Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Washington's state waterfall is well worth a visit
Views from the lookout at the top of the falls are stunning whichever direction you look.
The Times lifestyles reporter Brianna Wray plays it safe and stays seven feet from the edge at any given time based on a formula created by her Grandma Jo. To determine how far you should be from the edge of any cliff, add your height, plus your arm's length.
Hikers and viewers need to be aware of the dangers of unstable cliffs and trails.
WASHTUCNA-The Palouse River runs through a narrow cataract and drops 200 feet to a churning bowl. From there, the current moves swiftly, through a winding gorge of columnar basalt, to its southern end at the mighty Snake River.
Carved more than 13,000 years ago, Palouse Falls is among the last active waterfalls on the Ice Age floods path. This natural wonder was named Washington's state waterfall in 2014, when the state Legislature passed a bill written by third, fourth and fifth graders of the nearby Washtucna School, who advocated for the designation.
Palouse Falls State Park's lush 105 acres is as much a destination for hikers who hit the well-worn trails as it is for artists with easels or cameras and tripods.
The park offers three distinct views of the falls. The lower viewpoint, reached by a set of steps from the main day-use area adjacent to the parking, provides a direct view of the coursing waters.
The second, at the end of a paved interpretive path, tells the story of the secluded canyon. Both the interpretive path and gravel secondary parking area lead to the third and highest viewpoint, the Fryxell Overlook, offering panoramic views of the falls and Palouse River Canyon.
Though the falls were first documented in 1841, during a survey of the region led by Captain Charles Wilkes of the United States Navy, they are well-attended today.
Visitors should beware and prepare for a remote recreational experience. Many of the trails are steep, slippery, and made of loose rocks that shift underfoot. Signs mark where previous visitors have fallen to their ultimate demise and urge visitors to stay behind them.
Play it safe at Palouse Falls. Drink plenty of water and look out for one another. There is no phone service at the park, and staff and volunteer hosts are not always on site so emergencies are best avoided when possible.
A Discover Pass is required for vehicle access to state parks and recreation lands such as Palouse Falls that are managed by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR). One pass can be transferred between two vehicles. Otherwise, park visitors are welcome on one of the Discover Pass Free Days listed below.
DISCOVER PASS FREE DAYS
Washington State Parks offers several "free days" when a Discover Pass is not required to visit a state park. Following are the remaining 2019 State Parks free days:
June 1 - National Trails Day
June 8 - National Get Outdoors Day (State Parks and Fish & Wildlife free day)
June 9 - Fishing Day (State Parks and Fish & Wildlife free day)
Aug. 25 - National Park Service 103rd Birthday
Sept. 28 - National Public Lands Day
Nov. 11 - Veterans Day
Nov. 29 - Autumn day
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