I visited this remote park in Thurston County yesterday and came away impressed by the sight of the dramatic features of the Deschutes River. As one who likes to explore new places, I’m grateful that Thurston County found the resources to develop this 155-acre park to showcase its unique canyon and waterfalls and make it accessible to the public. Located at the very end of Bald Hills Road, a large sign directs drivers to a gravel parking lot with room enough for around 20 vehicles. A portapotty and trash can is located nearby under a beautiful Chestnut tree. From the parking lot, less than a mile away to the south, Green Hill rises 900 feet above the river, shorn of its trees, its steep, naked contours are starkly visible and it still retains some of its former dignity.
From the parking lot, a single-lane gravel road descends at a gentle grade to the western viewpoint where one can look down into a gorge and see the main waterfall cascading 25 feet into a narrow chasm below. There is a sturdy viewing platform with guardrails which effectively protects visitors but tends to restrict the view. Upstream from there, an unmaintained trail runs along the edge of the gorge and allows better viewing but lacks any protective barriers. From a turnaround area above the viewing platform, a wide, maintained path goes 3/10 of a mile upstream in an easterly direction to another unique section of the river. There, one can see the terrain as it transitions from a typical river valley and becomes constricted by the rocky canyon. The narrowing river, at first, moves slowly and quietly through a shallow, narrow gorge. On a hot day, this section would be an inviting place for a swim. Several spots looked safe and suitable for diving.
The humble Deschutes River begins in remote drainages around Lookout Peak in Lewis County and quietly meanders north and west, fifty-odd miles to its estuary at Budd Inlet in Puget Sound. Most of its course runs through typical terrain found in valley bottoms and undulating prairies. The river breaks out of its sedate nature at Deschutes Falls Park and, again, at Tumwater Falls (aka Brewery) Park at the site of the historical Olympia Brewery. In both places, the collision of hydrology and geology is quite dramatic and very worthwhile seeing.
I explored every path I could find at the park and recorded the GPS stats. The round trip was a little over one mile with an elevation difference of less than 100 feet, making this hike doable for just about everyone.
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