Lower Lewis River Falls is a stunning 200 foot wide waterfall deep in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest of Washington. A very popular swimming hole in the summertime but offseason it’s difficult to find another person around!

This day was especially memorable as my family and I had embarked for a day trip to visit a few different waterfalls and do some mushroom foraging on a gorgeous late October Fall day. This was our last stop of the day and we’d already been driving, hiking, and adventuring around for several hours. We almost skipped this stop as it was getting late, and the kids were tired and hungry (of course!) despite having packed lunches and plenty of snacks. Upon pulling up in the dark and heavily tree’d parking lot, I peered through the forest and could sense there was light on the Falls just as I hoped. The kids were a bit crabby and complaining about putting their boots and jackets back on so I said to my wife Bethany “Ok dear, the light is fading quick, I’m gonna run to the Falls and shoot!” With a confused face she looked around and says “There’s no flipping light, it’s basically dark out!” I knew she could be absolutely right, but sure hoped not! I helped the kids get ready as quickly as I could, threw on my waders, and sprinted down to the Falls! I was delighted to have just minutes of light left and captivated by a perfect rainbow amongst the spraying water. After capturing the mesmerizing scene and taking a selfie to better remember the moment, I climbed back up the steep cliff-sides to find my family with their newly found forest treasures (mushrooms!) and them happy I was still alive. “Daddy why did you take so long, we thought you got swept down the river!!” For the record, I was ankle deep in the water and gone for all of 45 minutes. Haha!

“Lewis River Allure” is a stitched panorama comprised of several frames, which means it prints at large sizes in stunning detail.

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