The Ice Age floods that scoured southeastern Washington left behind scablands with no top soil. It is not a pretty sight.
Yet, hidden amid the desolation is a gem — Palouse Falls.
The flooding water was so strong that the river’s course changed completely. The river used to run east to west. Now it runs north to south.
Moreover, like Niagara Falls, these falls are moving. The way the water tumbles over rocks is eating away at them, so the falls are moving northward ever so slightly.
When a visitor stands and admires the falls, he or she really cannot get a feel for the powerful floods that scoured the area.
Today, Palouse Falls is the only waterfall that is still flowing with all the others left dry by the Ice Age floods.
The history of the falls is lost on many visitors. Most visitors just want to know how to get to the top or bottom of the falls.
The answer is simple. There are trails to both areas, but they are not maintained.
The falls are open to visitors year round. The area rarely gets snow. When it does fall, it does not last long.
For more information on Palouse Falls and the Ice Age floods, visit the institute’s Web site http://www.iafi.org/ or visit www.parks.wa.gov/
