Beacon Rock and Rodney Falls

If you’re looking for a short excursion near the Portland area that includes minimal hiking and two waterfalls try Beacon Rock State Park located in the Columbia River Gorge about 3 miles west of the Bridge of the Gods. I have been to this park a couple of times and my interest this time was to photograph Rodney Falls and Hardy Falls. A mere 1.25 miles from the trailhead you will come to Hardy Falls and let me say that they are not worth the short stairs that lead down to them I didn’t even bother to take a photograph. On the other hand I was fairly impressed with Rodney Falls and spent quite some time below the falls trying different comps out. On this day it was tough to find a time when I had the area all to myself. This is a popular trail and people generally seem to mill about the falls area making photography tough.
If you have the energy there are several things to explore while in Beacon Rock State Park. The two waterfalls I’ve already mentioned as well as a more extensive hike up to Hamilton Mountain. Additionally you may choose to climb to the summit of Beacon Rock itself via extensive scaffolding like steel stairway complete with fencing and handrails that are securely built right into the rock itself.

Panther Creek Falls Review and Directions

Panther Creek Falls



Panther Creek Falls

Panther Creek Falls really must be seen in person, a photograph really doesn’t do it justice. To find these falls traveling from the Portland area simply cross the Bridge of the Gods,( a $1.00 toll bridge) or you may prefer to head east on Washington’s hwy 14 until you reach the town of Carson. Head north on the wind river Highway for 5.9 miles then turn right on Old State Road follow this road for a short while until you see signs for Panther Creek Campground. You will now be heading north on Panther Creek Road. Follow this road for 7.3 miles passing the campground along the way. There isn’t signage for the falls however just pull off and park in a large gravel turnout on the right side of the road. You will find the trail on the opposite side of the turnout about 200 yards downstream from your car. The falls can be heard almost immediately and the upper viewing platform can be reached in just 300 yards. Finding a way down to the base of the falls is quite possible but it's very steep terrain. I happened across a knotted climbing rope that a previous hiker had left that greatly improved my safety getting down.

If you start your day early enough there will be time to bag another nearby waterfall named Fall Creek Falls. Located another 10 miles up the Wind River Highway. These falls do require a more robust hike of 1.75 miles each way. 

Fall Creek Falls

Palouse Falls Adventure Awaits

Palouse Falls Sunset

For quite some time now I’ve wanted to head over to Eastern Washington; specifically the Palouse agricultural region and of course Palouse Falls. I recently had a few days off and our Boxer Dog " Scout " and I headed from the Portland area directly to Palouse Falls State Park. I had fairly low expectations considering it was raining here and the forecast wasn’t much better where I was going. 300 miles later " Scout " (the Boxer) and I arrived at the park. I was surprised at how well kept this campground was. There are 10 campsites at Palouse Falls State Park each complete with picnic tables and plenty of fresh water pumps. There is no electricity or full hook-ups for the RV'ers,; however there are a couple of really clean porta/toilets.
   Palouse Falls can be seen immediately as you drive into the campground ; in fact you can hear the cascading water while in your tent along with other sounds like the coyotes howling in the distance. You will find unique wildlife in the area such as: Coyote, Mule Deer, Raptors,Rattlesnakes, Jack Rabbits and hundreds of Marmots to name a few.
   Palouse Falls are quite breathtaking and very photogenic as well. You may not always be blessed with beautiful clouds but there are many wonderful compositions as well as trails that will take you most of the way around the canyon. Finding a unique perspective is always a challenge; most photographers choose to incorporate the falls and the down stream portion of Palouse River in their shots.

Marmot

The next day the plan was to drive over to Steptoe Butte State Park where one can take in grand vistas of the Palouse region. If you are planning a similar trip keep in mind the time of year and what to expect in terms of crops. I was a little early to catch the rolling green hills I was expecting. Apparently the fall harvest is a great time to visit as the hills come alive with the amber glow of wheat. Also keep in mind the vastness of the area, it is nearly a 2-hour drive from Palouse Falls Park to Steptoe Butte State Park. Anyway as my luck would have it when I arrived at Steptoe butte the weather was looking very nasty. I made my way around and around the spiral road to the summit of the butte only to be completely inundated by a super storm cell with high winds, visibility was almost non-existent and no images were recorded for my efforts.
Overall it was a memorable trip although I would love to visit again right before the fall harvest. Maybe I’ll have that Pano Head by that time.

