Standing on a 150-foot suspension bridge, swaying slightly in the breeze, gave me an up-close view of Drift Creek Falls.
The falls shoots out of a high slot in a basalt cliff, dropping 100 feet to the rocks below.
The dramatic crashing of the water in the midst of a old-growth rainforest stirred a deep sense of true wilderness.
The trail is four miles roundtrip with about 550 feet of elevation gain. It was very muddy in places but overall in good shape.
The return hike via the north trail was dominated with old-growth hemlock trees, many times larger than the alpine hemlocks I enjoy in the upper elevations of the Cascade Mountains.
This is one of the nicest hikes on the Coast.
The suspension bridge
Hikers near the base of the falls
Trillium (wild Lily)
Long-exposure photo of the Falls
Covered bridge on Drift Creek (heavy rain)
Pleasant stretch of trail
Upper portion of Falls and hiker on the suspension bridge
The Falls with suspension bridge
Another sparkling beauty, John. Such a gorgeous hike. The falls are so dramatic, with the very fast-moving water and rich darkness of the basalt rocks. The forest is just lovely, and I appreciated knowing it was old growth hemlock. The bridge looks a bit intimidating to me, especially with a slight swinging motion, but sturdy and well-made, and rewarding and intriguing. If I were there, I would’ve crossed it. Your photos, as always, were wonderful. I especially liked the tender trillium.
Thanks for the very kind words.