Ten of the Most Impressive Waterfalls in Washington State: And A Few More You’ve Never Heard Of!

While the nearby state of Oregon is well-known for some of its famous waterfalls (such as Multnomah Falls), Washington state has many of its own spectacular cascades. There are over 3,000 named falls to be exact! In fact, Washington has more waterfalls than any other state in the country. With up to 150 annual inches of precipitation throughout the state, it is easy to see why this area boasts some of the most epic waterfalls in the land.

While many of the impressive falls lay within the state’s national parks’ lands, a vast majority of them are located in the national forests and recreational areas as well. With over 1.3 million acres of land, the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, is considered to be the waterfall “gold mine” and many of the most beautiful waterfalls lay within its boundaries. Many breathtaking falls can also be found on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge.

If you are a waterfall lover like me, then you will just love exploring the natural wonders of my home state. Within this blog I am going to highlight all of my favorite waterfalls, and even a few that you probably have never heard of. Come with me on a visual journey, through some of my photographs, to some of Washington’s best kept secrets. Let’s go!

1. Lower and Upper Lewis River Falls, Gifford Pinchot National Forest

• Located in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest neat the Mount St Helen’s area in Cougar Washington, is the Lewis River Falls recreation site.
• The trail consists of three exquisite waterfalls (upper, middle and lower falls), which can be visited separately, or combined into one long 8.6 mile hike. There is a separate parking area for both lower and middle falls, however if you plan to visit the upper falls, then you must hike up from the middle falls parking area. There is no separate parking area for upper falls.
• During your visit to the lower falls, you can view them from up above, or take a side path down to the riverbed. To get down to the water level, this is an off-trail adventure, which is steep and slick. Sometimes there is a rope tied there to assist with getting down, however if there is no rope it can be quite difficult to get down. There is no way to avoid getting wet here due to the water levels, so this is an adventure best saved for warmer months.
• This is a VERY popular recreation area in the summer months, so a permit is required from June 15th to September 6th. These must be purchased ahead of time, and you will be turned away if you arrive without a printed copy of the permit. You can purchase these online here.
• You also need to present a National Forest pass or America the Beautiful National Parks pass for entrance to this site. Rangers will be checking for these passes and will ticket you or deny admission if not posted appropriately.
• The road to get to the falls is long and pretty rough. It has several large areas of deep ruts and potholes, so higher clearance vehicles will do best here, as NF-90 is approximately 14 miles.

2. Franklin Falls, Mount Baker- Snoqualmie National Forest

• Franklin Falls is located in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, near the Snoqualmie Pass in North Bend, Washington. There are several different ways to access this waterfall, which I will discuss below.
• During the summer months, you can park directly at the trailhead, located near Denny Creek Campground. This is a very popular trail, so weekdays and early mornings are best if you want to avoid the crowds. Parking can be quite difficult to find if you arrive later in the day.
• The total summer route distance is 2 miles roundtrip, with 354 feet of elevation gain.
• The National Forest pass or America the Beautiful National Parks pass is required to visit this site.
• During the colder months, the main road to the trailhead is closed, and there is a different winter route, which is approximately 6.9 miles long. This route is best taken with the aid of snowshoes to help get through the deep snowbanks along the way. Also, micro-spikes can be helpful on icy areas. The falls are a sight to see in the winter as they occasionally will freeze over completely, creating a gorgeous wintery scene. During these months, you must purchase a Sno-park day pass to gain access to the area. These can be purchased here.

3. Covell Creek Falls and Angel Falls, Gifford Pinchot National Forest

• Covell Creek Falls and Angel Falls are both located on the same trail, and located in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest in Randall, Washington.
• The overall trail is 3.6 miles roundtrip and 964 feet of elevation gain.
• This trail has recently been made more difficult due to several bridges being out, requiring a stealthy creek crossing at multiple points. It is best to download the trail map ahead of time, as it can be tricky to re-find the trail again once crossing the creek bed due to downed trees and fallen debris.
• This trail is located near the Burley Mountain Trail, and these two trails connect at one point.
• While in the area check out the nearby Camp Creek Falls, which is a short fun little detour nearby.

4. Cathedral Falls, Gifford Pinchot National Forest

• Cathedral Falls is located in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest in the city of Glenoma Washington, near the Goat Creek Trail.
• Directions to this trail head can be kind of tricky, so it is best to enter into Google maps to find the right route. The road to this trailhead is steep and rocky, with several deep ruts and potholes, so higher clearance vehicles will do best here. This road is not accessible during the wintertime.
• The trail is 4.1 miles long, and 646 feet of elevation gain, with moderate difficulty. However, the actual waterfall itself is only about 1 mile into the hike.
• A cool feature about this waterfall hike is the cave in the back that allows you to walk behind the waterfall and get a closer view.

