Six fun facts everyone should know about Rainbow Falls State Park

West Lewis County residents have a gem of a state park in their backyard. 

Rainbow Falls State Park has 129 acres of camping, hiking, relaxing and sightseeing and is open for camping and day use year-round. Though, it’s easy to miss while traveling east on state Route 6. 

Entrance to the camping side of the park is at 633 Leudinghaus Road, Chehalis (but only technically — it’s actually in Dryad), but trails and beautiful waterfall views are easily accessible along the highway.

Here are six fun facts Lewis County residents may not, but definitely should, know about this local park, which is open from 8 a.m. to dusk year-round and is only 16 miles out of Chehalis. This information was compiled from previous reporting by The Chronicle information from the Washington State Parks website.

1. Washington State Parks, as an agency, was founded in 1913 to preserve land for recreation and conservation. Because that was 110 years ago, the trees at Rainbow Falls are very likely the last old-growth trees between Chehalis and Pe Ell. 
2. There are 3 miles of trails through these forests, which boast a lush canopy and healthy underbrush that will quickly make visitors forget they are a few feet from a state highway.
3. Rainbow Falls are a historic lamprey fishing site for the Upper Chehalis Tribes. Pacific lamprey are an eel-like class of jawless fish that suck to rocks.
4. The falls, which are more of a difficult-to-navigate rapid than tall cascade, are on the Chehalis River and pour over basalt rock — a hard, black, volcanic rock famous for its jointed, jagged patterns, including Ireland’s Giant’s Causeway.
5. Previously, a bridge allowed visitors to cross the river from state Route 6. The bridge was washed out by the 2007 Chehalis River flood.
6. The Pe Ell River Run, a loosely organized annual tradition where participants float the river on the second Saturday in April, ends at Rainbow Falls. Some rafters choose to turn off before the waterfall — and others finish the journey completely soaked. There is no in between.