Palouse Falls State Park

The Palouse River drops through a narrow cataract, creating a 200-foot waterfall that plunges into a bowl surrounded by columnar basalt formations.

The falls formed during the Ice Age Floods over 13,000 years ago and remains one of the last active waterfalls from that geological period.

Local schoolchildren successfully campaigned for Palouse Falls to receive official designation as Washington's state waterfall in 2014.

Three different viewpoints provide access to the falls: a lower viewpoint near the parking lot, an interpretive path, and the elevated Fryxell Overlook.

The remote location of the park lacks cell phone service and frequently experiences extreme temperature variations throughout the seasons.

Location: Washington

Inception: 1951

Operator: Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission

Website: https://parks.wa.gov/559/Palouse-Falls-State-Park-Heritage-Site

GPS coordinates: 46.66690,-118.22400

Latest update: May 11, 2025 18:36