Celestial Falls is the second step of the major falls of the White River, and was formerly considered to be part of White River Falls itself. The falls drop 41 feet over a uniform ledge, plunging into a large pool at the base of the formation, with White River Falls visible just 180 linear feet upstream. The falls feel oddly out of place in the gently undulating foothills on the east side of the Cascades near the town of Maupin. The White River originates on Mount Hood some 40 miles upstream, gathering lots of smaller tributaries as it rolls downhill towards its confluence with the Deschutes River. By the time it reaches the Tygh Valley its a fairly substantial river.

The White Falls is the upper cascade and the Celestial Falls is the second one. They are both fed by the White River and are not that far apart. So you may well ask why they have their own separate names. Good question, I found a few different answers, and many believe they should be the same name. But currently that is how they are identified.