Last Hope Falls

Last Hope Falls is accessed from the Green River Trail in Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. Starting in Randle, follow FR 25 south towards Mount St. Helens then head right onto FR 26 just after crossing the Cispus River. Just over 12 miles from FR 25, immediately before reaching Ryan Lake, turn right onto 2162 (signed for the Green River Trail). The trailhead is located 2 1/2 miles down FR 2162 from Ryan Lake. The falls are found 1/3 mile downstream from the road where a small bench overlooks the gorge.Last Hope Falls is a 38 foot tall waterfall where the Green River splashes across an oddly shaped outcrop, sliding half sideways before plunging into the small gorge. The falls are situated just inside the Mount St. Helens blast area and are surrounded by tree and bush growth from the last 30 years which unfortunately does nothing but get in the way of clear views of the falls. Because the Green River is fairly small at this point in its basin and the only standing water feeding the river is Grizzly, Twin and Boot Lakes, expect the volume of the falls to fluctuate substantially from the spring to the fall.Confusion over the name and placement of this waterfall has extended for several decades. Greg Plumb's "Waterfall Lover's Guide" cites the falls as being visible across the valley from the end of FR 2612. This most likely is referring to Panhandle Falls since Last Hope Falls can't be seen from the road. The area around Last Hope Falls is storied with mining history dating back to the late 1800s. A former mining town used to exist in the area named Black Falls, named after the title this waterfall held at the time. It was later changed to Last Hope Falls after the nearby Last Hope Mine.