Lava Creek Falls

Lava Creek Falls is located in Ayance Canyon adjacent to Highway 12 between Packwood and White Pass. The falls can be partially seen from a pullout along Highway 12 about 5 miles east of the junction with SR 123, or about 2 miles east of the Palisades viewpoint (which is signed as "Scenic View" along the highway). There is no established access to the bottom of the falls, and attempting to reach the bottom of the falls on foot requires a steep descent into Ayance Canyon and potentially fording the Clear Fork of the Cowlitz River (which should not be attempted before August).Lava Creek Falls is a large waterfall which pours over the side of Ayance Canyon along the Clear Fork of the Cowlitz River between Mount Rainier National Park and White Pass. The falls drop a total of 360 feet in a linear run of about 900 feet. The falls are one continuous drop, beginning first as a long sliding cascade which drops 200 feet, making a sharp S-bend in the creek in the process which hides part of the falls from view when seen from across the canyon. As the creek progresses to the end of the S-bend, the falls become steeper and skip over more pronounced columnar jointing formations which are prominent along the side of the canyon. These formations often create eye-catching zigzagging patterns in the falls when the flow is lower. The cascades abruptly transition into a near sheer fall for the final 140 feet of the drop. Unfortunately due to the unique shape of the falls and the lack of developed access up close, it is not possible to see the entire waterfall from any one perspective.
The drainage basin of Lava Creek covers an area of approximately 6 square miles and features two small lakes, but no permanent snow or ice feeding into the creek. The volume of the stream can swell to considerably proportions in the late spring and early summer thanks to the typically heavy snow pack which falls around the Goat Rocks, but by the late summer months the volume is considerably reduced to the point where it may be difficult to pick the falls out from within the shadows cast by the afternoon sun - the creek does not dry out however.