Parking at the Eastside trailhead, I started my trek on the parking lot side and hiked a little ways on the Eastside trail. It was way too isolated on the cool spring rainy morning, so I turned around. It felt very beary to me. Once I crossed the road, I was headed for Silver Falls. The water features start up right away. You get every sound of running water on this little trail. If you go all the way to the only authorized personnel sign right before the closed campgrounds, it will be 4.2 miles roundtrip. It's worth it. The forest and continuing running water made for a wonderful hike. If you just want to go to the falls, then it will be about 3 quarters of a mile, so about a mile and a half there and back.
The road once you leave Paradise road is so amazing. I loved the drive so much. My trip to the falls was rainy with no views and I still loved it. The lakes are all in thawing out mode with the amazing whites and blues. The wildflowers on the sides of the road and in the rocks were minimal and yet dazzling. There was paintbrush and lupine. A few splashes of something bright pink. On the trail itself, I saw a tiny showing of beargrass that the Picture This app said needed attention. There was a lot of vanilla-leaf, Western cordilleran bunch berry (also known as Western dwarf dogwood), and dwarf Oregon-grape.
It was busy enough to come across a number of groups, but never so busy that I didn't have stretches of solitude.
Last thing, two vault toilets are open at the Eastside trailhead.
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