Angel Falls Loop

Covel Creek Falls, Angel Falls Loop — Jul 03, 2011 — Bellawhoop

Day hike

Issues: Overgrown | Mudholes

Covel Creek Falls is a beautiful, fun trail near the Tower Rock Campground. The small elevation gain and mostly clear...

Covel Creek Falls is a beautiful, fun trail near the Tower Rock Campground. The small elevation gain and mostly clear trails made it enjoyable for the entire family! We hiked up to the falls, then continued on up around the Angel Falls loop. The loop trail was a little overgrown and muddy in a few places, and also had a tricky water crossing (easily crossed by stabilizing ourselves with hiking poles) but the trail was doable. We enjoyed hiking along the creek for most of the way, admiring several waterfalls, and playing along the rock face. The sunshine made the day even more glorious!

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Angel Falls Loop — Sep 10, 2010 — JG of theTrail Trudgers Three

Day hike

Issues: Blowdowns | Water on trail

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We headed to Randle on Friday morning, intending to hike the Norway Pass trail to see Mt. St. Helens. ...

We headed to Randle on Friday morning, intending to hike the Norway Pass trail to see Mt. St. Helens. When we arrived at the Randle Ranger Station it was gray and cloudy and the forecast didn’t indicate much clearing that day so we asked about an alternative that was not view-dependent. The ranger suggested the Angel Falls trail, which begins at the Cispus Learning Center, 10-15 miles outside of Randle.

The map we received at the Ranger Station was rudimentary at best, with no mileage markers or clues as to elevation gain, etc. However, it turned out to be a spectacular hike. The forest rivals the Hoh rain forest in regard to mosses and ferns but with some extra features thrown in. This loop trail, which we did counterclockwise, leads hikers behind Angel Falls and then up some steep switchbacks. The loop eventually circumnavigates the enormous rocky knob from which the falls originate. We wished we knew more about geology as this is truly a geologist’s dream. The many caves and enormity of the cliffs are fascinating. The forest seems primeval, with visions of dinosaurs coming to mind. It seems as though every turn in the trail leads to another natural wonder!

We estimated that the entire hike was around 4 miles, with the difficulty factor being moderate. The trail is steep and narrow in places and slippery behind the falls. There were quite a few blown down trees to climb over but were not a problem. We highly recommend this hike and were actually grateful that it was a cloudy day or we might never have discovered it!

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Covel Creek #228,Angel Falls Loop #228.2 — May 28, 2007 — Lewis County Novice Hikers with Kids

Day hike

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A great hike for shade and well-maintained trails with views of waterfalls and rock-faces. We learned about it here while we...

A great hike for shade and well-maintained trails with views of waterfalls and rock-faces.

We learned about it here while we were hunting for ideal hikes for starting out with a family:

http://www.nwsource.com/travel/scr/tf_story.cfm?st=694750

We were permitted to park in the Cispus Learning Center maintained by the WA Principal’s Association. Directions and parking maps are available at this website.

http://www.awsp.org/Content/awsp/LearningCenters/Cispus/default.htm

Since the facility is open year-round for school and other groups, we were able to get a trail map, but one could also use Green Trails #333.

The hike is essentially two loops connected like a figure ""8"" so the total hike of 4.5 has very little repeated terrain, yet is never more than two and a half miles from the trailhead. The Cispus Center keeps it very well maintained.

The hike is easy, but does feature some ascent with switchbacks. A quarter of a mile of the hike is at the base of an overhanging rock formation.

The highlight of the trip is the Angel Falls 175 foot fall (pictured). Other falls and footbridges make the whole trip interesting—the trail even goes behind one of the waterfalls.

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Angel Falls Loop #228.2 — Mar 04, 2004 — memes

Day hike

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This trail is snowless all the way to the top,and no blowdowns exist as of today. A great alternative...

This trail is snowless all the way to the top,and no blowdowns exist as of today. A great alternative to the snowy Wahkeena falls trail.

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Burley Mountain #256,Angel Falls Loop #228.2 — Jun 08, 2002 — Sore Feet

Day hike

Issues: Mudholes | Water on trail

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After not being able to hike various locations in the American River area due to SNOW IN JUNE, I...

After not being able to hike various locations in the American River area due to SNOW IN JUNE, I took up the Covell Creek Falls / Angel Falls loop near High Rock instead. Being pleasantly surprised by a massively high Grant Purcell Falls at La Wis Wis, I hoped Covell Creek was running at it's peak too, or at least higher than the garden hose volume it was at last time I visited.

There are two ways to access this trail, one leaves from the Cispus Learning Center, just off FR 28, 13 miles southeast of Randle, the one I took starts out at the Burley Mountain trailhead off of FR 28 itself, about 4 miles from the FR 23 / 28 intersection.

The trail starts out climbing away from the road at a rather steep clip and switches back up the hill to a juntion at 1/2 mile. From here, signs direct you to Angel Falls and Covell Creek Falls (labeled just 'waterfall' on the trailsigns). I decided to get the ugly part out of the way first, so I went to Covell Creek.

In the 1/2 mile from the intersection to the falls, the trail skirts almost constant cliffs of Basalt towering over 200 feet above the trail, often overhanging the trail, sprouting cities of ferns and mosses. Shading the trail on the downhill side is ubiquitous vine maples, and between the cliffs, ferns, mosses, and trees, this is a really pretty section of trail, which is further enhanced by what looks like old lava tube style caves that are slowly being dug out by freeze & thaw style cleavage.

Covell Creek Falls is reached 1 mile from the road, and I guarantee you won't forget it. The trail dives behind the wall of water, or in the case of the late summer, the thin fountain-like streams coming off the 75 foot basalt face. The only full trailside views of the falls are on the far side of the creek, but the best views are from directly in front of the falls (there is an obvious boot path leading downstream, right next to the falling water).

After the falls, the trail climbs again, this time MUCH steeper, not unlike the Wahkeena Creek trail in the Columbia Gorge (only not as wide or well graded). After another 1/2 mile of walking, and 200 feet of climbing, the trail levels and splits. The trail to Burley Mountain continues uphill, and Angel Falls lies downhill. Guess which way I went? (btw, the sign marking Angel Falls at this juntion is really cool)

Another 1/4 mile downhill leads to the base of 175 foot Angel Falls. And much to my delight, there was actually water in it this time. I had visited the falls twice before, and both times there was not much more liquid than I can spit. This time, there was a rather sizable stream, pleasantly skipping down the mossy rocks. Really, one of the most attractive waterfalls I've seen in a long time. So I took a little time here (not just because my legs were liquifying).

After I finished basking in the fine mist, I headed back to the car. Just after crossing Angel Falls' stream, you cross the mainstem of Covell Creek, then it's an easy, flat (my favorite part) 1/4 mile to the first trail junction, and another 1/2 mile downhill to the trailhead.

Do this hike now, the creek will start shriveling very soon.

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