Yacolt Falls

Go to enough live concerts and you soon realize that although the “headliner” is typically the one who brings in the crowds, sometimes it’s the lesser known band that scores the most points with fans because of their performance. So it is with Yacolt Falls, the northern most waterfall in Moulton Falls Regional Park.

The headliner, of course, is Moulton Falls. Water from the East Fork of the Lewis River is channelled into a narrow trough that drops maybe 10 feet before smoothing out again. In spring and early summer, the jagged rocks make for some pretty spectacular white water rapids, but a waterfall?

Fortunately, Yacolt Falls is less than a half mile away. Located on Big Tree Creek, the water here spills over a broad rock ledge and tumbles nearly 30 feet into a splash pool. Now, that’s what I call a waterfall. As an added feature, the right side of the falls is a two-tiered drop. Much more satisfying, even in the dog days of August when the water levels are low.

The trail to Yacolt Falls winds through a nice bit of forest, but it is narrower and more rugged than trails found in other parts of Moulton Falls Regional Park. And when you reach the falls, there is a fairly steep set of rock steps down to the metal footbridge that spans Big Tree Creek. Not good for cyclists or baby strollers, but for everyone else, the view is worth it!

Directions to Yacolt Falls: From Vancouver, WA, drive straight north on Highway 503 about 12.5 miles. Turn right onto NE Rock Creek Road and continue east for about 8.5 miles. Please note that NE Rock Creek Road turns into NE 152nd Avenue which then turns into NE Lucia Falls Road. Bypass the first Moulton Falls parking lot and continue on for another 1/10 of a mile. The upper parking lot (overflow parking) is on the right.

From the upper parking lot, take the trail north across NE Lucia Falls Road. Walk about a quarter mile to the falls.