Spirit Falls
SPIRIT FALLS
Columbia Gorge, WA
Spirit Falls - is a thrilling and magical spot hidden in one of the many ravines in the Columbia River Gorge just north of the Washington border. This location is one of the most beautiful and powerful falls I have seen in the Columbia Gorge area.
The falls are very difficult to get to and this locations is not recommended for most people.If you make the hike to the falls, the amazing beauty, serenity, and cool water mist makes the falls a place you will never forget.
Images and location summary by Tim Wier
Trail Difficulty - DIFFICULT TO HARD
I would rate the difficulty of this trail to Spirit Falls as a 3 to 4 on a scale of 1-5 (with 5 being most difficult). The hike is only a half a mile each way, but it is very steep (5oo ft elevation) and loose gravel for much of the way. I strongly recommend hiking boots to get as much grab as possible and water as you will need it for the hike back up the hill.
The shot above was taken down on the water level and the hike to this spot is EXTREME. However, you can photography the falls from the trail will no difficulty.
GPS Coordinates & Elevation
184 ft. Elevation
View In Google earth
Download KMZ Trail File
Click Here to download the KMZ file for this location.
Click Here to download GPS Coordinates
Directions
CLICK HERE to get driving directions the Spirit Falls trailhead / parking lot.
The closest town to Sprit Falls is Stevenson, WA (14.3 miles south).
From Stevenson, WA, drive approx. 12 miles east on WA-14 and take a LEFT (north) onto Cook–Underwood Rd. Once you turn on Cook–Underwood Rd., travel 2 miles until you see a pullout/parking area on the right side of the road.
From the pullout/parking area, look for a trail to the east and follow it down to the river. Listen for the sound of the roaring falls as a guide. This trail is steep and is not a made trail but just a worn path. Making it down to the water level is not obvious. You will need to walk/hike/slide down to the river over rocks that can be very slippy when wet. Once you are at the falls, there are several places to shoot from.
Photography Tips
As mentioned, the shot above was taken at the water level - which is very difficult to get to - and is not recommended. To get to this shot, you have to make your way down to the level of the river. To get there you need to hike down along a narrow rock path which can be wet, slick and pretty dangerous. Once down to the level of the river, you need to find a safe position to set up your tripod and capture your masterpiece. Again, getting this shot is risky and I would strongly suggest not trying this location by yourself.
Other locations to shot Spirit Falls - you can easily photograph the falls from the end of the trail (see Mark Metternick’s and Rob Stains images below).
EXIF Data
Focal Length – 24 mm (3 shot vertical pano)
Exposure – 2 sec @ f 8.0
ISO – 100
Date – May 25th
Time – 7:33 am
Other Images From This Location
Best Time of Day to Shoot
The best time to shoot is either on an overcast day or early morning (before the sun hits the falls).
Best Time of Year
Spring, summer, and fall are all good times to shoot these wonderful falls. However, fall would be the very best time to shoot, as the peak fall colors takes the scene from great to spectacular.
Lens(es) Needed
Photographing from the trails end - I would suggest a 50-15mm lens. Photographing from the water level will require an ultra-wide lens or pano.
Birds-Eye View
Permits
Currently, there are no permits required.
Direction of the Shot
The direction of the shot is northeast at 39°.
Equipment Needed
You will need a tripod, a polarizer, and a neutral density (ND) filter to reduce your shutter speed to ½ second or longer to create the silky water flow. The spray from the falls can create problems with water on your camera / lens. Be prepared to shield your camera / lens. Bring some kind of rain sleeve for your camera and lens cloth to wipe down your lens.
The shot above was made by stitching together 3 shots vertically with panoramic tools. If you plan on using this technique, you would need the appropriate equipment.
Number of Other Photographers to Expect
Spirit Falls is one of the most beautiful places you can visit in the Columbia Gorge. Even with the difficulty of the hike, this location can get busy at times.
Weather
It rains a great deal in this part of the country, so make sure you travel with rain gear. It can get cold in spring and fall, and winters are usually wet and very cold. Make sure you travel with the appropriate cold weather equipment in spring, fall, and winter.
Cell Service
I have Verizon and the cell service is spotty at this location.
Lodging & Camping
The closest town is Stevenson, WA (14.5 miles south and west) and Cascade Locks, OR (18.5 miles west and then across to Oregon).
The closest campsite is Eagle Creek campground (20 miles west in Oregon) or Ainsworth State Park (26 miles west in Oregon). Eagle Creek campground is small (16 sites), does not have RV hookups, and fills up quickly. Ainsworth State Park is a tradition campground with about 40 RV hookups and tent sites.
Nearby camping and lodging
Camping - click on the campground below for directions
Lodging - click on the lodging below for a TripAdvisor review
Skamania Lodge
(866) 571-0605
1131 SW Skamania Lodge Way, Stevenson, WA
Columbia Gorge Riverside Lodge
(509) 427-5650
3200 SW Cascade Ave, Stevenson, WA
Best Western Plus Columbia River Inn
(509) 427-7700
735 Wa Na Pa St, Cascade Locks, OR
Nearby Restaurants
Stevenson, WA, is a nice little town with some excellent places to eat. I have had many a good meal and cold beer at the Big River Grill directly across for the Stevenson Elementary School. It is nice place with good food and friendly folks. Also Joe’s El Rio Mexican Café across the street has very nice people, pretty good Mexican food, and great margaritas.
Cascade Locks, OR, is also a nice little community. My favorite place to eat is the Cascade Locks Ale House. They have GREAT pizza with a good selection of local brews.
Nearby Restaurants - click on the restaurant below for yelp review
Big River Grills
(509) 427-4888
192 2nd St, Stevenson, WA
El Rio Mexican Cafe
(509) 427-4479
193 2nd St, Stevenson, WA
Cascade Locks Ale House
(541) 374-9310
500 NW Wanapa St, Cascade Locks, OR
(971) 231-4599
515 NW Portage Rd, Cascade Locks, OR
Area Guides and Workshops
None