Curly Creek Falls & Miller Creek Falls

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Curly Creek Falls is a true hidden gem. It’s one of only a dozen or so waterfalls in the world with two rock arches crossing it’s face. With such rarity one would think this waterfall would be crawling with people and parking impossible to find. In fact the opposite is true! On top of that the very short trail to the viewpoint is handicap accessible unlike the vast majority of Northwest waterfalls. Curly Creek Falls is perhaps the most unappreciated spot in the Pacific Northwest. 

The trail is quite flat, perfect for families with young kids and folks with mobility impairments. It winds through the woods for about 100 yards before meeting the Lewis River Trail. A developed viewpoint gives a fairly clear view looking across the Lewis River to Curly Creek Falls dropping directly into the river on the opposite bank, although a less obstructed view is found about 50 feet up the trail. Unfortunately no view is perfectly clear due to encroaching vegetation. At high flows the lower arch becomes inundated and disappears into the falls. 

Few waterfalls worldwide have two rock arches like Curly Creek Falls does, although at high flows like this the lower arch gets flooded and buried.

Curly Creek Falls

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Category: Galleries by Subject, 2/3 Aspect Ratio, Galleries By Location, Galleries by Orientation, Galleries by Season, Portrait / Vertical, Spring, Washington, Waterfalls

Tags: Curly Creek Falls, Gifford Pinchot, rock formations, Washington forest, Washington waterfalls

Continue down the trail for another two minutes to a bonus waterfall! Miller Creek Falls drops 66 feet into an alcove across the river. It’s pretty when the water is high but loses it’s luster by midsummer and can run dry in August. The vegetation encroaching on the view is worse here than at Curly Creek Falls but there is one fully clear view if you stand in just the right spot. 

The problem with Curly Creek Falls is that a big portion of Curly Creek drops underground upstream of the falls, so when the water gets low the waterfall disappears. The trick is to head to Curly Creek Falls in the spring once Lewis River Road opens for the warm season. The leaf emergence here lags behind that of Seattle and Portland by about three weeks. If you time it right you can catch the falls at a strong flow and with buds swelling on branches but without too many leaves blocking the view.  

If you’re heading up Lewis River Road to one of the bigger waterfalls or trails in the area, make it a point to stop here. When you pass over Curly Creek on the main road, just look to see if there is water in it. If there is you should absolutely make the four-minute detour to the trailhead and check out this unique waterfall. It’s free, immensely easy to access, great for kids and dogs, and you’ll be rewarded with a view you can’t find anywhere else. It’s not even a hike – it’s more of a quick stroll. You can easily see both falls and be back in the car in 20 minutes (but please take your time to savor this incredible spot!) Best of all you will likely have it all to yourself, especially if you visit early in the season. I honestly don’t get why more people don’t know about this amazing waterfall. Trust me on this one, put this on your spring hiking list and go! You will thank me later!

Cautions

So long as you stay on the trail and behind the rails at the viewpoints there are no dangers here. The little side-trails to additional viewpoints do drop off at the canyon edge. As of the end of April 2023 there was a small log laying across the trail which would be prohibitive to wheelchairs.

Getting There

From Portland or Hood River it is quickest to head to the area via Wind River Highway: Cross Bridge of the Gods at Cascade Locks, then turn right and head east on SR-14 to the turnoff to Carson at the roundabout. Follow Wind River Highway for 14 miles, veering right at the stop past the fish hatchery. Turn left onto Curly Creek Road, then right when you reach Lewis River Road. From Seattle it’s fastest to take Highway 503 from Woodland WA and just follow it past the three reservoirs until it becomes Lewis River Road. From the junction of Lewis River Road and Curly Creek Road, head east on Lewis River Road for one mile, then take the dirt road turnoff on the left. Cross the bridge and continue for 1/2 mile to the parking lot on the left. Park and follow the trail for about 100 yards, then head right at the trail junction. It’s 0.1 miles from the parking area to Curly Creek Falls viewpoint. Keep going for another 100 yards to see Miller Creek Falls.

Photographer’s Tip

Both falls face north and get lost in shadows on sunny days – cloudy days are best. Early May has the clearest visibility before the vegetation gets thick, and early June has for ideal flow levels where both arches are visible.

Links

https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/giffordpinchot/recarea/?recid=31528

https://www.oregonhikers.org/field_guide/Curly_Creek_Falls_Hike

https://www.waterfallsnorthwest.com/waterfall/Curly-Creek-Falls-5276

https://www.waterfallsnorthwest.com/waterfall/Miller-Creek-Falls-5274