The falls drop 12 feet and are on the White Salmon River, also known as the White Salmon falls. The White Salmon River rises on the west slope of Mt. Adams and flows south to the Columbia River at Underwood. The name was given for the salmon entering the stream to spawn, whose flesh changed color from red to pinkish white. The Indian name was Nikepun. Lewis and Clark called the river Canoe Creek in 1805 for the many Indians fishing from canoes.