Peninsula Waterfall Trip Planner | Waterfall Trail

waterfalltrail.org  ·  Olympic Peninsula

Waterfall Trip Planner

Choose your trip length. Get GPS-ordered stops, overnight suggestions, places to eat, and a shareable itinerary.

How many days?

Pick a length and we'll build a GPS-ordered route — closest falls first, then outward — with lodging and food from the area.

1
Day Trip
8 iconic falls, ~180 miles
2
Weekend
16 falls, one overnight, ~320 miles
3
Long Weekend
All 25 falls, 3 nights, full loop
🌧 Best water flow: November through April. Summer (July–August) brings low water on most falls — save the dramatic mist shots for the rainy season. Download offline maps (Gaia GPS or AllTrails) before leaving — cell service is limited or nonexistent at most trailheads.

Planning Tips

⛽ Gas UpFill up in Shelton, Belfair, or Brinnon before heading into the Olympics. Stations thin out west of Port Angeles.
🎫 NPS PassSeveral falls are inside Olympic NP. An America the Beautiful pass ($80/year) covers all entry fees.
📵 No SignalMost trailheads on the west side have zero cell service. Screenshot or download this page before you go.
🐌 Enchanted ValleyThe 13-mile round-trip hike takes 5–6 hours. Budget a full day or camp inside the valley overnight.
Peninsula Loop Route — All 25 Waterfalls | Waterfall Trail

waterfalltrail.org  ·  Olympic Peninsula

The Peninsula Loop Route

All 25 waterfalls in geographic order — one complete clockwise circuit of the Olympic Peninsula.

25Waterfalls
~450Miles of Loop
3Suggested Routes
Nov–AprPeak Season

Driving at a Glance

The full loop follows US-101 around the Olympic Peninsula with side roads to the trailheads. Distances are approximate driving miles between consecutive stops.

~450
Total Loop Miles
~14 hrs
Pure Drive Time
~3–5 min
Avg Walk to Most Falls
4–7 days
To See All 25 Properly

Start point: The Hood Canal Bridge (US-101 / WA-104 junction) is the natural gateway to the loop for visitors coming from Seattle or the ferry. You can start anywhere — distances reset to 0 at stop #1 below.

Suggested Itineraries

Pick the version that fits your schedule. All three start near the Hood Canal Bridge.

1-Day Sprint — 8 Best Falls

"I have one day. Show me the highlights." ~180 miles, ~6 hrs driving + stops.

Morning (8am–Noon) — Hood Canal East Side
7 Rocky Brook Falls 8 Dosewallips Falls 6 Murhut Falls
Midday — Lunch in Sequim or Port Angeles (30 min)
Early Afternoon (1pm–3pm) — North Shore
13 Madison Creek Falls 15 Marymere Falls
Late Afternoon (3pm–Sunset) — Sol Duc Valley
16 Sol Duc Falls 17 Merriman Falls 18 Cascade Falls
Pro tip: Marymere Falls and Sol Duc Falls are the two most iconic on the Peninsula. If time runs short, prioritize these two and Rocky Brook. Return via US-101 south for a ~90-min drive home.

2-Day Classic — 16 Falls

"A proper weekend trip." ~320 miles total, split overnight in Forks or Lake Quinault area.

Day 1 — East Side & North Shore
1 Fallsview Falls 2 Mineral Creek Falls 5 Dosewallips Falls 6 Murhut Falls 7 Rocky Brook Falls 11 Goblins Gate 13 Madison Creek Falls 15 Marymere Falls
Overnight — Forks or Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort
Day 2 — West Side & South Interior
16 Sol Duc Falls 17 Merriman Falls 18 Cascade Falls 19 Enchanted Valley 21 Maidenhair Falls 22 Spoon Creek Falls 23 Kennedy Creek Falls 24 Tumwater Falls
Note: Enchanted Valley requires a 13-mile round-trip hike — budget 5–6 hours. Consider swapping it for Staircase Rapids if you want a shorter Day 2. Cell service is limited or nonexistent between Forks and Lake Quinault — download offline maps (Gaia GPS or AllTrails) before you leave.

Long Weekend — All 25 Falls

"The complete loop." 3 nights, ~450 miles, the full experience.

Day 1 — Hood Canal East (arrive Fri evening, or start Sat morning)
1 Fallsview Falls 2 Mineral Creek Falls 3 Hamma Hamma Falls 4 Staircase Rapids 5 Dosewallips Falls 6 Murhut Falls 7 Rocky Brook Falls
Night 1 — Brinnon or Quilcene (Hood Canal)
Day 2 — North Shore (Olympic NP)
8 Vincent Creek Falls 9 Big Creek Cascades 10 Boulder Creek Falls 11 Goblins Gate 12 Wolf Creek Falls 13 Madison Creek Falls 14 Striped Peak Falls 15 Marymere Falls
Night 2 — Port Angeles or Lake Crescent Lodge
Day 3 — West Side (Sol Duc & Hoh)
16 Sol Duc Falls 17 Merriman Falls 18 Cascade Falls 19 Enchanted Valley 20 Strawberry Bay Falls
Night 3 — Forks or Lake Quinault
Day 4 — South Loop & Return
21 Maidenhair Falls 22 Spoon Creek Falls 23 Porter Falls 24 Kennedy Creek Falls 25 Tumwater Falls
Enchanted Valley heads-up: This is a 13-mile round trip into the backcountry. You may want to camp overnight inside the valley (permit required) rather than doing it as a day-hike on Day 3. Adjust the schedule accordingly — it's worth it.

Best months: November through April for peak water flow. Summer is drier — many falls reduce to a trickle by August.

