Waterfalls abound throughout the State of Oregon, especially in the western hills. Abundant rains fall throughout the forests filling streams cascading over lava cliffs. To catch these falls at their height means an off-season journey. Summer season can mean little or no rain for a month or more at a time making the falls seem much tamer than when they are at their fullest. Here, a small collection of waterfalls taken from the area around the Lower Columbia. This area gets pelted with rains out of summer. Astoria averages 86 inches of rain a year – Portland, by contrast, averages a mere 36 inches.

WATERFALL HUNTING

Half of the falls shown here lie in Clatsop County, while the other two are upriver in Columbia County. These four falls are by far from the only ones to be found in this northwestern corner of the State. They are fairly easy to be visited. On an outing from either Portland or Astoria, all four can easily be taken in.

Links take you to the Northwest Waterfall Survey pages which give the waterfalls ratings 0-100. The highest rated waterfall in Oregon is Multnomah Falls with a rating of 89.92, so you have something to compare other waterfalls here to.

UPPER BEAVER FALLS

approach

In an earlier post, I visited old stretches of the original Lower Columbia Highway, which became – after 1927 – US Highway 30. Many of those old parts are today side roads, bypassed by the straighter and faster US 30 of today. One of those stretches you discover not far west of Rainier. The old highway used to twist and turn rising up from the Columbia River onto a forested plain drained by Beaver Creek. You can still follow the old road or simply beeline up the hill past the Lewis and Clark bridge coming over from Longview. Atop the hill, the new highway cuts straight across the rolling plain crossing Beaver Creek just before a road goes off to the right – north – signed “Delena” and “Beaver Falls Road”.

This long stretch of the former Lower Columbia River Highway uses the Beaver Creek canyon to drop down to Clatskanie over a ten-mile course. The road appears relatively quiet compared to the busy new highway above. It is much slower as it hugs the creek, sometimes near at hand and other times far below in its canyon.

twin falls

Down in the narrow, forested canyon, you first come to Upper Beaver Falls, also known as Twin Falls.  The waterfall drops 11 feet in the bottom of two steep cascades – the upper section drops 4 feet.  Northwest Waterfall Survey rates the falls at 28.03.  The falls is 1.5 miles off US 30 on Beaver Falls Road.  Going downstream, it can be easy to miss or dismiss as you only have a fleeting glance.  Going upstream gives you a better look.  There is also a small pullout next to the falls, large enough for one or maybe two cars, if they are small enough.

When the road was originally built around 1918, most of the valley had been logged off. The forest has made a magnificent recovery in the succeeding century.  It was an area dear to Simon Benson, a Norwegian immigrant who made his home here for awhile as he slowly built a logging empire. Benson also used $20,000 of his own money to help Columbia County build the road through the valley.

BEAVER FALLS

Beaver Falls sits as the highest rated waterfall in Columbia County on the Northwest Waterfall Survey at 32.85 – the falls drops 48 feet in a beautiful curtain.  Your only view of this falls from the road appears to the passenger – again only seen when traveling upstream – from high above briefly.  Fences try to block access to the area atop the falls. Formerly, the only spot you could see the falls from was up here because of the steep and wet nature of the ground.

A large pullout further down today, offers access to a trail descending to the base of the gorgeous falls.  Find the trail on the uphill side of the parking area.  The path drops through the forested canyon in about a third of a mile and is fairly easy except for the last section where a fallen tree made for a low bridge.  The final drop is also a bit slippery due to the wet nature from the water spray.  Again, like its upstream brother, Beaver Falls looks like it would be a fun place to spend a hot summer afternoon.  Pictures show the power of the waterfall.

SPLASH DAMS AND FLUMES

There used to be a sawmill atop the falls.  Logs were first placed in a pool above the falls. A splash dam was used to get the logs downstream when there was deemed enough waterflow. The temporary dams would open up then and logs gathered in the ponds behind would push over the falls and hopefully downstream to a waiting lumber mill. 

