Fish Tail Falls

Fish Tail Falls are within the Entiat Valley, accessed off of Highway 97A, north of Wenatchee. Proceed north from Wenatchee along Highway 97A for 18 miles to the signed Entiat Valley Road (just south of the town of Entiat). Follow the Entiat Valley Road for about 27 miles to the Box Canyon Viewpoint, marked with a generic "scenic view" sign (the turnoff is about 1/2 mile past the Lake Creek Trailhead). The falls are visible at the Box Canyon viewpoint, about 100 feet from the parking.Fish Tail Falls isn't a terribly noteworthy waterfall in its own right, but the geologic formations of the area are interesting. Before I get too far ahead of myself here, let me say I had visited this site twice before I knew the falls even had a name, and hadn't given it any previous thought - so that tells you something about its stature. However, it is a bigger waterfall than pictures make it out to be. At the entrance to Box Canyon, the Entiat River fans out over a low ledge that fluctuates in height depending on the volume of the river - anywhere from 5-8 feet - before running over, under and through a pile of large boulders, cascading another 15 feet. When the river is running high, the lower tier looks more impressive than it actually is. I really wouldn't expect anyone to actively seek out this location for the waterfall itself; Box Canyon is the show stealer. The chasm spans a run of about 500 feet and ranges from 75-150 feet deep - though the only viewpoint doesn't allow one to see the lower part.Fish Tail Falls was documented in a 1936 survey of the Entiat River and likely named at the same time. The name stems from the upper tier of the falls bearing an uncanny resemblance to the tail of a fish. Because of the high water in the photo above, this isn't terribly evident. A better example can be seen at the OSU Digital Archives.