This series of cascading torrents is hidden well in its deep river gorge. Cars rush by on I-5 without a clue of the splendor just beyond the freeway's edge. Tumwater Falls is a spectacular wild gem in the heart of a city.
To tell the truth, Tumwater falls isn't exactly wild, not in the way of the most remote and untouched corners of the Pacific Northwest. There's a brewery hanging right overhead on one side, and a restaurant and another, with fish ladders all up and down the stream leading up to the fish hatchery at the top of the upper falls. The works of hydro electric projects and mills have dipped their industrial claws into the torrent for more than a century. Contrasting with the natural beauty are the remnants of a long and dirty history. It is a fascinating experience to peer down the falls and into the past.
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| Lower Tumwater Falls |
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| Swirling foam in a pool next to the footings of an old bridge. |
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| Upper Tumwater Falls |
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| Middle Tumwater Falls |
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| Upper Tumwater Falls |
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| Rapids in the Canyon |
