Quote of the Month:
“Nature gives to every time and season some beauties of its own." - Charles Dickens
| Length: | 2 miles |
| Location: | Eastern Washington |
| Elevation Gain: | 293 ft |
| Features: | Waterfalls, Rivers, Wildflowers |
| GPS Waypoints: | N 46 39.835 W 118 13.637 |
| Visitor’s Information: | Discover Pass Required |
Pictures below will take you on a virtual hiking tour! Enjoy views of beautiful Palouse Falls!
General Information:
Palouse Falls State Park is a 105-acres day-use park with numerous opportunities for camping, hiking, kayaking, wildlife and bird viewing. The jewel of the park is a well-known Palouse Falls, it falls from the height of 198 feet into a “bowl” carved out of the black rock. The view is truly splendid, but you will not see the falls unless you hike to the top of the basalt plateau. Spring and early summer are the best seasons to visit the falls, when Palouse Falls increases its’ strength and beauty.
For many years Palouse Falls had the name Aput Aput, which means “falling water”. The name was changed in order to honor the Palouse Indian culture. The Palouse legend says that once the River Palouse ran smoothly and flowed into the Snake River. But four giant brothers were trying to kill a mythic Big Beaver. They speared the beaver five times, and every time he was speared, he damaged the canyon walls and made the river to bend. The last time when the creature was speared, he tore out a big of the cliff and made the river to fall. Even now people say that they see the marks of Big Beaver’s claws on the canyon walls.
From the parking lot, a well-maintained and paved trail runs around the overlook site. It should be said that most of the visitors stay here and enjoy the views.
But the best views open to those who continue their hike and go north on dirt trail. Spring and summer flowers make this trail colorful, and hikers may encounter balsamroot, bluebells, buckwheat, yellow bells, locoweed, desert parsley, lupine, death camas, and vetch. The path runs on the plateau, opening stunning views on the falls, and winds to the Palouse River.
Hikers should also keep in mind that there is no way to hike to the bottom of the falls. You may see the paths, but do not follow them.
Palouse Falls State Park is a great place for the hikers, because here there are well-maintained paths that wind on the upper plateau, as well as narrow trails with steep cliffs that can be hiked on the way back to the parking lot.
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Palouse Falls 1
Palouse Falls 1
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Palouse Falls 2
Palouse Falls 2
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Palouse Falls 3
Palouse Falls 3
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Palouse Falls 4
Palouse Falls 4
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Palouse Falls 5
Palouse Falls 5
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Palouse Falls 6
Palouse Falls 6
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Palouse Falls 7
Palouse Falls 7
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Palouse Falls 8
Palouse Falls 8
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Palouse Falls 9
Palouse Falls 9
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Palouse Falls 10
Palouse Falls 10
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Palouse Falls 11
Palouse Falls 11
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Palouse Falls 12
Palouse Falls 12
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Palouse Falls 13
Palouse Falls 13
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Palouse Falls 14
Palouse Falls 14
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Palouse Falls 15
Palouse Falls 15
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Palouse Falls 16
Palouse Falls 16
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Palouse Falls 17
Palouse Falls 17
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Palouse Falls 18
Palouse Falls 18
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Palouse Falls 19
Palouse Falls 19
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Palouse Falls 20
Palouse Falls 20
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Palouse Falls 21
Palouse Falls 21
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Palouse Falls 22
Palouse Falls 22
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Palouse Falls 23
Palouse Falls 23
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Palouse Falls 24
Palouse Falls 24
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Palouse Falls 25
Palouse Falls 25
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Palouse Falls 26
Palouse Falls 26
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Palouse Falls 27
Palouse Falls 27
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Palouse Falls 28
Palouse Falls 28
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Palouse Falls 29
Palouse Falls 29
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Palouse Falls 30
Palouse Falls 30
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Palouse Falls 31
Palouse Falls 31
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Palouse Falls 32
Palouse Falls 32
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Palouse Falls 33
Palouse Falls 33
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Palouse Falls 34
Palouse Falls 34
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Palouse Falls 35
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Palouse Falls 36
Palouse Falls 36
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Palouse Falls 37
Palouse Falls 37
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Palouse Falls 38
Palouse Falls 38
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Palouse Falls 39
Palouse Falls 39
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Palouse Falls 40
Palouse Falls 40
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Palouse Falls 41
Palouse Falls 41
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Palouse Falls 42
Palouse Falls 42
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Palouse Falls 43
Palouse Falls 43
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Palouse Falls 44
Palouse Falls 44
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Palouse Falls 45
Palouse Falls 45
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Palouse Falls 46
Palouse Falls 46
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Palouse Falls 47
Palouse Falls 47
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Palouse Falls 48
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Palouse Falls 49
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Palouse Falls 50
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Palouse Falls 51
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Palouse Falls 52
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Palouse Falls 53
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Palouse Falls 54
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Palouse Falls 55
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Palouse Falls 56
Palouse Falls 56
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Palouse Falls 57
Palouse Falls 57
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Palouse Falls 58
Palouse Falls 58
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Palouse Falls 59
Palouse Falls 59
View the embedded image gallery online at:
https://beautifulwashington.com/eastern-washington/hiking/la-crosse/195-palouse-falls.html#sigProId07d7424b05
https://beautifulwashington.com/eastern-washington/hiking/la-crosse/195-palouse-falls.html#sigProId07d7424b05
These pictures were taken on May 1, 2014
Directions:
From Dayton
Follow US 12 north for 14 miles. Turn left on State Route 261 and drive through the community of Starbuck. In 20.5 miles from US 12, turn right onto Palouse Falls Road, which signed "Palouse Falls State Park-2." Drive down the hill to the parking lot
Photo: Roman Khomlyak
Photo Editing: Pavlo Petryshyn
Information: Marina Petrova
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