Fatal Fall at Silver Falls: Kentucky Man Slips from Top of South Falls

A 20-year-old Kentucky man died after falling nearly 180 feet from a waterfall at Silver Falls State Park while posing for photographs in a closed area, Oregon State Police said.

Zachary Nicholas Mertens of Burlington, Kentucky, fell from the top of South Falls around 6:30 p.m. Monday, authorities said. Oregon State Police troopers and Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to reports that someone had fallen from the 177-foot waterfall into the pool below.

Investigators determined Mertens had entered a restricted area at the upper viewpoint of South Falls to pose for photos. He slipped and fell into the water, OSP said. Witnesses attempted to help, including performing CPR, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Marion County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue team oversaw recovery of the body from the base of the falls. Oregon State Police were assisted by Marion County deputies, Search and Rescue personnel and Silver Falls State Park rangers.

OSP identified Mertens on Tuesday. The Marion County Medical Examiner’s Office released his body to Search and Rescue for recovery. A friend of Mertens notified the family, and OSP later provided additional details to relatives, according to one report.

Silver Falls State Park, southeast of Salem, is one of Oregon’s most visited state parks and is known for its Trail of Ten Falls. South Falls is the park’s tallest and most

photographed waterfall. Posted signs and barriers restrict access near the rim for safety reasons.

Chris Gilliland, a former park manager and current regional manager, described the incident as “a pretty horrific accident” and “a very tough situation.”

No further details about the circumstances or whether citations would be issued were immediately available. Officials have not released information about anyone who may have been with Mertens at the time.

Similar incidents have occurred at the park in recent years, including injuries from people attempting to dive from the falls.