Simon Benson used such a dam the 1880’s.  The problem was the hoped-for water surge was not sufficient to get the logs very far downstream.  Benson ran out of money on this venture leaving the cut logs along the stream. He regrouped in the years ahead over on the Washington side of the Columbia and later up the valleys south from nearby Clatskanie.

In the years after Benson’s attempt along Beaver Creek, the Oregon-American Lumber Company used a log flume which led four miles to a lumber mill at the community of Inglis at the level of the Columbia River.  Children were allowed to walk up the flume when the flume was turned off on Sundays to gather at the bottom of the falls.

YOUNGS RIVER FALLS

Moving further west into Clatsop County lie a pair of waterfalls found along or not far off Oregon Highway 202. To visit, we move east this time from Astoria. Oregon 202 runs moving upstream along the edge of Youngs Bay – the road comes off of US Highway 101 at a traffic circle found on the west side of the city, branching off of US 101 as that road turns south over the Youngs Bay Bridge. You can also come over the hill from downtown Astoria on 8th Street – coming out of downtown the street is narrow and very steep. On top of the hill, jog to the right at a stop sign – Niagara Avenue – and the left onto 7th Street which takes you down to Oregon 202.

Oregon 202 follows Youngs Bay and Youngs River then up the Klaskanine, but for these first falls, turn right 10 miles east of Astoria. You turn onto the Youngs River Road, signed “Youngs R. LP” and “Youngs R. Falls”. In another four miles, you come to Young’s River Falls located in a small park administered by the City of Astoria.

rainfall determening the spectacle

86 inches per year, considered normal for Clatsop County, might not be quite the 167 inches dropping each year into the Hoh rainforest further north in the Olympic Peninsula, but still a prodigious amount. Sometimes a snowfall in the mountains is followed by lots of rain aggravating a potential flooding situation. 1996 was one such time period but looking at the amount of log debris near the base of Young’s River Falls, there have been other floods.

Again, in the summer, the 52-foot falls (not rated, but I would put it into the 50 category) is much tamer – compare these pictures to the one in this link. You will find locals lazing around the pools at the base of falls. Not in the winter when the mists fly from the force of the falling waters. One explanatory tablet recalls a visit by the exploration team of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark in 1806.

FISHHAWK FALLS

Continuing up Oregon 202 from Astoria, the road goes over a divide in the Coast Range following the South Fork of the Klaskanine River. The drive appears much nicer today than a few years ago with the area growing from clear cut actions. At about 26 miles out of Astoria, there is a sign for a school bus stop. Just past this on the right, a house and a sign designating “Fishhawk Falls Pit Road – Gated Road”. This is your warning to slow down.

The road has been following Fishhawk Creek – not also that noticeable. There is a sharp turn to the left with a wide area to park on the opposite side. After parking the car, you can scamper, carefully, over to the right edge of the road for a view of Fishhawk Falls from the top.

About a quarter mile further, a sign notes the small Lee Wooden Fishhawk County Park. You can park here and walk upstream for more views of the 72-foot-high waterfall (rating 41.49). Note that in summer, you can pass by the falls without much thought. In winter, glorious.

sidetrip – the elk

Fishhawk Falls, rainfed, shows at its best in the winter and spring when full. That time also happens to be best for visits to the nearby Jewell Meadows State Wildlife Management Area. The area lies about a half mile further to the east – the road still following Fishhawk Creek. There are a couple of turnouts from where, in winter, you can find quite a few Roosevelt elk munching away at food provided by the State Wildlife department in an attempt at keeping the behemoths off neighboring pasturelands.

Note, coming in the other direction from Portland: drive west on US 26 to a point just before crossing the Nehalem River for a second time. Here, follow the sign for Oregon Highway 103 – 52 miles west of Portland. Another sign notes Jewell Meadows lies in this direction. The community of Jewell sits up the Nehalem River about six miles. Here, you turn left – west – onto Oregon 202 – again Jewell Meadows appears on a sign at the intersection, as well.