Entry No. 31 — the Spokane file — filed under: outdoor
Palouse Falls State Park
A 198-foot waterfall thunders into a deep plunge pool ringed by columnar basalt cliffs, the last surviving relic of one of Earth's most violent landscapes. The canyon was carved when Ice Age megafloods, carrying half the volume of Lake Michigan, tore across eastern Washington at up to 65 mph and rerouted the entire Palouse River into a new channel. It is Washington's official state waterfall, dropping through raw scabland rock in the middle of empty wheat country. The trails to the canyon floor are permanently closed after fatal accidents, so the overlooks are the only legal vantage.
The story
You drive through miles of quiet, undulating Palouse wheat fields before the Earth simply opens up without warning. Beneath the topsoil lies a jagged black canyon carved during the Ice Age by the Glacial Lake Missoula outburst floods—cataclysms that hurled half the volume of Lake Michigan across eastern Washington at speeds up to 65 miles per hour. That wall of water stripped away millions of tons of ancient lava flows, rerouting the entire Palouse River into a raw basalt gorge.
What remains at the head of that gouge is a 198-foot cataract churning into a circular plunge pool ringed by stacked basalt columns. Designated Washington’s official state waterfall in 2014, it feels out of place in the middle of dry scabland. For years, people scrambled down loose scree paths to the canyon basin, but after four fatal falls, state parks permanently shut down every route below the rim, locking the view strictly to the high overlooks.
What it's like
The transition from flat farmland to a plunging abyss happens instantly when you pull into the 94-acre day-use area. You'll stand behind sturdy fences at the rim overlooks, watching the water drop into the dark pool below. Bring a Discover Pass and pack your own drinks and food, as Washtucna and LaCrosse offer minimal services. Aim for late afternoon so you can catch the sunset, when the low light turns the dark basalt cliffs bright orange above the shadowed canyon floor. Stay behind the barriers—the drop off the loose basalt edge is unforgiving and heavily patrolled.
The move: Pack a picnic and time the drive so you reach the rim overlook at sunset, when the canyon walls glow orange above the falling water.
📍 Before you go Discover Pass required. About 1 hour 45 min from Spokane. Stay behind fences; canyon-floor trails are closed and dangerous.
- 📍 LaCrosse / Washtucna
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: Palouse Falls Rd, LaCrosse, WA 99143
Hours: Added 2026-06-24 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Steptoe Butte State Park — Drive up this isolated quartzite peak for an elevated view of the rolling Palouse terrain that the floods sliced through to create the falls.
- Elberton Ghost Town — Pair the raw geological violence of the canyon with the quiet decay of an abandoned 19th-century timber town.
- Artisans at the Dahmen Barn (Fence of 1,000 Wheels) — Follow the ancient basalt drop of the waterfall with a visit to a historic dairy barn enclosed by a fence built from over a thousand rusted wheels.
Good to know
Do I need a pass to visit Palouse Falls?
Yes, a Washington State Discover Pass is required for vehicle access to the park.
Can you hike down to the pool at the bottom of the falls?
No. All trails down to the canyon floor and plunge pool are permanently closed due to multiple fatal accidents. Viewing is restricted to the upper rim overlooks.
How far is Palouse Falls State Park from Spokane?
It is roughly a 1-hour-and-45-minute drive southwest of Spokane.
What amenities are available at the site?
It is a 94-acre day-use park offering parking, basic restrooms, picnic tables, and fenced overlooks, but no gas or restaurants.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: parks.wa.gov · Wikipedia · seattletimes.com · iafi.org · spokanehistorical.org
last checked: 2026-06-24