Gifford Pinchot National Forest Lewis River Falls Hikes Hike 30
Length: 4 miles total for all 3 locations Elevation Change: 100' Elevation change Season: Year Round Difficulty: Easy Permit: NW Forest Pass Required Features:
For the purposes of this CD, I do not cover
the length of Trail #31 which follows several
miles along the Lewis River. My goal is to
show you the beauty of the 3 major falls on
the Lewis River and inspire you to visit
these falls and if you have time, hike as
much of the river trail as you can.
Also, for the purpose of this CD all the
photos I share were taken from legitimate
trail locations, not from leaving the
trail to climb down steep banks and walk
out into the river for those very special
shots.
As you drive up Forest Road #90, you will
come sequentially to the Lower, Middle, and
Upper Lewis River Falls. At the lower falls
parking area, it is just a short walk to
viewing areas where you can get breath
taking vistas of the Lower Lewis River
Falls. One of the paths leads right out
onto the river bed above the falls, and
its steps are carved into the bed rock.
The Middle Lewis River Falls trail is a
bit longer than the lower. From the
parking area, the trail descends gently
to the river and flows it north to a
viewing area below the middle falls.
The Upper Lewis River Falls trail begins
along Forest Road #90 just before the
Quartz Creek bridge. The trail gently
follows the Lewis River downstream for
about a mile where it then drops down
next to the upper falls. To get better
views of the upper falls, one needs to
follow Trail #31 further downstream and
look back.
A Virtual Hike in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest
