Upper Riley Creek Falls is a 31-foot waterfall on Riley Creek in Skamania County, Washington, in the Cascades region. It lies about 35.1 miles north of White Salmon and roughly 58.2 miles southwest of Yakima as the crow flies.
At 31 feet it is on the modest side for Washington, where the typical waterfall with a recorded height stands around 82 feet; it ranks 762nd of 941. By form it is a veiling waterfall, a thin sheet of water spread over the rock face, combined with a plunge character.
The Cascades are a high volcanic range of snow-capped peaks, deep glacial valleys and dense conifer forest of Douglas fir, western hemlock and true firs, with abundant rain and snow on the western slopes. Basalt cliffs and lava flows give the region one of the highest concentrations of waterfalls in the country. Riley Creek carries 4 recorded waterfalls; the biggest of them reaches 112 feet.
Skamania County holds 244 recorded waterfalls, and several are close by. Middle Riley Creek Falls, an 88-foot horsetail waterfall, is under a mile away. Riley Creek Falls, a 112-foot plunge waterfall, is under a mile away. Lower Riley Creek Falls, a 35-foot horsetail waterfall, is under a mile away.
Upper Riley Creek Falls is located at 46.2299° N, 121.6015° W. The listing is based on the World Waterfall Database, one of the sources compiled by the U.S. Geological Survey in its inventory of waterfalls and rapids of the conterminous United States. The creek name is confirmed against the federal Geographic Names Information System. The exact position has not yet been verified on aerial imagery, so treat the map pin as approximate. Details on trails, parking and access have not been documented for this waterfall yet.