Camp Creek Falls

From Randle, turn south on SR 131, which is signed for Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument and Trout Lake, then bear left onto Forest Road 23, following signs pointing to Trout Lake. Continue east on Road 23 for another 8.5 miles to a turnout on the right side of the road, and a small trail sign marking the Camp Creek Falls trail on the left, across the street from the turnout. If you cross Camp Creek (there is no bridge, just a culvert), you've gone too far. The trail, which does not receive frequent maintenance and may be somewhat overgrown, runs gently through the forest before climbing briefly to a small ridge adjacent to the falls, and ending at a natural overlook perched about 15 feet above the plunge pool at the base of the falls in about one-quarter of a mile.Camp Creek Falls is a modest waterfall which pours 55 feet out of a narrow canyon into a large bowl-like amphitheater on the north side of the Cispus River Valley near Tower Rock. The falls plunge over a small undercut ledge, then impact on the rounded cliff face after a brief free-fall and veil slightly for the duration of its descent. Topographic data suggests two additional falls of 10-15 feet each may be located in the canyon just upstream from the top of Camp Creek Falls, and a potential third fall about 300 feet further upstream (which would be considered a separate Upper falls). Difficulty of access to these smaller falls is not known. The basin of Camp Creek covers an area of approximately 4.1 square miles, with the western edge reaching elevations of up to 4400 feet above sea level, but the majority of the basin falling between 2000 feet and 3800 feet. There is no permanent standing water in the drainage, so Camp Creek is entirely reliant on precipitation to continue flowing at significant levels. The stream is large enough that it doesn't come close to running dry late in the season, but the volume can become considerably reduced from its winter and spring levels when it's not possible to cross the creek below the falls without getting wet.