Upper Lewis River Falls WA - Description | Location

Continuing up alongside the river, you’ll have one more great vacation spot to succeed in. Upper Lewis Falls seems remarkably much like Lower Lewis River Falls, but it’s even bigger.

Upper Lewis Falls Overview

With a 58-foot drop and a 175-foot span, Upper Lewis River Falls is the tallest of the 4 main falls on this part of the river.

The Lewis River Falls hike positively delivers on the waterfalls. Glacial soften from Mount Adams feeds the Lewis River and results in gorgeous waterfall drops at Lower, Middle, and Upper Lewis River Falls. Photographers, fishermen, and people seeking to take a (chilly) dip within the river shall be offered with dozens if not a whole bunch of choices.

Upper Lewis Falls Description

While technically not the actual higher waterfall of the Lewis River, Upper Lewis River Falls is the tallest of the 4 main falls on this part of the river.

Here the Lewis encounters a surprisingly squared sheet of basalt, sheets out over the flat rock permitting a small portion of the river to plunge a sheer 58 feet over the overhanging cliff, but the majority of the water gathers in a slender trough and stair-steps to the pool below.

The falls can differ from a stable curtain of pure roar to being remoted within the slender channel on the left side, leaving the more vertical a part of the falls dry.

In addition to being the biggest of the 4 falls, that is additionally essentially the most remoted. The path that after dropped from FR 90 to the falls is long gone so an extended hike (in a relative sense a minimum of) is now necessary to succeed in this one.

Name and History

Upper Lewis River Falls is the Official name of this waterfall.

Has additionally been often known as:

Upper Lewis Falls
Upper Falls

The Forest Service and USGS confer with this merely as Upper Falls, however just about every guidebook it is ever been talked about has it listed as both Upper Lewis Falls or Upper Lewis River Falls and the precedent goes back a long time.

Upper Lewis Falls How to Visit

Coordinates: 46.17542, -121.85145
Elevation: 1676 feet
USGS Map: Quartz Creek Butte 7 1/2″

The Upper Falls of the Lewis is discovered between the Quartz Creek and Middle Falls trailheads alongside Forest Road 90 close to Mount Adams.

The falls might be accessed by mountaineering somewhat over 3/4 mile upstream from Middle Lewis River Falls (about 1 1/4 miles total from the Middle Falls trailhed) or by beginning on the Quartz Creek Trailhead and following the Lewis River Trail downstream for 3/4 of a mile, passing Taitnapum Falls on the midway mark. The best entry to the pool below the falls is from the north side of Alec Creek the place it enters the Lewis River.

Upper Lewis Falls Hike Description

The hike up this part of the Lewis River is without doubt one of the premier waterfall hikes in our area. You’ll see four-block waterfalls on the Lewis River itself in addition to a few minor waterfalls on Copper Creek.

Take observe that the Lower Falls area is extraordinarily popular, so keep away from weekends in the event you can. In the spring, the waterfalls are at their fullest.

However, photographers are likely to want later seasons when the waterfalls phase into separate picturesque plunges. A hike and bike are possible in the event you drop a motorbike off on the Upper Lewis River Trailhead.

From the Lower Lewis River Falls Trailhead, stroll 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 after which go left to a viewpoint over the Lower Falls, a reasonably 43-foot block waterfall, 200 feet broad, that has solely a few highly effective channels within the spring dwindling to a number of separate segments in the summertime.

Walk to the right so far as you want for various views of the waterfall. There are actually dozens of vastly totally different photographic prospects. There are a few casual side paths that result in the river for views on the water level. When you have had your fill of the Lower Falls, head northwards up the path.

Keep near the bank with the campground on the left. Wooden steps lead down from the campground to the river. There’s additionally a boardwalk to a seashore with an uncovered cliff on the opposite shore.

The path rises above a campsite and meets the junction with the Lewis River Trail #31. Stay right, and discover yourself high on a bluff above a bend within the river. Forest Road 90 is shut by to your left.

You might discover contemporary elk trails descending steeply to the river. After you cross a footbridge, you will notice, down within the river, the 2 piers of a former bridge that crossed the river from the previous Sheep Bridge Campground to a gaging station; the bridge was additionally used to herd sheep as much as Wright Meadow.

In an alder grove, you will cross a damaged footbridge above a creek with a seasonal waterfall tumbling below. Stark burn snags from an old conflagration rise within the woodland.

After you move the junction with the Wright Meadows Trail, maintain mountaineering on the level to move an old junction and turn left at a “Closed” signal to head uphill.

The path rises into the woods after which switchbacks cross a rubble slope. At a gravel parking area, choose up a path heading into the woods on an old roadbed next to FR 90.

The path quickly splits from this roadbed and drops right down to a footbridge over Copper Creek and Copper Creek Falls. One can look back after crossing the bridge to get a superb view of those falls.

The path then hugs the cliffs above Copper Creek before reaching the Lewis River-Middle Falls Trail Junction. Turn right here to get restricted views of Middle Lewis River Falls, a 300-foot-wide block waterfall.

On occasions of low water, you possibly can step out on rocks within the river to get higher views. The old path continues to the place it’s closed at a footbridge the place Lower Copper Creek Falls splashes down in the direction of the Lewis River.

Back on the Lewis River Trail, you may head alongside a cliff face embellished with maidenhair fern and a contorted yew. Then you may move throughout a slide area and rise on a slender path that heads throughout one other cliff.

The path drops, passing an enormous Douglas-fir, good for a photograph cease. Drop to a bottomland of cedar, hemlock, Douglas-fir with some silver fir.

After you attain the willow flat below Upper Falls, the primary trailheads left over a footbridge on Alec Creek, whereas a spur results in the river and a view of the waterfall.

Then switchback up under a cliff face dripping with moss. The path switchbacks to the right on the top and heads towards the Upper Falls. A steep spur leads right down to fenced views of this 58-foot block waterfall.

Return to the primary path and go right within the silver fir forest. The path drops just a little till you attain the point of view over Taitnapum Falls.

There’s no entry to the river right here, so your sole view is from the path. You could proceed one other two-thirds of a mile to the end of the path on the Upper Lewis River Trailhead on FR 90. Otherwise, return the best way you got here.

Upper Lewis Falls Fees, Regulations, and so forth

Northwest Forest Pass (or America the Beautiful Pass) required at Lower Falls Recreation Area; $2 reservation parking ticket moreover required in summer

Restrooms, picnic area, close by campground

Share path with mountain bikes

$2 toll every method on the Bridge of the Gods

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Upper Lewis River Falls WA – Description | Location | Travel