In order to study the soil infiltration characteristics and soil quality evaluation under different vegetation cover after returning farmland to forest in the loess region of Western Shanxi Province, the field double-ring infiltration method was developed for the determination of soil water infiltration characteristics. The soil bulk density, porosity, organic matter, and total nitrogen were studied. Correlation analysis was used to study the relationships between soil infiltration capability and the physical and chemical properties of soil. Principal component analysis was also used on the soil physical and chemical properties. The results showed that:(1) Vegetation type had a great influence on soil permeability rate, which was as follows natural secondary forest > Mixed forest of Robinia pseudoacacia and Pinus tabulaeformis > Robinia pseudoacacia forest > Pinus tabulaeformis forest > Shrub > Malus pumila > waste grassland > farmland. (2) After the conversion of farmland to forest, the soil physical and chemical properties of different types of vegetation had significant differences. With the better degree of forest restoration, the soil bulk density decreased, and the contents of porosity and organic matter increased, the soil physical and chemical properties was also gradually improved. Soil infiltration characteristics were significantly positively correlated with total porosity, non-capillary porosity, organic matter and total nitrogen content (P < 0.01), significantly negatively correlated with bulk density (P < 0.01), and significantly negatively correlated with available phosphorus (P < 0.05). With the conversion from farmland to waste grassland, shrub and arboreal forest, soil physical and chemical properties were improved and soil permeability was also gradually enhanced. (3) Soil infiltration performance and soil physical and chemical properties were used as soil evaluation indexes. The order of soil quality of different vegetation types from high to low was as follows natural secondary forest > Mixed forest of Robinia pseudoacacia and Pinus tabulaeformis > Robinia pseudoacacia forest > Pinus tabulaeformis forest> Shrub > Malus pumila > waste grassland > farmland.