Located just off Highway 101 in the north of Olympic National Park, Madison Falls is a wonderful waterfall that makes for a great quick stop.  Reached via a very short, paved trail, this is truly a place where everyone can access the outdoors.  While more ambitious hikers may not be excited about this waterfall, this one is reachable by anyone!

Miles/Elevation:

.2 miles

26 feet vertical gain

About Olympic National Park:

Situated along Washington’s Pacific Coast, Olympic National Park contains some of the nation’s most diverse environments all in one epic national park!  From rock strewn beaches, to glaciated peaks, to temperate rainforest, Olympic has something for everyone!

Olympic National Park largely owes its diversity to the Pacific Ocean.  Despite being located quite far north, the oceans’ moderating influence means temperatures never really get that cold here (at low elevations at least).  On the beach it could be 50 degrees and foggy.  In the forest and the hills it might be 40 degrees and raining.  And in the alpine it may be 20 degrees and snowing!

A land of many diverse landscapes, Olympic has numerous awesome destinations.  The Hoh Rainforest is the most famous of the park’s forests and contains the revered Hall of Mosses.  Mt Olympus deep in the park’s backcountry is a sought after alpine summit.  Hurricane Ridge is a must see spot in the park reached via a winding mountain road.  And Rialto Beach is the most famous of all the parks’ beaches!

All these awesome spots are quite spread out though.  Despite being located in the same park, it takes hours to drive from one side of the park to the other.  This is largely due to the fact that there are no roads that pass straight through the park.  Olympic largely consists of wilderness, and Highway 101 wraps its way all the way around the outside.  It’s not a quick route, but it’s the only way to get from one side of the park to another.

Getting To The Trailhead:

This trail is near the northern edge of Olympic National Park, and the closest town is Port Angeles.  From Port Angeles, follow US 101 west out of town for about 6 and a half miles.  After 6 and a half miles, just before you cross the Elwha River, turn left onto Olympic Hot Springs Road.  Follow this road for just over 2 miles.  After 2 miles, you should notice the parking area along the side of the road.  This is the trailhead!

Tips:

• Check out nearby Marymere Falls for a more involved, but still easy, hike.

The Madison Falls Trail:

The hike to Madison Falls really is a very quick walk, but perhaps that’s the reason you were drawn to this trail!  Beginning at the trailhead, you will likely first notice the view over the Elwha River.  This river comes from deep within the Olympic Mountains, and as a mountain river, it is fast flowing, filled with rocks, and a brilliant bright blue!

From the parking area alongside Olympic Hot Springs Road, follow the road further as it parallels the river upstream.  Before long, though it depends on where exactly you parked, you will come across a turnoff where the actual trail begins.

From the turnoff, begin hiking on the paved trail.  After passing a gigantic stump of what once must have been a massive tree, you will enter the forest.  However, the forest here isn’t quite the temperate rainforest you can find in other parts of the park.  At first, the forest is bright and airy, with lots of sunlight.

As you continue along the trail, the forest will darken and evolve into more of the fern filled rain forest that you might be expecting.  As you begin approaching the water, the trail will enter a bit of a gorge, and a railing along the left side of the trail will appear as you begin to climb above the valley bottom below.

You will likely hear the falls before you see it, but before long you will reach Madison Falls!  This isn’t a huge waterfall by any means, but it is pretty!  Surrounded by moss covered rock and lots and lots of greenery, the water here gracefully threads its way down the 50 foot vertical slope.  There is a small pool at the bottom, and from there the water continues downhill via a small stream!

The falls are very nice, and once you’ve enjoyed it to your satisfaction, it is a very quick walk back along the paved trail to the road!

Topdown Lifestyle Rating: 8/10

This is honestly a tough hike to rate because it is so short, but for what it is (a super short, paved, walk to a waterfall) it’s pretty good.  The larger setting is really nice, and I enjoyed the views over the river at the trailhead.  The waterfall itself is nice, but it’s not anything special.  It’s cool that the trail is wheelchair accessible, but pavement also isn’t the most wilderness-y thing to walk on.  I’d recommend stopping here if you’re on your way through, but if you skip it, you won’t miss too much.

Pros:

• Waterfall
• Easily reached
• Wheelchair accessible

Cons:

• Really short
• More of a pit stop than a hike

Alternative Hikes:

Marymere Falls

Rialto Beach to Hole-in-the-Wall

The Hall of Mosses

The Spruce Trail 

When To Hike Madison Falls:

Olympic National Park gets 4 strong seasons, and while the park can be visited all year, summer definitely has the best weather for being outdoors.  The high elevation regions of the park receive huge snowfall totals during winter which makes for great skiing, but not so great hiking!  Winter at low elevations means lots and lots of rain.

While you certainly can hike in the rain, the warmest, sunniest, weather of the year occurs during July and August.  June and September can also have excellent conditions, but the risk of adverse weather and lingering snow at elevation are much higher.

I would personally recommend late July or August for a trip to Olympic, but if you want to avoid the worst of the crowds and aren’t interested in exploring the higher elevation backcountry, the shoulder months of June and September could be pretty nice.  I personally would not visit here October through May because of the weather, but if you’re ok with tons of moisture and just don’t want to run into other people, by all means go for it.  Be aware though the backcountry and high elevation reaches of the park will likely be snowed in.

Links For Further Reading:

Madison Falls Trailhead (U.S. National Park Service)

Madison Falls Trail | Map, Guide – Washington | AllTrails

Madison Creek Falls on the Waterfall Trail | Visit Port Angeles

Madison Falls — Washington Trails Association