Exploring Cathedral Falls

Steve strikes out with a couple of colleagues to search for the massive and equally impressive Catherdal Falls in the Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument.

Cathedral Falls

Despite having recently camp on our survey beach (see A New Twist to Our Toleak Survey), I was still feeling a bit ‘couped up’. With the parts to raise our trailer still delayed and our Pacific Northwest winter truly upon us, Theresa decided to sit this one out. She’s as stuff as they come, but has grown accustomed to returning to a warm, dry refuge at the end of the day; as I have I. Still I needed some get back out in the wild places and set my eyes on visiting Cathedral Falls.

Cathedral Falls is a lofty plunging waterfall along an unnamed tributary of Goat Creek in an isolated corner of Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. The falls launch 248 feet over a massive overhang then veils across a strange cone-shaped protrusion of bedrock that forces the water to veil down in a subtle swooshing shape. The formation of the cone at the base of the falls is rather puzzling, as it doesn’t appear to be the result of minerals accumulating from the falling water. More likely the falls have simply pounded down onto a much more rugged outcrop of rock that was disconnected from the now overhanging cliffs above, and have slowly worn it into a rounded shape over time.

Cathedral Falls
A shot of Cathedral Falls from the base. Unfortunately, this photograph doesn't really show the scale of the falls as it's close to 250' in height.

Taidnapam Campground

The park which is owned and managed by Tacoma Power is really quite the campground. Seems like they have a bit more funds to throw at their facilities than Washington State. I had been here once before but that was during the summer when there was a large contingent of campers. I think it has even more charm in the winter.

I had reached out to a couple of photographer buddies to see if they wanted to join and both Brad and Matt agreed. Brad and I were camping for the weekend with Matt meeting up with us on the morning of the hike.

It was cold during the long night’s but Brad’s cooking more than made up for any inconvenience the temperature threw at us. It’s always good to have friends who are accomplished cooks! Freshly baked cinnamon rolls in the morning followed by steaks in a honey-mustard sauce that night. What’s a little cold weather?

Support

Our mission is a labor of love, but it does come with overhead. If you’d like to support our efforts we’d certainly appreciate it. Currently, we’re actively participating in the following field research:

  • COASST Beached Bird Surveys
  • Wild and Scenic River Project

Thank you.

advertisement

twitter feed

Follow the team’s latest news and social feeds here. You’ll also find links to articles on the latest developments regarding citizen-science and the conservation of our oceans. 

We also use this feed for updates from the field as we pursue our own science and the occasional short video clip.

And please, feel free to join in the conversation. We’d love to hear what you’re up to as well. 

[custom-twitter-feeds]

Member of the following

We are the learned society for geography and geographers.
as-seal-gr
Working to provide opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts to make a difference as they play in the outdoors.
coasst-logo
Working to translate long-term monitoring into effective marine conservation solutions.
Sea Grant Washington
Provide integrated research, communication, and education to coastal communities that lead to the responsible use of the nation’s oceans.

Latest Instagram

This is just one of many structures that fell into disarray after the closure of the gravel pit that once operated on the shores of Steilacoom. ...

Nestled in the heart of the Pacific Northwest, Mount St. Helens stands as an imposing figure, even in the depths of winter. The snow-capped peak, which famously erupted in 1980, offers a unique and breathtaking landscape for winter adventurers. With its rugged terrain, awe-inspiring vistas, and challenging winter conditions, Mount St. Helens is a must-visit destination for those seeking an unforgettable winter experience. Whether you're an experienced mountaineer or a beginner looking for a thrilling outdoor adventure, Mount St. Helens in winter is an experience you won't soon forget. ...

Some of the old structures for the gravel pit were once located in Steilacoom, Washington. Since I took this photograph, it's been replaced by a golf course. ...

Point Robinson Light is a lighthouse located on Maury Island in Washington State, USA. The lighthouse was first built in 1885 and has since undergone several renovations and upgrades.⁠ ⁠ The lighthouse tower is 35 feet tall and is painted white with a black lantern room. It is situated on a bluff overlooking Puget Sound and marks the eastern entrance to Elliott Bay. The light's characteristic is a white flash every 5 seconds with a focal plane of 51 feet above sea level. ...

What started as a sunny day developed into thunderstorms. The thunderstorm finally moved off to the east. It had us binned in our tents for a couple of hours. ...

I've just posted an article over on our website. You'll find more photographs and a short write up on what we found. | "Dosewallips State Park Suffers Major Upheaval" ...

The south shore of Dusty Lakes is just outside Vantage. We've book our campsite for a return trip this spring. ...

Sunrise over Port Angeles. We’ll be catching the afternoon ferry over to Victoria later today. ...

Murhut Creek drains the lower Duckabush River valley. Although only the lower portion is visible the falls themselves are over 150'.⁠ ------------ ...

Deep Lake at Millersylvania State Park ...

Theresa is gazing at sunset while beachcombing. The clouds added a wonderful touch of drama to the scene. ...

Theresa is looking downstream at Murhat Falls. This waterfall is easy to drive to and an easy hike in the Olympic National Forest. ...

Skate Creek runs alongside Forest Road 52 in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. This was just one of the many photographic sites that can be accessed from the road. ...

Goat Creek Trail

It’s a short drive up an old logging trail to the Goat Creek Trail which is about 10 miles long. Cathedral Falls is only a mile in, and the entire trail is just one beautiful vista after another. I’ve never seen such beautiful views for such a relatively easy hike.

In other words, I’ve worked a whole lot harder for a whole lot less pay off.

Along the way, there are plenty of unnamed falls to photograph, and at one point you get a stunning view of some rapids on Goat Creek itself.

Personally, I had a hard time coming up with a photograph that I felt did the Cathedral Falls justice. They are much more impressive than my photograph capture. Matt did the best job of capturing them and he has a couple of his photographs posted on his website. Be sure to scale towards the bottom where you’ll see me on the trail just coming out from behind the falls. It truly gives you a sense of the scale of this feature.

If you’re in the area, it well worth the time to head out and explore this area. I’ll be taking Theresa back as soon as the trailer gets released.

Please share this:

More to explore

Journal

Big Fish in a Little Stream

Anyone who lives in the Pacific Northwest is familiar with the migration of the different species of Salmon. What did surprise me recently was the the size of the water these amazing fish are willing to attempt swimming up to breed. My childhood handmade sailboat wouldn’t float in the amount of water we’re talking here?

Read More »
Bald Eagle
Journal

A White Christmas In Lighthouse Park

In 1888, George Grant Mackay, a Scottish civil engineer, and land developer, arrived in the young city of Vancouver in Canada. Mackay purchased 6,000 acres of dense forest on either side of Capilano River and built a cabin on the very edge of the canyon wall.

Read More »
hand-feeding-horses
Journal

Horse of a Different Color

For all we have in common Theresa and I couldn’t have more different backgrounds. She was riding a horse long before she had a drivers license where I was soloing sailboats offshore. Our first multi-day paddle together she complained that her, “utter wasn’t working”; our first horseback ride I complained I needed a ‘mainsheet and rudder’ to control this beast.

Read More »

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.