Tumbling sideways into a steep and narrow ravine, Sol Duc Falls in Olympic National Park is one of the most picturesque and unique waterfalls in Olympic.  Whereas most waterfalls fall more or less straight down and forward, this one goes sideways!  Reached via an easy, sub one mile, trail, this is a great easy hike in Olympic National Park!

Miles/Elevation:

1.6 miles

226 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:

The trailhead for this hike is the Sol Duc Trailhead, and is located in the northern reaches of Olympic National Park.  The area is reached via Highway 101.  From Port Angeles in the east, follow 101 for about 26 until reaching Sol Duc Hot Springs Road.  From Forks to the west, follow 101 for about 27 miles until reaching Sol Duc Hot Springs Road.

Once on Sol Duc Hot Springs Road, follow it for roughly 14 miles until you reach the parking lot all the way at the end.  You can’t miss the trailhead, the road literally ends at it, and once you’re there park anywhere in the large parking area. 

Tips:

• Continue on to the trail to Deer Lake, or even further to the High Divide for a longer day hike.

The Sol Duc Falls Trail:

 From the trailhead, the trail quickly enters the dense Olympic forest.  There isn’t much for sunlight down here, especially in the morning, but that just adds to the ambiance!  

After leaving the trailhead, you will quickly descend about 60 feet downhill towards the Sol Duc River at the bottom of the valley.  After this short 60 foot descent, you will then climb about 130 vertical feet as you make your way up the valley.

A bit under half a mile from the trailhead, you will cross a small stream coming downhill on your left making its way towards the river.  There aren’t a lot of landmarks on this hike, and you’ll never get a big panoramic view at a notable viewpoint, so this stream crossing is about it.  At the crossing, you are a bit over halfway to the waterfall.

The second half of the hike to the waterfall will see you following a slight downhill incline.  Finally, just before reaching the falls, and probably close enough to hear them, stick to the right at a trail junction.  Follow the right hand trail just around the bend, and you will emerge at Sol Duc Falls!

You may be able to see the falls from the near side of the river, but for the best views continue onto the bridge crossing the river.  This head on view from the bridge is pretty cool!  The river clearly drops off to the side into the ravine below, something I’ve never really seen in a waterfall!

Continuing onto the far bank, there is another nice viewpoint looking right into the teeth of the falls.  The falls are split into three separate streams, and you can get a really nice close up view of this!

After enjoying the falls, the return back to the trailhead is a simple retracing of your steps.  I would encourage ambitious hikers to continue onto the serene Deer Lake a couple miles up the trail, or to try the entire High Divide Loop as either a massive day hike or a backpacking trip!  Whatever your choice, enjoy your remaining time in the woods! 

Topdown Lifestyle Rating: 8/10

This trail falls into the category of easy 1 mile walk to something interesting, and as far as hikes of that category go, it’s solid.  Sol Duc Falls itself is certainly a cool waterfall, much more unique than most waterfalls you’ll find.  And the forest here is certainly nice.  However, there isn’t anything truly special here.  Like it’s good, but is it great?  For me, I don’t think so.  This is a place worth checking out while you’re here, but I wouldn’t call this a must do hike.

Pros:

• Waterfall
• Nice trail
• Beautiful forest

Cons:

• No panoramic views
• Busy

Alternative Hikes:

Sunrise Viewpoint

Marymere Falls

Rialto Beach to Hole-in-the-Wall

Hall of Mosses 

When To Hike Sol Duc Falls:

Be sure to check out the incredible Hall of Mosses if you’re visiting Olympic!

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:

Visiting the Sol Duc Valley

Sol Duc Falls Trail | Map, Guide – Washington | AllTrails

Sol Duc Falls — Washington Trails Association

Your Guide to Hiking The Sol Duc Falls Trail – Washington is for Adventure