Wonderful Washington: Admire the amazing oasis that is Dry Falls
Imagine a waterfall three and a half miles wide, over 400 feet tall, and four times bigger than Niagara Falls. This waterfall — the largest in the world — once existed in our very own Washington State.
During the last Ice Age, nearly 20,000 years ago, the falls formed after the collapse of ice dams, causing Lake Missoula to flood down the Grand Coulee, creating the large waterfall. Eventually, as all the ice melted, the river returned to its normal course and dried up to the state that we see it in today.
While the falls would’ve undoubtedly been an incredible sight to come across, we can’t complain about the current views at Dry Falls.
For your own safety, please make sure you are prepared before heading out on your next adventure. Information on how to prepare for your trip and stay safe while on your hike is available from waparks.org and parks.wa.gov. Always remember to leave no trace, pack out what you pack in, stick to designated trails, and refrain from feeding wildlife — and please note that irresponsibly taken selfies (even if they look great for the ‘gram) can be fatal.
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Where is it?
The Dry Falls cataract is located right in the heart of the Grand Coulee and is part of the Sun Lakes-Dry Falls State Park in Eastern Washington.
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How do you get there?
Driving to Dry Falls from Seattle will take you around three and a half to four hours. Follow the I-90 East to WA-281 in Grant County. Take exit 151 from 1-90 E and follow WA0283 N, WA-28 E and WA-17 N to the falls.
What’s there?
Start your trip at the Dry Falls visitor center where you’ll be able to catch great views of the Falls as well as learn about the Ice Age floods and how the climate has changed over time.
If you’re in a car suited for gravel and off-roading, make the trip that goes directly to the base of the falls. On the journey, look out for eagles that sometimes perch on the rock.
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