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Steamboat Falls is an attractive 58 foot tall waterfall tucked in a gorge hidden from all semblance of humanity high up in the course of the Lewis River. The falls are actually very close to a major road but that the canyon is hidden from view by a small hill makes it impossible to tell there is a waterfall at this location without aid of a GPS and maps. The falls crash down a narrow chute into a slot gorge then spread out in an attractive veil which pours into a nice pool that could serve well for swimming for those who make the scramble to the falls.
- Steamboat Falls is the Unofficial name of this waterfall.
This waterfall has no known name and very little documentation. Since I can't find a single geographic feature in proximity to the falls which the falls can be named after, I've opted to call it after the USGS Steamboat Mountain quadrangle that it occurs on (even though Steamboat Mountain is nowhere near the falls). I'm more than open to suggestions for a better name for this one.
Steamboat Falls is located 1 3/4 miles upstream of the Twin Falls Campground along the Lewis River on the west flank of Mount Adams in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. Take Forest Road 90 1.3 miles east from the Twin Falls Campground to the junction of FR 9031 and park in the limited space on the uphill side of the road. Because there is no room to park closer to the falls its necessary to walk up FR 90 for a little more than 1/4 mile to the top of the small hill. When you can easily climb up the bank on the right (across from a large rockslide area), walk through the woods for 100 feet to the edge of the canyon. Animal paths can be found leading very steeply down to the river and the falls. The climb down to the river loses almost 200 vertical feet, so be prepared for a grunt coming back up, and make sure you're comfortable climbing down in the first place, its easy to fall and not a lot would stop you from rolling all the way to the bottom.
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