acquisition is personal to him. Born and raised in the Santiam Canyon, Girod said he is following the example of the late Oregon Gov. Tom McCall, who championed public ownership of all of Oregon’s beaches.
“This is one of the nicest things I’ve ever had to work on,” Girod told lawmakers on the state’s budget-writing Joint Ways and Means committee Tuesday afternoon.
The Abbey Foundation, a supporting organization of Mount Angel Abbey and Seminary, listed the property for sale in early February after more than 100 years of stewardship, the Statesman Journal first reported. Since lawmakers proposed the deal, the foundation marked the property as pending.
“It is with deep gratitude and hope for the future that the Abbey Foundation of Oregon entrusts the stewardship and legacy of Abiqua Falls to the state of Oregon,” said Amanda Staggenborg, director of communications for Mount Angel Abbey. “The beauty of Abiqua Falls will be enjoyed by generations of Oregonians and all those who love Oregon’s natural wonders.”
The proposed funding for the Abiqua Falls acquisition is a part of a larger bonding bill that if signed into law would also allocate $366 million for renovations at the Moda Center, $45.7 million for public university projects and $100 million for affordable rental housing.
“We are making sure that our children and grandchildren inherit not just stories about Abiqua Falls, but the ability to stand there themselves,” House Majority Leader Bowman, D-Tigard, said in a statement. “This place should belong to all of us. Oregon owes a debt of gratitude to the Abbey Foundation.”
Oregon Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oregon Capital Chronicle maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Julia Shumway for questions: [email protected]. Follow Oregon Capital Chronicle on Facebook and Twitter.
STORY TIP OR IDEA? Send an email to Salem Reporter’s news team: [email protected].
Mia Maldonado began working at the Oregon Capital Chronicle in 2025 to cover the Oregon Legislature and state agencies with a focus on social services. She began her journalism career with the Capital Chronicle's sister outlet in Idaho, the Idaho Capital Sun, where she received multiple awards for her coverage of the environment and Latino affairs. She has a bachelor's degree in Spanish and international political economy from the College of Idaho. Born and raised in the West, Mia enjoys hiking, skiing and rockhounding in her free time.