5. Myrtle Falls, Mount Rainier National Park

• Myrtle Falls is a majestic waterfall with a jaw dropping view of Mount Rainier in the backdrop, located in the Paradise area of Mount Rainier National Park. This short walk starts at the Paradise Inn and is 0.8 miles out and back. If you are planning to do the nearby Skyline trail, you will pass Myrtle Falls along the way.
• You can access the Paradise area of the park via the Nisqually entrance near Ashford, Washington. Due to the heavy snow on the mountain in this area, you won’t start seeing the ground thaw out until mid-July. Once the snow starts melting you will be amazed with a spectacular display of wildflowers all along the mountainside in the alpine meadows. Some of the animals you might see here include red foxes, black and brown bears, chipmunks, mountain goats and marmots. The area remains snow-free typically until late September and sometimes early October.

6. Panther Creek Falls, Gifford Pinchot National Forest

• Panther Creek Falls is about 20-30 minutes drive from Falls Creek Falls (discussed below), so coupling these two stops together is recommended to make the most out of your day. Keep in mind, there is little cell phone reception in the area, so downloading maps/directions beforehand is recommended. Panther Creek Falls trailhead is not easy to find, as there is little signage near the parking area. Once you have reached the parking area, you will follow the road up and to the left, and follow the small sign posted to the tree near the trailhead. The sign will read “Panther Creek Falls, Trail #137”. Once on the trail you can follow the path to either an upper viewing platform or a lower viewing deck.
• It is very important to stay on the boardwalk and not to cross off the trail, to protect the sensitive flora in the area which is under restoration currently. Panther Creek is a unique waterfall consisting of hundreds of tiny water ribbons, making it a spectacular view.

7. Spirit Falls, Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area

• Spirit Falls is located in Cook, Washington in the Columbia River Gorge. You will take WA-14 E until you get to the Cook-Underwood Rd off-branch.
• This waterfall is not for the faint of heart, because the path to get to it is extremely steep, despite only being 0.7 miles roundtrip.
• There is no cell phone service in this area, so downloading the trail map ahead of time is recommended.
• This trail is full of steep drop offs and covered in tree roots and loose gravel, so extreme caution should be taken if attempting this hike. People have fallen into the waters below the falls and died, or required rescuing.
• Cool features of this hike are the vibrant turquoise hued water and getting to watch the kayakers drop into the waters on a run down the Little White Salmon River (as pictured above).

8. Falls Creek Falls, Gifford Pinchot National Forest

• Considered to be one of the most dramatic cascades in the Pacific Northwest, our next stop needs no introduction, for it speaks for itself. The Gifford Pinchot National Forest hosts some of the most beautiful scenery in Washington state and Falls Creek Falls is no exception. Starting alongside an icy blue creek through a moss-covered old growth forest, one will be literally stunned when they reach the end point of the trail and expose this majestic beauty. Many people claim that this is their favorite waterfall in the Pacific Northwest, and for the little effort it takes to get there, it is definitely one of mine! The easy to moderately difficult trail is around 3.2 miles and 695 ft of elevation gain.
• This is a high flow waterfall, so it is equally as impressive in the summer as it is in the spring, when flow is at its peak. This waterfall is still accessible during the winter months but the long road to get to it is closed, adding an additional 1-2 miles each way. Spikes and snowshoes are recommended in the winter due to deep snow and icy trail conditions. The road to get to the trailhead does have some deep potholes, so low clearance vehicles should take extra caution.

9. Iron Creek Falls, Gifford Pinchot National Forest

• Iron Creek Falls is located in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, nearby Randle Washington.
• This hike can be coupled with the nearby Covell Creek Falls trail and Camp Creek Falls.
• The trailhead is located off NF-25 road, which is closed during the wintertime.
• The overall hike is short and sweet at just 0.2 miles roundtrip, so essentially just below the parking area with very little elevation gain.
• There is a small cave behind this waterfall which allows you to walk behind it. To get an up-close view, it does require a small amount of scrambling over falls logs and other obstacles.

10. Marymere Falls, Olympic National Park

• Located in Olympic National Park, adjacent to Lake Crescent, is the Marymere Falls trailhead.
• The main parking area is located by the Storm King Ranger Station, and this 1.7 mile hike will take you on a short walk through the forest to a 90-foot cascade. Along the way you will cross wooden bridges and pass towering mossy trees. The trail is mostly flat but does start to pick up in elevation as you near the falls.
• This is an excellent additional pitstop if you are doing the Mount Storm King hike, as they are located off of the same trail.

11. Sulphur Creek Falls, Swofford Wildlife Area

• Located near Mossyrock, Washington this next waterfall is one of my personal favorites. You will park along Green Mountain Road, essentially at the edge of Swofford Pond, and hike up the trail alongside the water’s edge.
• This trail can be difficult to follow, as there is a barely noticeable turn-off point to go up into the forest and to the waterfall. The trail map can be downloaded on the All Trails app, otherwise it is very difficult to navigate.
• While this is an official trail, it is not well-maintained and has a lot of fallen debris and tree trunks to climb over. The trail is also muddy with steep drop offs, so is best to be explored only by experienced hikers.
• Once you find the end of the trail and the magical waterfall, you will likely have the place to yourself, as it is not heavily trafficked.

