Rodney Falls and the Pool of the Winds
Pacific Northwest September Travelog #15
Beacon Rock State Park - Mon, 5 Sep 2022, 1pm
Thankfully Hardy Falls (previous blog) wasn't the only thing at Beacon Rock State Park we were hiking to see. It was frankly underwhelming, especially as the trail isn't routed near enough to it. The trail goes too far above it to really see it. But then there's Rodney Falls, which the trail goes right to.
Again, these falls are probably amazing in the spring, but we still enjoyed spending time at the bottom here in September.
The bottom tier of the falls is not huge. But it feels intimate down here with the sound of the water pouring over the rocks drowning out everything else. It's also cool here, deep in the shade of the ravine, a nice respite from the heat up on the side of the ridge.
The bottom of the falls isn't the only place we lingered. In fact it wasn't even the hardest spot to pull ourselves away from. That was a narrow spot up at the top of the falls, known as The Pool of the Winds.
The top tier of the falls pours into a narrow, deep bowl. It's almost a cave except it's open at the top. It's cool and damp here, a 180° change from the trail on the side of the ridge. And peering into the dimly lit almost-cave feels like looking into a spot so holy you don't set foot upon it.
In beauty I walk.
Beacon Rock State Park - Mon, 5 Sep 2022, 1pm
Thankfully Hardy Falls (previous blog) wasn't the only thing at Beacon Rock State Park we were hiking to see. It was frankly underwhelming, especially as the trail isn't routed near enough to it. The trail goes too far above it to really see it. But then there's Rodney Falls, which the trail goes right to.
Again, these falls are probably amazing in the spring, but we still enjoyed spending time at the bottom here in September.
The bottom tier of the falls is not huge. But it feels intimate down here with the sound of the water pouring over the rocks drowning out everything else. It's also cool here, deep in the shade of the ravine, a nice respite from the heat up on the side of the ridge.
The bottom of the falls isn't the only place we lingered. In fact it wasn't even the hardest spot to pull ourselves away from. That was a narrow spot up at the top of the falls, known as The Pool of the Winds.
The top tier of the falls pours into a narrow, deep bowl. It's almost a cave except it's open at the top. It's cool and damp here, a 180° change from the trail on the side of the ridge. And peering into the dimly lit almost-cave feels like looking into a spot so holy you don't set foot upon it.
In beauty I walk.