Sol Duc Falls are considered the most beautiful falls in Washington's Olympic National Park and are reached by a trail just under a mile (1.6 km) in length. Viewed from above, the water falls 50 feet (15 meters) into the slot canyon below. The road up to the trailhead winds through the scenic forest and leads us to the Sol Duc river, which we then follow on foot.
Road to the trail
Along the river
The Sol Duc River starts about 5,000 feet (1,525 km) above us, near the High Divide, where trickles of mountain rivlets merge into streams, then falling steeply as the water plunges down paths carved by Ice Age glaciers. The pools in the river provide habitat for beaver, mink, river otter, salmon, and salamanders (none of which we see). We cross many small streams along the way, all feeding into the river.
Trailhead
Along the trail
Glimpses of the river as we climb
Resting cabin near the falls
River heading to the falls
Returning through the forest
As the river continues to descend
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