On a very warm and sunny day I drove north of Carson, Washington to a large parking area.
From there it was an easy hike to an amazing 200-foot, three-tiered waterfall on Falls Creek.
Because of the many grand waterfalls in the Columbia River Gorge, Falls Creek Falls gets little respect. It would likely be a signature state park in most places in the country.
Several miles later and I was at the viewpoint overlooking the upper falls. I normally would have continued on the trail for another three to four miles before turning back. But, on this day there was too much snow remaining on the ground.
Now here is a tip for those of you journeying to Falls Creek Falls soon. There were literally hundreds of exquisite calypso orchids in bloom along the trail.
Beautiful orchids and a jaw-dropping waterfall – – – does life get any better?
Tributary creek
Calypso Orchid
Lower and Middle tiers of Falls Creek Falls
Trillium
Lower Falls Creek Falls
Lots of blowdowns over trail
Calypso Orchid
Your waterfall photos are excellent, really pieces of art.
Thanks Spencer. Sometimes the light treats me to a little magic.
For a disabled person who cannot get to any of these places, just sharing the beauty of our Pacific Northwest through your lenses is a joy for us to experience. Thanks for the great pics and story. Lou and Glori
Thanks for the very kind words Lou and Glori.
I’m lucky to live in such a beautiful part of the world, as you well know.
Thankfully, I’m finally starting to see a little sunshine this year. It helps the photography immensely.
Looking forward to seeing you this summer.
You write “Beautiful orchids and a jaw-dropping waterfall – – – does life get any better?” … I’d most definitely agree. Hard to top that. I aslo recently found a Calypso orchid. Ab-so-tively lovely. 🙂
Thanks for the kind words. Wild orchids are always a joy to find.