Looking over a rock wall with a chain rope, sits a lake with brown grasses and green shrubs at the bottom of Dry Falls. A blue sky sits in the background
Outside view of the Interpretive Center, sitting on a river rock foundation with a large white structure on top with large glass windows.
Looking at the rock shelter with a shake roof, with trees and interpretive panels lining the walkway. A blue sky set in the background.
A guest taking a photo of the Dry Falls at the end of the viewing deck.
A wood monument depicting the history of Dry Falls sites on a rock foundation.

Dry Falls Visitor Center

35661 Hwy 17 North, Coulee City, WA 99115

Hours

10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. year round

Fees

Free admission

Contact

Email:
Dry.Falls@parks.wa.gov

Phone: (509) 632-5214

Get Directions

Overview

Dry Falls, the main feature in a series of huge cataracts known as the “great cataract group”, sits at the heart of Washington’s Channeled Scabland, a vast landscape of dry canyons scoured out by glacial outburst floods at the end of the last ice age.

Map & visitor guide

47.606672, -119.364385

Hours

10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. year round

Fees

Free admission

Contact

Email:
Dry.Falls@parks.wa.gov

Phone: (509) 632-5214

Get Directions

Additional information

The historic 1928 Vista House and Rock Gazebo Overlook offers panoramic views of Dry Falls. What were once plunge pools of the Ice Age waterfall are now groundwater-fed lakes, home to various wildlife.

In the Visitor Center, enjoy a comprehensive bookstore and indoor exhibits of the history of the geologic understanding of the Ice Age Floods in the Pacific Northwest and early human history of the region.

Admission to the center is free, donations accepted. No Discover Pass is required to park.

Visitor Impact

State Route 17 Road Construction currently through October 2024 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Click here to visit WSDOT for additional information.

Operating hours

Summer

Open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday-Monday. Closed Tuesday and Wednesday.

Winter

Open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday-Sunday. Closed Monday-Thursday.

Observed holidays

The interpretive center is closed for the following holidays:

  • Martin Luther King Jr. Day
  • Presidents Day
  • Veteran's Day
  • Thanksgiving and the Friday after Thanksgiving
  • Christmas Eve and Day
  • New Year's Day

Live park camera

For a live view of Dry Falls, click here to view the center's camera.

Nearby attractions

For a more in-depth experience, explore the landscape by car, foot or boat. Nearby, Sun Lakes-Dry Falls State Park offers a wide variety of recreational opportunities, including hiking more than 15 miles of trails, interpretive programs, camping, boating, golfing and wildlife viewing.

Lake Lenore Caves State Park is located 10 miles south on State Route 17. Hike through the basalt landscape to explore caves and overhangs that Native Americans used as temporary shelters and places to work.

Hike, bike or camp on the shores of Banks Lake at Steamboat Rock State Park, 21 miles north on State Route 155. Hike atop the 650-foot Steamboat Rock or, for a forested and historical hike, walk the trails at Northrup Canyon.

Ice Age Floods in Washington

To learn more about the Ice Age Floods in Washington, visit the Ice Age Floods Institute website.

Park Wi-Fi service

Free, high-speed Wi-Fi access is available in limited coverage areas at Dry Falls Visitor Center. For more information on coverage areas and hours of service and our growing list of parks with Wi-Fi service visit our parks Wi-Fi page.

Contact us

Email Dry.Falls@parks.wa.gov
Phone (509) 632-5214