The Waterfalls of Washington
By Curt Cunningham
August 2019

Washington State boasts an array of natural geological wonders, many of which were formed during the last Ice Age by the movement and melting of vast glaciers. Prior to the glaciers’ arrival, tectonic activity shaped the region. The Juan de Fuca Tectonic Plate continued its subduction under the northern portion of the western North American Plate at the Cascadia subduction zone, giving rise to the Cascade Mountains. This tectonic uplift, particularly on the western edge, created a steep incline on the western slope of the Cascades, while the eastern slope has a more gradual rise. This distinction becomes evident when descending westward over Snoqualmie Pass along Interstate 90.

The combined forces of tectonic activity, glacial movement, and the immense Missoula floods have sculpted Washington’s unique landscape, making it home to numerous waterfalls—too many to list. Here, we’ll explore a few of the most notable ones.

Palouse Falls

One of Washington’s most famous waterfalls is Palouse Falls, located on the Palouse River about five miles north of its confluence with the Snake River near Lyons Ferry. This scenic detour off the Yellowstone Trail along SR-261 leads to a waterfall with two main sections: the upper portion drops 20 feet, and the lower portion cascades an impressive 198 feet. The canyon surrounding Palouse Falls is 377 feet deep and exposes layers of the Columbia River Basalt Group.

Palouse Falls and its canyon were carved by the cataclysmic Missoula floods, which swept across eastern Washington during the Pleistocene epoch. These floods redirected the Palouse River, which originally flowed through the now-dry Washtucna Coulee, to its present-day course. The falls and the surrounding landscape are now protected within Palouse Falls State Park, offering a breathtaking destination for visitors.

Dry Falls

Another fascinating waterfall, or more accurately, former waterfall, is Dry Falls, located along the northern route of the Yellowstone Trail between Spokane and Coulee City. As the name suggests, Dry Falls no longer carries water, but it is the remnant of what was once the largest known waterfall on Earth. Stretching 3.5 miles in width and plunging 400 feet over sheer cliffs, Dry Falls dwarfs even Niagara Falls, which is one mile wide and drops 165 feet.

Dry Falls was also created by the Missoula floods. These immense torrents were unleashed when a glacial ice dam holding back ancient Lake Missoula in Montana collapsed, sending floodwaters through the Spokane River Valley, across eastern Washington, and into Oregon. At the peak of the floods, Dry Falls saw volumes of water unimaginable today. The site now sits within Dry Falls State Park, which offers visitors scenic viewpoints and an interpretive center explaining the region’s geological history.

Snoqualmie Falls

Heading west across the Cascade Range brings us to one of Washington’s most iconic waterfalls: Snoqualmie Falls. With a drop of 268 feet and a width of 100 feet, Snoqualmie Falls has long attracted tourists. Since 1852, travelers have visited the site by canoe and steamboat, making it one of the state’s earliest tourist destinations. Located near the town of Snoqualmie, just off Interstate 90, the falls are easily accessible and continue to draw hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.

The falls hold deep spiritual significance for the Snoqualmie People, who have lived in the area for thousands of years. Snoqualmie is the English pronunciation of “sah-koh-koh” or “Sdob-dwahibbluh,” a Salish word meaning Moon. The Snoqualmie People who lived in the valley were known as the people of the Moon. There are many legends of these falls. One of these legends talks of a Klickitat Maiden who lost her lover, her life and her spirit and is said to now and forever move musically in the spray of the falls.

The story goes on to tell a tale of two young Klickitat Braves who fought a duel to the death at the top of the falls. During the battle, a fighter was able to throw his adversary over the falls to his death in the froth and foam of the cascading waters at the bottom, never to be seen again. They were fighting over a beautiful maiden named May Bird. She would smile so impartially at the men that neither of them knew who was her favored suitor.

When she had learned of the duel, and that her favored suitor was killed in the battle, she became depressed over her loss. As her family and the rest of the tribe began packing for the trip back home across the mountains, May Bird couldn’t bare the thought of living without her lover. She then threw herself off the falls and she fell to her death on the rocks 200 feet below. In later years the Klickitats who would come to Snoqualmie for work in the hop fields would stay far away from the falls.

There have been railroad workers and passengers who rode the line between Seattle and North Bend who have seen her black eyes peering out of the mist. Wild love melodies would mingle with the clatter of the wheels as the train rushes by the cascading water. They say only a portion of the apparition can be seen and only at favorable times. A halo of light would shine around her head and dispel the darkness of the falls below. At first those who seen it just dismissed what they saw. It was just an illusion in the spray of the water.

Time and Time again people kept seeing the vision of a slender form with sad dark eyes floating about in the vapor, and always with the same intense look of searching for something which cannot be found. Those who have seen May Bird all believe that she is still looking for her lost Klickitat lover in the boiling foam and dark waters of Snoqualmie Falls.

Today Snoqualmie Falls Park has been renovated and a tourist can visit the top and walk down the trail to the bottom. There is parking at both the top and the bottom for easy access. The nearby Salish Lodge at the top offers fine dining with a stunning view of the falls.

Tumwater Falls

On the west side of the Cascades, near Olympia, lies Tumwater Falls, located near the mouth of the Deschutes River where it flows into Puget Sound. The name "Tumwater," derived from Chinook Jargon, means "waterfall," and the site has been the home for the Steh-chass people and also a gathering place for other Salish People for millennia.

In 1845, American settler Michael T. Simmons established a settlement at the falls, which he initially called New Market. Later renamed Tumwater, this settlement became the first permanent American community in Washington State. The falls played a crucial role in the town’s development by powering the early mills, including a sawmill and gristmill. The area around Tumwater Falls is now preserved as Tumwater Falls Park, where visitors can walk scenic trails that follow the river and the cascading water.

A Land of Waterfalls

These waterfalls are just a glimpse of the geological diversity found in Washington. From the massive forces that shaped the Palouse and Dry Falls to the spiritual and historical significance of Snoqualmie and Tumwater Falls, Washington’s waterfalls offer travelers the chance to connect with both nature and history. These destinations are part of what makes Washington a captivating place to visit, inviting exploration of the natural wonders shaped by millennia of geological activity.