Potholes (Lacamas Creek)

From Portland Hikers Field Guide

The Potholes during winter runoff (Jeff Statt)

Summer time at The Potholes (Steve Hart)

Pool above The Potholes (Steve Hart)

The land looks like another planet (Steve Hart)

Hikes including this location:
- Lacamas Creek Hike (TH | <-- --> | LOG)
Latitude: 45.59674
Longitude: -122.40081
Maps: Portland Hikers Maps Google Earth
Elevation: 60 feet
Height: 20 feet

1 Description
2 Trip Reports
3 Related Discussions / Q&A
4 Guidebooks that cover this destination
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Description

"The Potholes" is the local name for a waterfall on Lacamas Creek. The soft rock here has been eroded into rolling curves punctuated by deeper "potholes". The potholes are created when harder stones become trapped in a depression in the softer rock. Winter currents swirl the rock around and around grinding away at the softer stone. Lacamas Creek has dramatically lower water levels in the winter and the holes are left as odd, other-worldly "potholes".

In the summer, this area looks like an ornamental waterfall in someone's garden, admittedly someone with a big budget. It's easy to hop around and investigate dozens of small drops and pools separated by channels sometimes less than a foot wide. In the winter however, this is a much different place. The water rushes through completely covering the entire valley and anyone venturing on to the rocks would be quickly swept over the falls.