Posted in Washington
February 09, 2016
The Ultimate Washington Waterfalls Road Trip Is Here – And You’ll Want To Do It
We have breathtaking waterfalls everywhere in Washington. If you were to stop at every one of our state’s cascades, it could take days – maybe even weeks. The Olympic Peninsula is the best place to start, with some of the most magical falls in and around the Olympic National Park. If you’re up for the ultimate adventure, here’s an easy trip you can take to see seven falls in about 9-10 hours. Check out this Google map for more directions, and don’t forget to bring a camera:
We’re aware that these uncertain times are limiting many aspects of life as we all practice social and physical distancing. While we’re continuing to feature destinations that make our state wonderful, we don’t expect or encourage you to go check them out immediately. We believe that supporting local attractions is important now more than ever and we hope our articles inspire your future adventures! And on that note, please nominate your favorite local business that could use some love right now: https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/nominate/
There's nowhere better to kick off and end your trip than at a coastal waterfall. This horsetail cascade can be seen at the south end of Third Beach. It's a short walk along the sandy shore to reach the 100+ foot falls that plunge down cliffs to the rocks and Pacific Ocean below.
Next, you can find this enchanting cascade right off Highway 101, south of Lake Crescent. The 90-foot waterfall can be easily accessed by way of a 1.8-mile hike through old-growth forest.
Just west of Port Angeles, this horsetail-shaped waterfall drops about 50 feet near the Elwha River. Luckily, the trail out to the falls is short, paved, and wheelchair accessible, so everyone can enjoy its splendor.
Rocky Brook Falls is one of the most spectacular waterfalls on the Olympic Peninsula, and also one of the easiest to access. It's only a short, 200-yard walk to reach the falls that veil down 229 feet over a huge rock wall.
The trail out to this gem isn't far from Rocky Brook Falls. It's short and easy, and there's exotic beauty just waiting to be photographed at the end. This two-tiered waterfall drops about 130 feet down a mossy wall into a small pool lined with trees.
Perhaps the most underrated waterfall on the Olympic Peninsula is this hidden cascade, which drops over 70 feet in two tiers. The trail to the falls is easy, mostly downhill and less than a mile round-trip.
Before wrapping up your trip, this waterfall up the road from the Lake Quinault Lodge is too lovely to miss. Located along South Shore Road, Merriman Falls is the easiest to access in the whole Quinault area. The cascade drops about 40 feet down a short cliff into a pile of rocks covered in moss and ferns.
From here, you can either loop back to check out more coastal beauty at Third Beach, or cut down on mileage and start heading home. Either way, there will be plenty of photos to take along the way.
From here, you can either loop back to check out more coastal beauty at Third Beach, or cut down on mileage and start heading home. Either way, there will be plenty of photos to take along the way.
Ready to grab your keys yet? Where else would you recommend visiting?