All 25 Falls — Geographic Order

Clockwise from the Hood Canal Bridge: east side north → north shore → west → south interior → back to start.

# Waterfall Hike Drive to Next Coordinates
📍 Hood Canal — East Side (going north)
1 Fallsview Falls
Quilcene area, Hood Canal
 0.3 mi RT 12 mi → 47.8370, -122.9320
2 Mineral Creek Falls
Quilcene / US-101 corridor
 0.4 mi RT 9 mi → 47.8460, -123.9350
3 Hamma Hamma Falls
Hamma Hamma River Road, Lilliwaup
 0.2 mi RT 15 mi → 47.6090, -123.1880
4 Staircase Rapids
Lake Cushman / Olympic NP
 2.0 mi loop 18 mi → 47.5140, -123.3300
5 Dosewallips Falls
Dosewallips Road, Brinnon
 0.5 mi RT 6 mi → 47.7400, -123.0830
6 Murhut Falls
Duckabush Road, Brinnon
 1.8 mi RT 8 mi → 47.6530, -123.0470
7 Rocky Brook Falls
Duckabush Road, Brinnon
 0.1 mi RT 45 mi → 47.7230, -123.0090
📍 North Shore — Strait of Juan de Fuca
8 Vincent Creek Falls
US-101 north corridor
 0.3 mi RT 5 mi → 47.3990, -123.2930
9 Big Creek Cascades
Big Creek Road, Quilcene
 0.4 mi RT 18 mi → 47.4430, -123.2880
10 Boulder Creek Falls
Dungeness / Sequim Bay area
 1.2 mi RT 8 mi → 48.0070, -123.6170
11 Goblins Gate
Elwha River, Olympic NP
 2.4 mi RT 4 mi → 47.9470, -123.5600
12 Wolf Creek Falls
Elwha River corridor, Port Angeles
 1.0 mi RT 5 mi → 47.9210, -123.6120
13 Madison Creek Falls
Elwha area, near Port Angeles
 0.1 mi RT 12 mi → 48.0300, -123.5820
14 Striped Peak Falls
Ediz Hook / Clallam County
 1.6 mi RT 14 mi → 48.1650, -123.7220
15 Marymere Falls ⭐
Lake Crescent, Olympic NP
 1.8 mi RT 20 mi → 48.0590, -123.7930
📍 West Side — Sol Duc & Hoh
16 Sol Duc Falls ⭐
Sol Duc Valley, Olympic NP
 1.6 mi RT 35 mi → 47.9650, -123.8450
17 Merriman Falls
US-101 south of Forks
 0.1 mi RT 5 mi → 47.4930, -123.8160
18 Cascade Falls
Quinault area
 0.8 mi RT 10 mi → 47.4580, -123.7590
19 Enchanted Valley ⭐
Quinault River, Olympic NP
 13 mi RT 25 mi → 47.5170, -123.7180
20 Strawberry Bay Falls
Pacific coast / Kalaloch area
 0.5 mi RT 40 mi → 47.9090, -124.6090
📍 South Loop — Return to Hood Canal
21 Maidenhair Falls
Wynoochee / South Olympics
 0.6 mi RT 8 mi → 47.0130, -123.5950
22 Spoon Creek Falls
Wynoochee area, Mason County
 0.4 mi RT 14 mi → 47.0680, -123.5110
23 Porter Falls
Chehalis River area, Grays Harbor
 1.2 mi RT 18 mi → 46.9180, -123.3180
24 Kennedy Creek Falls
Kennedy Creek, Thurston County
 0.6 mi RT 20 mi → 47.2010, -123.1310
25 Tumwater Falls
Tumwater / Olympia, US-101 south
 0.5 mi RT ↩ loop complete 47.0390, -122.9010

⭐ = must-see highlight  |  Hike distances are approximate round trips to the falls. Coordinates are approximate — verify on Google Maps before navigating to trailheads.

When to Visit

Water flow varies dramatically by season. Plan accordingly.

Season Conditions Water Flow Notes
Nov – Feb Cold, rainy, dramatic 💧💧💧💧💧 Peak Highest flow, mist and roar. Some roads may close after storms. Dress for rain.
Mar – Apr Cool, lush green 💧💧💧💧 Excellent Best combination of strong flow and longer daylight. Wildflowers starting. Highly recommended.
May – Jun Mild, some rain 💧💧💧 Good Snowmelt keeps flow strong at higher elevations. Crowds building on weekends.
Jul – Sep Warm, dry, sunny 💧 Low Many falls reduce to trickles. Best for hiking access and dry trails — not for dramatic water. Enchanted Valley is the exception (glacial melt).
Oct Cool, first rains returning 💧💧 Building Flow starts recovering. Fall foliage adds color. Often less crowded than summer.

Planning Tips

📵

Download Offline Maps

Cell service is limited or nonexistent on most trailheads, especially the west side. Download your route in Gaia GPS or AllTrails before leaving town.

⛽

Fill Up the Tank

Gas stations thin out west of Port Angeles. Fill up in Sequim or Port Angeles heading west; fill up in Forks or Aberdeen heading east.

🎫

America the Beautiful Pass

Multiple stops are inside Olympic National Park (Sol Duc, Marymere, Enchanted Valley, Goblins Gate). A $80 annual pass pays for itself in one trip.

🌧

Embrace the Rain

The west side of the Olympics is a temperate rainforest receiving over 140 inches per year. Waterproof everything. The rain is why the waterfalls exist.

🐻

Wildlife Awareness

Black bears, elk, and cougars are present throughout the park. Keep food secured and follow Leave No Trace principles at all trailheads.

🏕

Book Ahead in Summer

Lake Crescent Lodge and Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort book out months in advance for July and August. Winter and spring have much better availability.