Dry Falls

<< BACK

One of the more interesting items in the history of the world is the various Ice Ages that we've experienced.  During a couple of these, a HUGE ice dam formed, which turned the Midwest into a freshwater ocean, thousands of feet deep.  When these dams broke, the torrent of water rushed across the plains of Idaho and Washington, cutting a huge gorge as it went.  The lake would drain in a fairly short time... several days or less... These falls were formed during those torrents... when the waters were flowing over them, they were the largest by volume in the world.

 Dry Falls

When water flowed over these falls, they were by far the largest falls in the world.  There were three main falls that the water traveled over.  The pools under them remain, and although the water is mostly stagnant it is more than 200 feet deep.

 Steep Gorge

The gorge cut by the rushing water rivals the Columbia River Gorge in its depth... its not difficult to imagine that this was once a rushing torrent of water!

Wild Life

Free-Range horses take a drink.  The white film comes from the limestone and other salts that dissolve in the rain water and flow into the pools.  In the spring, the pools grow large enough to connect and flow, but for most of the summer, the waters are stagnate, and when they evaporate, they leave behind a salty deposit, as you can see on the steep banks on the far shore.

Parking Hazards

Parts of the parking lot didn't seem exactly safe... this small chain is all that keeps you from getting a close up view of the floor of the gorge!

Steamboat Rock

This granite formation was exposed when the sandy deposits around it eroded away when the Ice Age Lake (Lake Missoula, its called by geologists) drained.  Now a popular camping site, this was a major landmark along the Oregon Trail.

Gorge Walls

The steep walls of the gorge show geologists that it was cut fairly rapidly...

...as well as provide caves for wildlife, and the occasional bandit over the years.

<< BACK