Triple Falls is a 56-foot tiered cascade on the Muddy River in Skamania County, Washington, in Lava Canyon below Mount St. Helens. The river runs down three steep steps beneath the canyon's suspension bridge.
The falls
A survey in person lists three drops of 13, 24 and 19 feet, pitched steeply over a short run and about 8 feet wide on average. The Muddy River is glacier-fed and runs all year. The lowest step used to hold logs until the 2006 flood swept them out.
Getting there
The Lava Canyon trailhead is at the end of Forest Road 83, reached from Woodland via State Route 503 to Cougar and Forest Road 90 past Swift Dam. Parking requires a Northwest Forest Pass or an America the Beautiful Pass. The first 1/3 mile of trail is paved and accessible, ending at an upper viewpoint; the traditional view of Triple Falls is from the 125-foot suspension bridge a little farther down the canyon.
As of September 2026, the suspension bridge is closed because of cable damage. Check the trail's status before driving up.
When to go
Snow can hold the road closed well into spring: on April 1, 2026, Forest Road 83 was still gated at Marble Mountain Sno-Park with the trailhead under snow. The falls flow year-round once the road is open.
On site
The canyon is steep and exposed, with cliff edges, slippery rock, a cable-assisted water crossing and a vertical ladder in the lower section. Dogs are not allowed on the trail.
History and name
On May 18, 1980, the eruption of Mount St. Helens melted the Shoestring Glacier and sent a lahar down the Muddy River, scouring Lava Canyon and opening up its falls. The name is unofficial; Greg Plumb called it Triplet Falls.
Nearby
Lava Canyon Falls, Upper Lava Canyon Falls and Twin Falls are each about 0.1 mile away, and Middle Lava Canyon Falls is about 0.3 mile, all on the Muddy River in the same canyon.
Distances are straight-line.