Until next post, hoping you all find the sweet light.
Shawn..

                                                                     Recommended Book

Snoqualmie Falls And The Salish Lodge Review

Salish Lodge With Snoqualmie Falls

Laurie And I recently got back from a stay in the Salish Lodge in Washington State. One of the draws for me besides romance and relaxation was the added bonus that the lodges sit atop Snoqualmie Falls. These falls are a huge draw for tourists to the area, over 1.5 million visitors per year. The falls are quite impressive and have a vertical drop 100ft higher than Niagara Falls.

If you have come to photograph theses falls, compositions are surprisingly pretty limited. Most of the shots you see are taken from the upper viewing platform or anywhere along the upper guardrail. There is a snack shop / souvenir store with restrooms at this location as well. Additionally if you feel like a somewhat steep hike down to the base and through the Puget Sound Power Plant you will find more up close and personal compositions. The conditions you find below are directly related to the amount of flow the power plant is releasing. At times you will find a full lake with very little foreground element and other times you will see a boulder-strewn landscape. Spray from the falls is always an issue. At times the spray is so powerful you can feel it from the upper viewing decks.

I highly recommend the lodge for a short stay and also recommend the photography. When you first arrive at Salish lodge you will find the valet staff promptly greets you. The mandatory valet parking is a little excessive for my taste considering they are only parking you’re car a mere 20 or 30 ft away. I guess some folks really consider it a luxury however I find it a bit of a nuisance. If you want to get something out of your own car you must first hand in the valet tag to get you’re keys and then hand them back when you are finished. Then there are the etiquette rules about tipping. I kind of felt like that was a little Vegas-like.
The lodge has a wonderful Day Spa that is complimentary for all guests. Complete with mineral soaking pool, large hot tub with water feature, steam and sauna rooms as well. The staff doesn’t allow anything above a whisper inside the spa area and the hot lemon tea is a nice touch as well. For you gamblers the Snoqualmie Casino is very impressive Picturesque and clean and only 5 min from the lodge. The Falls are located just off I-90 about ½ hour East of Seattle. Situated between the towns of North Bend and Fall City. If you are in the area for the dinner hour I can highly recommend the Fall City Roadhouse, Located in Fall City about 5 min from the Lodge on Hwy 202; the food is fantastic..

Lewis River Falls Hike

Lower Lewis River falls

The Northwest landscape never ceases to amaze me, as each subsequent trip seems to be more picturesque than the next. Laurie and I recently got back from another great photo/hiking excursion. Our original intentions were to access Lava Canyon via rd 83 on the south side of Mt St Helens, which I believe, is now open after some major storm repair. However according to the US Forest Service web site the actual lava canyon trail is now under going several weeks of renovation as of July 2nd. Luckily I usually have an alternate plan and we ended up at Lewis River campground. We arrived at the campgrounds around 9am with perfect light hitting the lower falls that were located only ¼ mile from our car. Had a wonderful time photographing the falls from many different comps and hesitantly agreed we should continue upstream to witness the middle and upper falls. All in all we hike approximately 7 miles through some beautiful riverside terrain. I highly recommend this hike for everyone in the family.

Getting there: From I-5 drive to the town of Woodland Washington and take exit #21. Follow the signs for Mt St Helens and Lava Canyon via State route #503. Drive approximately 46 miles until you reach the small town of Cougar. Continue straight on spur rd #90. Just past the Pine creek information station turn right on what continues to be rd #90. Drive an additional 14 miles until you reach the Lower Lewis river recreation area and campground. Proceed to the day area and park near on of the restrooms Go towards the raging river and follow signs to the lower falls viewing area. The profiled hike will follow the river upstream for 2 ½ miles reaching the upper Lewis River Falls.

Coming from I-84 take the Hood River toll bridge through White Salmon then continue north passing through Husum, BZ Corner and finally Trout Lake where you can tie into forest rd#90. Additionally coming from the West Gorge you can travel through the town of Carson and up the Wind River .


Some additional photos from the trip are found here.

Happy Hiking, Shawn…