Multnomah Falls

Multnomah Falls is found south of the town of Nespelem, north of the Grand Coulee Dam, within the Colville Indian Reservation. From the Highway 155 bridge over the Columbia River below the Grand Coulee Dam in the town of Coulee Dam, follow Highway 155 north for 14 miles to the Colville Indian Agency. At the north end of the Colville Indian Agency, turn left on an initially unmarked paved road - you will see a sign along said road about 100 feet from the highway announcing it as BIA Route 10. Following BIA 10 for about 2 1/2 miles to a sharp turn to the left as it descends the canyon. The falls are seen below the road to the left at this point. Parking is scarce in the area, so you may have to walk along the road in order to see the falls.Multnomah Falls is a name usually associated with the tourist trap crown jewel of the Columbia River Gorge, but Washington has its own Multnomah Falls. Its not even remotely as grandiose or as accessible, but it is a noteworthy waterfall and were it accessible up close, it would be well worth visiting. The falls are the largest along the Nespelem River, but the roadside vantage was too far away for me to get an accurate reading on the height of the falls, so the height listed here is estimated based on GPS coordinates and partial measurement readings. The falls occur on the Colville Indian Reservation, where certain rules about land access restrict public movement, so scrambling down to the base of the falls may not be acceptable. As of May 2009, I saw no signs suggesting the falls were off-limits, but the canyon is steep and potentially dangerous to descend from public roads and the only safe access would require crossing through someone's home, so if you visit this waterfall, please respect tribal rights and enjoy the view from the road so that it may continue to be accessible to the public.