I Hiked to Sol Duc Falls in Olympic National Park, and It Was Otherworldly

I think Olympic National Park is one of the most "complete" national parks in the Lower 48 states. There aren't many other places where you'll find such a diversity of landscapes: broad ocean beaches and pristine lakes, deep green valleys and alpine peaks, untrammeled wilderness and charming villages, rainforests and snow-capped mountains—all in the same, relatively compact area. Olympic has it all and more, so I keep returning to the park. There's always something to learn or someplace new to explore.

Take Sol Duc Falls, for example. The National Park Service calls it "the most picturesque waterfall in Olympic," but somehow, I missed it on my previous visits to the park. On my most recent foray into Olympic, I set out to rectify my oversight, and this otherworldly waterfall hike in Washington blew me away.

The trailhead for Sol Duc Falls is located at the end of Sol Duc Hot Springs Road, which you can access from U.S. Route 101 about 35 miles west of Port Angeles, past Lake Crescent. Like the rest of the park, the Sol Duc Valley is a fee area, and there is a pay station at the entrance to the road. Be prepared to show your America the Beautiful Pass or pay the daily entry fee when you arrive. From the fee station, you'll travel 14 miles to the parking area at the end of the road. This is where you'll find the trail to Sol Duc Falls. (Although the official spelling has been "Sol Duc" since 1992, the USDA Forest Service still uses the previous spelling, "Soleduck," on signage and certain other materials.)

The trail to the falls is short—less than 2 miles, out and back—and carries an "easy" rating on AllTrails. I'd consider it easy, with an asterisk. The trail is wide and well-marked, but you'll encounter roots and rocks, as well as some stairs (262 feet of elevation gain) along the way. If the weather is wet (this is the Olympic Peninsula, after all), it can be muddy and slippery, too. But yes, it's generally an easy hike—and it's stunning.

The trail tracks the course of the Sol Duc River, winding among towering, old-growth Douglas firs, massive ferns, and a moss-covered landscape that practically glows with an otherworldly green cast. You'll cross narrow, gurgling streams and pass small-but-striking waterfalls along the way. I didn't have cell service, but I'd downloaded the map in my AllTrails+ app, and I'm glad I did: One of the waterfalls you'll encounter about halfway along the trail is large enough that I had to wonder if I'd arrived at Sol Duc Falls. Fortunately, I was able to confirm that I still had a little way to go. Eventually, I began to hear a distant roar. The trail hugged the rim of a narrow gorge, the river coursing violently through its walls, and I descended a series of log-and-dirt stairs, past a backpacking shelter, to a wooden bridge.

From the bridge, you'll catch your first glimpse of Sol Duc Falls, a cascade I've seen like none other. The river plunges 50 feet over a triple waterfall into its narrow gorge, which turns at a 90-degree angle, perpendicular to the falls and the river's previous course, before rushing toward the sea. A series of viewing platforms affords several perspectives of this unique waterfall, and you'll want to take your time and soak each one in—I know I did.

Walking back to the trailhead, the roar of the falls slowly receded, and walking through the temperate rainforest, I was once again struck by the awesome beauty tucked away in Olympic National Park. I can't wait to get back.

Have you hiked this waterfall trail in the Evergreen State? We'd love to hear about some of your favorite waterfall hikes in Washington.