Twin Falls is a 34-foot tiered plunge waterfall on the Muddy River in Skamania County, Washington, reached via the Lava Canyon Trail in Gifford Pinchot National Forest.
The falls
The river drops in two plunges, the taller measuring 18 feet, where it crosses bedrock exposed or altered by the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens and by later floods. The glacier-fed Muddy River can run around 200 cubic feet per second at high flow and drop much lower at other times; flow is listed as good year-round.
Getting there
The falls sit along the Lava Canyon Trail in Gifford Pinchot National Forest. The first half mile is paved and wheelchair accessible, reaching an upper viewpoint; beyond that, the trail continues into the gorge to Twin Falls over exposed ground. The Lava Canyon area is normally open June through October, with a $5 day-use fee; federal recreation passes are accepted. Forest Road 83 was open as of the date checked, but the suspension bridge remains closed until further notice, ruling out the former loop hike.
When to go
The river carries good flow year-round, though road access to the trailhead normally runs from June through October.
On site
Past the paved viewpoint, the trail continues over exposed, unprotected ground. Dogs are not allowed on the Lava Canyon Trail. Entering the Muddy River is dangerous: visitors have been swept downstream over Lava Canyon Falls, and the gorge has multiple documented fatalities.
Nearby
Lava Canyon Falls is immediately downstream, Triple Falls is about 0.1 mile away, and Middle Lava Canyon Falls about 0.2 mile.
Distances are straight-line.