Oregon State Police: Man Slips Off Ledge and Dies at Silver Falls State Park Attempting Photos

Published 08/11/2026 at 7:55 p.m.
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Silverton, Oregon) – One of Oregon's most iconic scenic areas was the scene of a horrible accident. (Photo Oregon Coast Beach Connection)

A man who fell from the top of South Falls at Silver Falls State Park Monday evening had entered a closed area to take photos, according to Oregon State Police.

Troopers and Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched at about 6:36 p.m. after witnesses reported the fall. Investigators said the victim, identified as 20-year-old Zachary Nicholas Mertens of Burlington, Kentucky, slipped while posing for photographs in a restricted section above the waterfall and plunged roughly 177 feet into the pool below.

Marion County Search and Rescue led the recovery operation. Oregon State Police, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, county search-and-rescue personnel, and park rangers assisted at the scene.

The incident reinforces the concepts of playing it safe when you visit Oregon's outdoors – especially the coastline. Do not go beyond fences that keep you out of dangerous areas. They are there for a reason.

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