Rock Creek Falls
Washington • 10 ft
By Armen Suny · Last verified Oct 2026
LiDAR & 3D terrainNo public access
Rock Creek Falls isn't open to the public. There's no public trail or parking, so please don't trespass or park at neighboring properties. See public waterfalls nearby.
Rock Creek Falls is on private property and is no longer accessible to the public.
Photo Credits (3)
About Rock Creek Falls
Height: 10 feet
Frequently Asked Questions
🐶 Are Dogs Allowed at Rock Creek Falls?
❌ Dogs are not allowed
Are There Any Fees or Permits Required?
🆖 No fees required
Permit required
A Northwest Forest Pass or equivalent is required for parking at the trailhead.
🏊 Is There Swimming at Rock Creek Falls?
❌ Swimming is not allowed
When to Visit
Seasonal Access
The best time to visit is Spring, Summer, and Fall. Winter access may be limited.
Current Water Conditions
These readings come from the USGS gauge on Palouse River, 30.2 miles away, not on Rock Creek Falls's own stream. Use them as a sign of whether the area is running wet or dry.
66 ft³/s
Current discharge — how much water is flowing
Lower than usual for this time of year
Based on 92 years of record
3.41 ft
Water depth at gauge
7-Day Discharge Trend
What does this mean for your visit?
Flow is lower than usual for this time of year.
About This Gauge
This gauge is on a regional waterway. Conditions at the falls may differ, especially after local rain.
7-Day Flow Outlook
Based on the USGS gauge PALOUSE RIVER AT HOOPER, WA (49 km away).
Today
Barely Flowing
66 cfs
5/10Tomorrow
Low
71 cfs
4/10Sat
Barely Flowing
69 cfs
5/10Sun
Low
70 cfs
4/10Mon
Low
73 cfs
4/10Tue
Barely Flowing
68 cfs
5/10Wed
Low
74 cfs
4/10Best window: Today — barely flowing flow, partly sunny (trip score 5/10).
Best time of year: this gauge typically runs highest from early February to early May, peaking in March.
How we calculate this
This is a transparent outlook, not a precise forecast. We take the waterfall's current flow strength (how it ranks against its historical normal for today, from the nearest USGS stream gauge), carry that ranking forward along the gauge's seasonal curve, and nudge it for forecast rain. Confidence is highest for the next day or two and falls further out. Always check official conditions and your own judgment before visiting — high flows can be dangerous.
Know when to go.
Get a free email alert when waterfalls near St. John hit peak flow. We only send when conditions are worth the trip — no weekly newsletters, no spam.
Is Rock Creek Falls Frozen?
Updated about 5 hours agoNot frozen highs above freezing lately
Rock Creek Falls is not frozen right now; highs have been above freezing. Yesterday ran 62°F to 46°F.
- Days below freezing
- 0 of the last 14
- Current cold streak
- 0 days
- Freezing days ahead
- 0 of the next 7
- Flow
- 66 ft³/s
Winter safety. Frozen falls are the one waterfall trip with a documented injury pattern: falling ice, and ice-glazed rock and trail. Wear microspikes, keep well back from the base and from overhangs, and never walk out on ice over moving water.
Estimate from Open-Meteo daily temperatures at the falls, the LiDAR-measured facing direction, and the nearest stream gauge. It is a likelihood, not a report from the trail. See every frozen waterfall in Washington.
Weather Forecast
The Terrain, Seen by LiDAR
Aircraft-mounted lasers measured this ground to within inches. Trees and buildings are digitally stripped away, leaving the bare shape of the land the water has carved.
Here the descent is spread out: 1-meter lidar measures about 40 feet of drop through Rock Creek Falls, stretched along the creek rather than stacked in one wall. That is more than the listed 10 feet because the gorge keeps dropping below the falls themselves. The brink sits at about 1,696 feet above sea level.
The ground changes about 33 feet in the 500 feet above the falls and 42 feet in the 500 feet below. Facing south, the falls sit in full sun for most of the day, best photographed early or late.
Drag to compare. The dot marks the waterfall. The frame is about a mile across.
- Ground elevation
- 1,696 feet
- Measured by 1-meter lidar
- Drop at the falls
- About 40 feet
- Change in ground height within ~250 feet of the falls
- Faces
- South
- Sunlit most of the day. Go early or late for softer light.
A slice through the lidar ground surface, from above the falls to downstream (heading south).
Elevation data: USGS 3D Elevation Program. Aerial imagery: USGS The National Map. Public domain.
Location & Access
Elevation
1,699 feet above sea level
Coordinates
47.108871° N, -117.766239° W
Where to Stay
Browse vacation cabins and private rentals nearby
Unique outdoor stays — tents, yurts, and treehouses
Rent a campervan or RV for your waterfall road trip
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Nearby Campground
Rock Creek Recreation Site
10.6 miles away · 0 sites
Within BLM’s Rock Creek Management Area, Rock Creek flows through Channeled Scablands, formed approximately 12,000 years ago by massive Glacial Lake Missoula floods. Striking landscapes and geologic features including buttes, mesas, and columnar basalt outcrops enhance the beauty of perennial Rock Creek.The area’s developed Rock Creek Recreation Site is located within view of Rock Creek. It is the area’s primary parking and excursion starting point, via its multiple trailheads, as well as for ove
Book on Recreation.govAdditional Information
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