Deadman Falls (Alternate Route)
Deadman River plunges over lava cliffs into the Deadman River Canyon in the hills to the east of Vidette Lake. We usually drive along the road through the hills for 5 km, then we park on a side road, approaching the brink of the falls from the north. at the viewpoint is a precarious drop-off with no guardrails, and it is hard to get a view of the whole falls without getting very close to the edge. With some scrambling west along the rim, we can get to a good view spot (link to a previous article), but we wanted to get to the other side of the canyon for a different view. In spring and early summer, there is too much water in the river to cross over, but it late summer and the fall, we can wade across the river on slippery rocks upstream of he falls. Some decade ago I had followed a trail down the river so to find it againI used Google Earth, maps, and some online reports to check out the alternate route to Deadman Falls. The route is described in this article.
Drive 0.5 km past the usual access route to the falls Look for a side road. Park there or go a short ways down the road to park. The road is fenced with a gate because the bridge is no longer safe for vehicles. Cross the bridge on foot.
Just past the bridge (over the Deadman River) look for flagging tape on the right. Follow an informal trail as it follows the river downstream.
In 0.4 km the trail arrives at the top of the falls. Be careful near the drop-off.
The trail continues along the rim. The falls shoots over the lava cliffs, plummeting about 65m (est.) to the plunge pool below.
From the south rim an unimpeded below of the whole falls is available, but still from the brink of the cliffs.
After taking a number of photos, I returned back along the same trail, noticing some fungi along the way.
chicken of the woods
It is a long drive to see the falls so on this day I also paddled Vidette Lake, making a full day of travel, paddling, and hiking.
If you are visiting the trail when the river is high, you can use this alternate route to see Deadman Falls.