Waterfalls

Punch Bowl Falls

I took this picture of Oregon's iconic Punch Bowl Falls 2 days before the devastating 2017 Columbia River Gorge fire that erupted from that very trail, stranding many families overnight until they could be rescued. It really hit home that it could have been me stranded, but fortunately I was safe and able to photograph its beauty in its final hours.

The iconic Multnomah Falls in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon

Taken one week before the devastating Eagle Creek fire of 2017. Thankfully this iconic beauty was mainly untouched!

Base of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

Lower Mesa Falls

About an hour outside of West Yellowstone in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest, you'll find this gorgeous multi-tiered waterfall, along with the Upper Mesa Falls about a mile up the Henry's Fork River. The Mesa Falls Scenic Byway in Idaho is a must do 30-60 min detour when traveling through the area to/from Yellowstone.

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

Necarney Creek Cascades

Necarney Creek is one of my favorite little creeks that I've come across. When you enter Oswald West State Park, Oregon and try to decide which trail to Short Sands Beach to take, definitely park on the west side of 101, just south of the main parking lot. That trail has this amazing creek to admire and also has a sweet suspension bridge you can cross to keep exploring different areas of the cape.

Shoshone Falls in Twin Falls, Idaho

This was a pretty epic kayak trip through the Snake River Canyon to finally reach the base of Shoshone Falls, also known as The Niagara of the West. It's one thing to see this from high up at the top of the canyon, but it's a whole different ball game when you can hear and feel its full force as the water crashes down just mere feet from you. It's actually possible to dock your kayak on the rock on the bottom left of this picture. You're pretty shielded from the mist and wind so it's a nice spot to refuel and take a break after the long row and soak up the view.

Treasure Falls in Pagosa Springs, Colorado

If you don't have time to hike to the base, you can still get a great distance view from the parking lot off the main highway. This is definitely worth the short hike, but be prepared for a lot of mist on windy days at this vantage point on the foot bridge.

Blumenthal Falls Sunset at Short Sands Beach, Oregon

I first scouted out this location at Short Sands Beach in Oswald West State Park back in Sep 2017 during my second trip to the Manzanita/Cannon Beach area. At the time it was high tide and still pretty dry with barely any water flowing down. I knew there was some potential here for the rainy season though, so I made my return trip in Jan 2018 during a beautiful sunny day that coincided with the sunset. Luckily I had just enough room to fit the waterfall and sun in the shot and it all came together like I had hoped.

Wahclella Falls

Taken the morning of Sep 2nd, 2017, the same day in which the Eagle Creek Fire was started just a couple miles away and began to ravage Oregon's Columbia River Gorge for over 2 months. It's sad to think this waterfall will no longer look the same, but I'm grateful to have been able to capture its very last moments.

Oneonta Falls

Fairy Falls

One of my favorite cascading waterfalls in the Columbia River Gorge.

Oneonta Falls - Columbia River Gorge, Oregon

Yep, you have to wade through waste high water to reach the end and it's worth it!! It's just too bad a week later the gorge was hit by the fire.

Tide Pool Reflections

Lots of interesting compositions to be had once the tide is low enough to explore this section of Otter Crest Beach in Otter Rock, Oregon.

Otter Crest Beach Waterfall

I discovered this little trickle down gem of a waterfall out on Otter Crest Beach in Otter Rock, Oregon. This beach is next to Devil's Punchbowl and should definitely be visited at low tide. It's one of the best places along the coast to see some tide pool action. This waterfall is only accessible at low tide and is at the very end of the beach, so if you have time definitely walk the entire length where you'll see multiple streams running off the cliffside.

Shoshone Falls in Twin Falls, Idaho

Shoshone Falls, also known as the Niagara Falls of the West, certainly is a behemoth of a waterfall. For extra fun, kayak up the river and get super close to the base. It was an unforgettable experience to witness the force of the water within feet. You can dock your kayak just at the base on the bottom left, where you are fairly shielded from the mist. Makes for a great place to rest and eat lunch before the row back through the canyon

Wahkeena Creek Cascades

These beautiful cascades are located somewhere along the Wahkeena Trail, either between Wahkeena Falls and Fairy Falls, or just past Fairy Falls. The trail is closed due to the Eagle Creek Fire but hopefully it was spared the brunt of the blaze since it's a bit further east.

Latourell Falls - Oregon

Basalt formations line the cliff at Latourell Falls in the Columbia River Gorge, Oregon

Ecola Falls in Oregon's Columbia River Gorge

This sweet waterfall can be reached by heading to the top of the iconic Multnomah Falls. Most people would stop there but if you keep going deeper in the mountain, you'll pass really cool cascades and a couple more waterfalls before reaching Ecola Falls. You have to scramble a steep hill to reach the bottom but it's definitely worth it!

Punch Bowl Falls Aerial View

I took this picture of Oregon's iconic Punch Bowl Falls 2 days before the devastating 2017 Eagle Creek Fire in the Columbia River Gorge that erupted from that very trail. It was instantly my favorite waterfall out of all the waterfalls I've seen over the years. So it hurt even more when I found out the fire broke out 2 days later, eventually burning almost 50k acres before finally getting 100% contained 3 months later.

Oneonta Creek Cascades

Taken Aug 27, 2017, just days before the Eagle Creek fire ravaged the Columbia River Gorge. This is located about a mile and half up on the Oneonta Trail, just past Triple Falls.

Horsetail Falls in Oregon's Columbia River Gorge

Taken just 5 days before the Eagle Creek Fire engulfed the Columbia River Gorge. This waterfall is one of the first ones people see if they are doing the driving tour and is great for accessibility and families, with it being just a few feet from the road.

Ponytail Falls

Taken Aug 27th 2017, less than a week before the Eagle Creek Fire started and burned through this area. I can only imagine how things look like now as this area is closed until further notice, but I'm sure it's completely scarred, with fallen lumber from the upper cliff filling the pool below.

Bridal Veil Falls - Columbia River Gorge, Oregon

Thankfully this waterfall was far enough to the west to avoid the hardest hit areas from the Eagle Creek Fire.