First Hike of 2025: Palouse Falls

In which the author gets herself crispy fried

The weather out here in Eastern Washington is finally coming around to better than tolerable. I am sad to say that after New Year's I tend to get irritated with the cold and snow, and by my birthday at the end of February, I feel weary and cranky if I have to scrape ice off my car (and we will not talk about that year it snowed on my birthday and kept us all in tundra conditions throughout the month of March). But I digress.

As the sun began showing her face earlier in the week I repacked my plein air art supplies and began dreaming again about what kind of adventures I want to take this year. My list quickly filled with popular hikes, some not so popular, and some rather out of the way, such as this particular adventure.

There isn't much to see in what people call the “scablands” unless you're a geologist, but this sunny Saturday the fam and I loaded up and hit the road. There are treasures out among these hills and I love driving.

And then, after driving for what felt like most of the morning, we arrived, and I hurried to find a place to stand near the fenced edge and sketch.

I've been to Palouse Falls a couple times before, and it never fails to amaze. This treacherous waterfall is simultaneously beautiful as it cuts through the ancient landscape. It's no wonder it is the state waterfall of Washington.

On this day, the canyon birds were all freewheeling on the thermals near the falls themselves and in front of the basalt cliffs. Oh, to be a bird. It must be better even than all the wonderful memories I have of riding motorcycle in the days before small children. There was nothing I loved better than the wind like Jesus' hand on my chest and the pull and rush of gravity as I swooped around corners. Birds get all that and they can dive, lift, or hover, completely at one with the air. I tried to get pictures, but they were too fast for me.

I did, however get pictures of this scruffy little soul. He was surprisingly unconcerned about all the people and dogs who also took advantage of the warmer weather.

After I completed a loose pen sketch, we hiked up to the overlook where there was a picnic table. I set up and quickly added some colors from my travel watercolor palette. I was glad I grabbed my graphite color set; I love how they look on the toned paper. A few visitors came and leaned over my shoulder as I worked, and asked questions or marveled at my supplies. Perhaps I encouraged a few to begin sketching themselves.

We headed home when I began to feel crispy. Next time, I will have to remember my hat!