Name of Waterfall

Benham Falls

Description

Benham Falls was found adjacent to the bridge over Benham Creek just under 13 miles south of Highway 12 in Randle along FR 25. A small cascade along the creek is now visible in its place.Benham Falls was a pretty 30-foot tall, two stepped waterfall hidden within a little gorge adjacent to Forest Road 25 near Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. Benham Creek has a long history of being difficult for road engineers to deal with, having washed out several bridges in the past. During the floods of January 2009, a huge landslide destroyed the bridge over Benham Creek and completely buried the falls and gorge. The creek may have actually been rerouted outside of the gorge above where the falls used to occur and depending on how the land shifts and settles in the future, a larger waterfall might re-form over the cliffs that lined the gorge below the falls, but it will probably be a couple years before the land is stabilized and the road is rebuilt to allow access.

Other Names

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Magnitude

15.27

IWC Rating (International Waterfall Classification)

0.63

Total Height (ft)

30

Tallest Drop

20

Number of Drops

2

Average Width

5

Average High Volume (Cubic ft per second)

25 cfs

Average Low Volume (Cubic ft per second)

0 cfs

Pitch

68 degrees

Run (ft)

50

Watershed or Feeder Stream

Cowlitz River Benham Creek