12. Sol Duc Falls, Olympic National Park

• Sol Duc Falls is located in Olympic National Park in between Forks and Port Angeles. As you head east bound on Highway 101, you will reach Sol-Duc Hot Springs Road in 23 miles and turn right. You will then follow this road another 8.3 miles towards the parking lot.
• You will pass an entrance station along this road and will be required to pay the $30.00 fee per car or present your park pass. Sometimes during the winter months, they will close this road making the hike inaccessible. It is best to check current road conditions if you are here during those months.
• The hike is a short 1.6 miles round trip and leads to a magnificent view of a three-chute waterfall. You can cross over the wooden footbridge and view the famous light beams shining through the trees. If you are lucky, you might even see a rainbow in the spray of mist.

13. Spray Falls, Mount Rainier National Park

• Spray Park is an insanely beautiful area located in the Mowich Lake area of Mount Rainier National Park. The main trail here is called the Spray Park to Mount Pleasant Trail, which a moderately strenuous hike totaling up to 6.9 miles roundtrip with 2,198 feet of elevation gain. This is a fantastic area for hiking with waterfalls, wildflowers and plenty of wildlife. I have personally seen mountain goats and black bears along this trail.
• The main attraction of this hike is the aptly named Spray Falls, which is a towering 354 feet tall! Despite the long and arduous journey to get here, this is absolutely the most impressive waterfall in Mount Rainier National Park, by far! In fact, it is up there with the best waterfalls in the whole state of Washington. If you are just wanting to see the waterfall and not wanting to hike all the way up the mountain, you will only hike 2.3 miles from Mowich Lake campground (totaling 4.6 miles roundtrip).

14. Rodney Falls, Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area

• The next stop is located on the Hamilton Mountain trail, and you can go all the way to the top if you want to challenge yourself to a moderately strenuous 6.4 mile adventure. The stunning Rodney Falls and Pool of the Winds are located at about 1 mile up the trail. This waterfall is best viewed in the winter and spring when there is snow melting up in the mountains, otherwise it can be low flow and not very impressive in the summer. For reference, the photo above was taken in January. Once you reach the waterfall you can take it in from the wooden bridge that wraps around its facade. Next, you can walk up to the Pool of the Winds and feel the spraying mist of the waterfall as it passes through the stone chamber.
• To visit this area you need to purchase a Washington Discovery Pass. You can either purchase these online or at most of the trailheads. An annual pass is $35.00 and a day pass is $11.50. You can purchase them here if you don’t want to buy them at the trailhead. There is a credit card operated machine at the Hamilton Mountain and Beacon Rock trailheads if you wish to purchase them onsite.

15. Comet Falls, Mount Rainier National Park

• Located in the Longmire area of Mount Rainier National Park, Comet Falls is a spectacular hike, that is quite difficult, yet reaps amazing rewards in terms of views.
• The Comet Falls parking lot will be off to the left side of the road and leads to a magnificent two-tiered 320 foot waterfall. Although the hike is only 3.2 miles round trip, it is a somewhat grueling 1,279 feet of elevation gain, that will get your heart pumping and your calves burning. As you continue uphill, you will pass several smaller waterfalls and have a nice view of Mount Rainier in the distance. As you come within a tenth of a mile from Comet falls, you will see a second impressive waterfall named Bloucher Falls to your right.
• Depending on the time of year you are visiting, there may be snow/icy conditions on the trail. Typically, most of the snow is melting by mid-July.

Important Things to Know:

• When visiting these waterfalls across Washington, it is very important to know which type of pass or permit is needed to both park and access the trailhead.
• Any of the waterfalls located in a national park (either Mount Rainier or Olympic) require a $30.00 per car day pass to visit, which is good for 7 days. You can also purchase the America the Beautiful National Parks Pass for $80.00, which is good for 1 year and can be also used at any national forest trails. If you plan to visit multiple sites within a year, than the annual pass is well worth it. Both day passes and annual passes can be purchased onsite at the entrance stations. They’re also usually sold at outdoor gear and apparel stores, such as REI.
• If you are visiting a waterfall located at a national forest (such as the Gifford Pinchot), then a national forest pass OR America the Beautiful National Parks Pass must be presented and placed on your vehicle’s dashboard. Unfortunately, day passes for the national forests cannot usually be purchased onsite, but are $5.00 and can be purchased online here. Occasionally a trailhead will have envelopes onsite that you can pay the fee at, but you will need to have exact cash handy for the envelope.
• Some of these sites require a permit during different times of the year, including the Lewis River Recreation Area and the Franklin Falls trailhead during the wintertime. See above for details on how to obtain these permits.
• Many of the trailheads and waterfalls in the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge require a Discover Pass. You can either purchase these online or at most of the trailheads. An annual pass is $35.00 and a day pass is $11.50. You can purchase them here if you don’t want to buy them at the trailhead. There is a credit card operated machine at the Hamilton Mountain and Beacon Rock trailheads if you wish to purchase them onsite.
• Lastly, due to the large amounts of snow that Washington sees during the winter months, many of these trails and national forest roads are closed off and not-accessible. Due to them being in remote areas, it is advised to check out current road or trail conditions before making the long trip out there.

Happy Wandering!