06/07/2023
Hidden Falls, a truly “one-of-a-kind” property has absolute privacy and seclusion on 32 acres straddling a white water, salmon and steel head river.
It is 1 ¾ hours from PDX and 1 ½ hours from downtown Portland, located on a secondary State Hi-way in the Siuslaw National forest and 11 miles further down the road is one of Oregon’s most beautiful beaches with eastern style broad sandy stretches overlooked by ‘Haystack Rock’ and the incredibly beautiful sandstone Cape Kiwanda
The property is bordered on the North West by a small farm. On the south west, south and southeast by federal forest and on the Southwest by another elegant riverfront home, designed by the designer/builder owner of this listing
Most river-front properties on the coast are located with the road very close to the water and with steep terrain on both sides. These thirty-two acres go back 1776 feet with a 400’ foot mountain between the home site and the road... A search (on maps and physically) fifty miles north and south of here will show that there are no other properties that have this separation between the road and the river anywhere else in private ownership. There are twelve acres on the highway side and twenty acres across the river.
There are open meadows, mature timber groves, and scattered Fir, hemlock, cedar and spruce up to 60 years of age along with alder in all stages of growth. All of the land is accessed by attractive unimproved roads. Bald eagles nest here and one sees them flying and perched for fishing along the river.
The home site has a south and west exposure 40 feet above the high water line, overlooking its private valley and commands a spectacular view of a 100 foot wide, 4' high waterfall.
Across the river a rolling park like area sits at the water pond below the falls providing ideal fishing and shallow water swimming. There is also, at the upstream end, a deep water swimming and fishing hole at the base of a beautiful fern and tree covered rock face with a small portion of the meadow on its far side being part of the property. The summer fog zone ends just west of here, but nevertheless the site gets the afternoon sea breeze and most years the temperature gets in the 80’s maybe a dozen days. In a record heat wave, when it went to 110, the house stayed cool on the lower level as there is a three level flow through of air coming from a shaded area at the lower level and out a skylight at the top of the stairs.
As we don’t hunt, the local Elk herd feels safe to come by and graze.
The river is crossed by a ford from April through October and there are massive concrete bridge abutments that previously supported a 60’span bridge. The Department of Water Resources has OK’d the construction of a new bridge. The bridge approach road has been to improved to accommodate the boom truck needed to set bridge beams. Also, there s a trail down to the waterfall pond and an islet in the river which allows for dry-foot plank crossing from June through September.
Also across the river is a 3/4 acre, 9' deep pond that is fed by mountain streams through a system of spawning beds and a fry pond. Three water rights exist; one for the spring well which services the house and pond, a 9 month stream for the pond only, and a year round stream for it and the gravity water system that services the house during power failures and low well water in summer. Also, a deep well for year round water was installed last year.
The zoning of the property is “Small Farm and Woodlot-20 Acre.” This results in a very low property tax as “Severance” taxes are due only if timber is cut. Since the timber on a developed recreational property is much more valuable standing, one would probably not harvest it, but the tax deferral applies indefinitely, regardless of use. (Cutting firewood or even occasional timber for owner use does not get taxed).The zone also permits conditional uses such as horse boarding and riding, schools, and Bed and Breakfast.
Current regulations no longer permit dwellings to be built on any forest parcel smaller than 80 acres unless the owner can prove that he will be employed 30 hours a week in active forestry.
The local Ranger has stated that their bordering forests will never be permitted to be logged, as they drain directly into the river.
In the late 1940’s, the former owner’s brother was an engineer for the govt. assigned to search out potential hydro-electric dam sites throughout the region. The only viable location in our general area was the river-bend on our thirty two acre lot. The hard-rock ridge that would have made a dam possible is what creates our open land riverbank nestled between 500 foot hills. The geology forced the river to turn 90 degrees left, 180, right and then 90 left as it enters our parcel.
Structures
The home is 4500 sq. Ft. consisting of a main level having an open floor plan living, dining, kitchen and library in defined but mutually visible spaces. On one side of this is a door to a vestibule accessing two bedrooms and a full bath. On the other side is a master suite with a view of the waterfall, its bath is presently rough plumbed and finished electrical ready for completion to suit. Behind the kitchen is a wide hallway with book cases on one side and cleaning and coat closets on the other. This connects the main areas, the kitchen, the garage, the stairway and a laundry room. There is also a coat closet by the front door.
An L shaped stair way with landing leads down to a den through which is accessed another laundry (with outside door), a future sauna space and basement, and, another master suite, which has an elegantly tiled bathroom and cherry cabinets and a ground level deck. Above those stairs is a second flight leading to an upper level, grand master suite with an open bedroom/ studio area of 18’x 24’with a bath having a two person soaking tub and separate shower layout. That pace has finished electric and a soaking tub set, is sheet rocked and in process of taping and spackle.
The great room, hallway, vestibule and guest bath are floored in 12" tile. The kitchen has oak flooring; hickory, shaker style cabinets and tiled counters with full tile back splash. All interior doors are birch or oak veneer with hand rubbed oil finishes over white or cherry stain. Base and casing are of straight grain hemlock with the same finish. Most of the spaces have natural wood windows with grey painted exterior trim to go with the grey stained vertical cedar siding. We are in the process of upgrading these to Milgard taupe vinyl. There is extensive main level decking running from the entry across the great room and kitchen with two levels and very wide areas containing built-in benches and planters, The older railings are rounded edge 2"X 6" cedar above stainless steel cable threaded through cedar posts and stainless steel tubing. The main level master suit deck and the one upstairs are having new rails of glass.
All existing living spaces except the lower laundry and basement are framed floors over other living spaces or crawls.
There are four new water heaters, a 55 gallon for the kitchen, bar sink and lower level master suite, A 50 gallon for the vestibule bath room and the two laundries, a 50 gallon for the upper level master suite and a 40 gallon for the main level master.
There is a second structure consisting of a 3200 sq’ ft. Post and beam, two story shop bldg. fully wired on the main level with several rooms. It has a garage on each level. The main shop room and adjacent workroom area are insulated, sheet-rocked and have 40 amp heater outlets. The shop is equipped with a 10”radial arm saw, a 10”table saw. A 10” band saw a large multiple speed drill press and a 6” long bed jointer.
The existing two car garage has been turned into compartmented shop, fridge/freezer and shelf spaces but there is room to add a one car garage extension to it. (Plan drawn) Alternatively, one shop wall is a partition that could be removed to make 2/3 of the garage hold one vehicle.
Differed maintenance and undone work will allow the new owner to be able to choose materials for:
New decking on the main level deck, ceiling planking and flooring on the upper master suite, flooring on the main level master bedroom, cabinets and sinks in upper bath and cabinets in the main level master bath, also a vanity there and a bar sink in the lower den and flooring in the lower den and office.
The main level great room and hallways are tile and the kitchen floor, oak as is the lower level master bedroom. The walls and ceiling of the great room are slate and cedar and the great room has a woodstove with a slate hearth and wall, ceiling surround.
The upper level master has an alcove for a wood stove with a chimney chase above.
Contact:
[email protected]
