Lewis River Waterfalls Hike
From Oregon Hikers Field Guide
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,_Lewis_River.jpg)
- Start point: Lower Lewis River Falls Trailhead
- End point: Taitnapum Falls
- Trail Log: Trail Log
- Hike Type: Out and back
- Distance: 6.6 miles
- Elevation gain: 500 feet
- High point: 1,855 feet
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Seasons: Mid-spring to mid-fall
- Family Friendly: Yes
- Backpackable: No
- Crowded: Yes
Contents |
Hike Description
The hike up this section of the Lewis River is one of the premier waterfall hikes in our area. You'll see four block waterfalls on the Lewis River itself as well as a couple of minor waterfalls on Copper Creek. Take note that the Lower Falls area is extremely popular, so avoid weekends if you can. In the spring, the waterfalls are at their fullest. However, photographers tend to prefer later seasons when the waterfalls segment into separate picturesque plunges. A hike and bike is possible is you drop a bike off at the Upper Lewis River Trailhead.
From the Lower Lewis River Falls Trailhead, walk to the left of the restrooms into hemlock/Douglas-fir woods with a carpet of vanilla leaf and Oregon grape. At a junction, bear right and then go left to a viewpoint over the Lower Falls, a pretty 43-foot block waterfall, 200 feet wide, that has only a couple of powerful channels in the spring dwindling to several separate segments in the summer. Walk to the right as far as you like for different views of the waterfall. There are literally dozens of vastly different photographic possibilities. There are a couple of informal side paths that lead to the river for views at water level. When you've had your fill of the Lower Falls, head northwards up the trail.
Keep close to the bank with the campground on the left. Wooden steps lead down from the campground to the river. There’s also a boardwalk to a beach with an exposed cliff on the opposite shore. The trail rises above a campsite and meets the junction with the Lewis River Trail #31. Stay right, and find yourself high on a bluff above a bend in the river. Forest Road 90 is close by to your left. You may notice fresh elk trails descending steeply to the river. After you cross a footbridge, you will see, down in the river, the two piers of a former bridge that crossed the river from the former Sheep Bridge Campground to a gaging station; the bridge was also used to herd sheep up to Wright Meadow. In an alder grove, you'll cross a broken footbridge above a creek with a seasonal waterfall tumbling below. Stark burn snags from an old conflagration rise in the woodland. After you pass the junction with the Wright Meadows Trail, keep hiking on the level to pass an old junction and turn left at a "Closed" sign to head uphill. (The main trail is washed out beyond here.)
The trail rises into the woods and then switchbacks to cross a rubble slope. At a gravel parking area, pick up a trail heading into the woods on an old road bed next to FR 90. The trail soon splits from this road bed and drops down to a footbridge over Copper Creek and Copper Creek Falls. One can look back after crossing the bridge to get a good view of these falls. The path then hugs the cliffs above Copper Creek before reaching the Lewis River-Middle Falls Trail Junction. Turn right here to get limited views of Middle Lewis River Falls, a 300-foot-wide block waterfall. At times of low water, you can step out on rocks in the river to get better views. The old trail continues to where it is closed at a footbridge where Lower Copper Creek Falls splashes down towards the Lewis River.
Back on the Lewis River Trail, you'll head along a cliff face decorated with maidenhair fern and a contorted yew. Then you'll pass across a slide area and rise on a narrow trail which heads across another cliff. The trail drops, passing a huge Douglas-fir, good for a photo stop. Drop to a bottomland of cedar, hemlock, Douglas-fir with some silver fir. After you reach the willow flat below Upper Falls, the main trail heads left over a footbridge on Alec Creek, while a spur leads to the river and a view of the waterfall. Then switchback up under a cliff face dripping with moss. The trail switchbacks to the right at the top and heads toward the Upper Falls. A steep spur leads down to fenced views of this 58-foot block waterfall.
Return to the main trail and go right in silver fir forest. The trail drops a little until you reach the viewpoint over Taitnapum Falls. There's no access to the river here, so your only view is from the trail. You may continue another two-thirds of a mile to the end of the trail at the Upper Lewis River Trailhead on FR 90. Otherwise, return the way you came.
Fees, Regulations, etc.
- Northwest Forest Pass (or America the Beautiful Pass) required at Lower Falls Recreation Area; $2 reserve in advance parking ticket (see Recreation.gov) additionally required between June 15th and September 30th.
- Restrooms, picnic area, nearby campground
- Share trail with mountain bikes
- $3 toll each way at the Bridge of the Gods
Maps
- Maps: Hike Finder
- Green Trails Maps: Lone Butte, WA #365
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument & Administrative Area
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: Gifford Pinchot National Forest
- Adventure Maps: Hood River, Oregon, Trail Map
- Adventure Maps: 44 Trails Area plus the best of the G.P.N.F.
- National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map: Mount St. Helens - Mt. Adams
Trip Reports
- Search Trip Reports for Lewis River Waterfalls
Related Discussions / Q&A
- Search Trail Q&A for Lewis River Waterfalls
Guidebooks that cover this hike
- Hiking Waterfalls in Washington by Roddy Scheer with Adam Sawyer
- 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Portland by Paul Gerald
- Day Hiking: Mount St. Helens by Craig Romano & Aaron Thiesen
- Day Hikes in the Pacific Northwest by Don J. Scarmuzzi
- PDX Hiking 365 by Matt Reeder
- 100 Hikes: Northwest Oregon by William L. Sullivan
- Portland Hikes by Art Bernstein & Andrew Jackman
- Best Hikes With Kids: Western Washington by Susan Elderkin
- Best Hikes With Kids: Western Washington & the Cascades by Joan Burton
- Hiking Washington by Oliver Lazenby
- 95 Virtual Hikes of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest and the Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument by Northwest Hiker
- 33 Hiking Trails: Southern Washington Cascades by Don & Roberta Lowe
- Best Short Hikes in Washington's South Cascades & Olympics by E.M. Sterling & Ira Spring
- Washington's South Cascades' Volcanic Landscapes by Marge & Ted Mueller
- Washington Hiking by Scott Leonard
- Pacific Northwest Hiking by Scott Leonard & Sean Patrick Hill
- Visitor's Guide to the Ancient Forests of Western Washington by the Dittmar Family for the Wilderness Society
- Waterfalls of the Pacific Northwest by David L. Anderson
- Waterfall Lover's Guide: Pacific Northwest by Gregory A. Plumb
- Mountain Biking Portland by Scott Rapp
More Links
- Trail #31 Lewis River, Lower Falls to Quartz Creek (USFS)
- Lewis River Falls (Washington Trails Association)
- Lewis River and Curly Creek Falls (wanderingyuncks)
- Lewis River Waterfalls (Just Peachy)
- Hike to Lewis River Falls (The Outbound)
- Lewis River Falls (Hike It Baby)
- Lewis River Waterfall (Health Nut Hayley)
- Lewis River Falls Trail (All Trails)
- Lewis River Falls Hike (Northwest Hiker)
- Washington Has A Jungle Oasis With A 200-ft-Wide Waterfall That You Can Swim In (Narcity)
- Waterfalls of the Lewis River – a Photo Guide (Joe Becker Photo)
Contributors
- Stevefromdodge (creator)