Old Kettle Falls Trail

In the early 1900s, Kettle Falls was a town of 300 people on the shores of the Columbia River.  Today Kettle Falls is a town of 1,600 people near the shores of Lake Roosevelt. So why did the town move? The construction of the Grand Coulee Dam 100 miles downstream was the reason. 

In all, 11 towns would be inundated by rising waters as the reservoir filled behind the dam.  Many of the Kettle Falls residents and businesses moved to higher ground to the present-day site of Kettle Falls. Buildings and other objects were removed before the reservoir filled, but a few remnants of the old townsite remain near the lakeshore and can be seen from the Old Kettle Falls Trail.  

From the trailhead, walk south and pass the boat launch access road. You’ll soon cross a bridge over a marshy wetland area.  Keep your eyes peeled for birds. Before long, the trail veers left reaching the road to the Locust Grove Group Camp.  Continuing across the road, you’ll soon come to signs of the town that once was.  Old homesteads, pastures and orchards give a glimpse of what life in Kettle Falls used to be like.  

After just over a mile, a junction is reached. Stay to the right, traveling along a forested bluff until the trail ends at 1.3 miles. Enjoy the view of the lake and imagine what the landscape looked like before the dam was built. When you are ready, return the way you came.

WTA Pro Tip: Sandy’s Drive-In along US-395 in Kettle Falls makes a great stop for a pre-hike breakfast or a post-hike lunch.