State officials said they are working on a public access, safety and operations plan for the future recreation site.
A popular 92-foot waterfall formerly at risk of being closed to the public is closer to becoming a new state recreation area after the Oregon Parks and Recreation Commission signed off on buying two Marion County properties.
Visitors have been able to visit the privately owned Abiqua Falls, about 40 minutes southeast of Silverton, for more than a century under the stewardship of the Abbey Foundation, a supporting organization of Mount Angel Abbey and Seminary. The 0.8-mile roundtrip trek to the falls is short, but trail users describe it as steep and often muddy, requiring the help of ropes tied to trees along the trail.
Oregon lawmakers quickly stepped in after the foundation listed the property for sale in February, proposing a $2.1 million deal to purchase the property using general obligation bonds…