Northwest Waterfall Survey
- Yacolt Falls (waterfallsnorthwest.com)
Yacolt Falls is a modest but fairly attractive little waterfall along Yacolt Creek about a quarter mile upstream from its confluence with the East Fork Lewis River. The falls spill approximately 25 feet in two steps, first dropping 15 feet over a broad ledge where an unnamed tributary stream joins on the right, then gathers and funnels over an additional 6-7 foot tier located beneath a unique rotating swinging footbridge spanning the creek. During the winter, the Parks Department locks the swinging bridge open so one can’t cross the creek - I’m assuming this is to prevent logs from smashing against it if they were flumed down the falls (though it seems to me that the creek isn’t nearly voluminous enough to carry logs large enough to damage a metal bridge).
- Yacolt Falls (OregonHikers.org)
At only 28 feet, Yacolt Falls isn’t the biggest waterfall in the area, but it’s delightfully complex. The waterfall is also, perhaps more correctly, known as Big Tree Falls. There’s a unique “footdrawbridge” just below the waterfall. This is tied back in the winter, but is usually put in place in the summer so you can make a loop hike. Come here early on a weekday for a little solitude with your camera. The splash pool is a common swimming hole late on summer afternoons.
- Yacolt Falls Hike (OregonHikers.org)
This short trip in Clark County’s Moulton Falls Regional Park is great for young kids and can be combined with other hikes in the area. Yacolt Falls, about 35 feet in two tiers and also known as Big Tree Falls, takes Big Tree Creek over a rocky ledge and can be quite impressive in the winter. There’s a loop option in the summer months when a swing bridge allows hikers to cross the creek at the falls.
- Ross Lake (wa100.dns.wa.gov)
Ross Lake sits amongst the snow-dotted peaks and densely forested hills of the North Cascades, providing visitors with a breathtaking alpine panorama. The lake stretches from Diablo Lake in the south all the way up into Canada, hopping a fault system and several hundred millennia of geologic history along the way. Ross Lake is a hydroelectric reservoir, created when Ross Dam was constructed in 1949. The shores of this 22-mile-long lake are a perfect place for boatpacking or backpacking. Hike the East Bank Trail to traverse the fault zone, visit geologic terranes, and travel back in time through geologic history. For a more relaxed visit, the Ross Lake Resort provides cozy floating cabins where visitors can view the sunset with all the comforts of home.