From its western rain-soaked coastal mountains to its eastern sun-kissed canyons, Washington overflows with a dazzling array of waterfalls. Here are a few that make quite a splash.
COMET FALLS
Among its profuse wildflower displays and alpine views, Mount Rainier National Park boasts the roaring Comet Falls, which careen 300 feet down off of ancient andesite cliffs.
PEWEE FALLS
Intrepid adventurers can paddle right beneath these not-so-peewee falls near Metaline, which dive 200 feet down rock walls into northeastern Washington’s Pend Oreille River.
SNOQUALMIE FALLS
Known as the Niagara of the Northwest, Washington’s most photographed cascade is a dandy. The 286-foot falls near Snoqualmie—which famously appeared in the television series "Twin Peaks"—rush into a large pool of water rung by gaping granite cliffs.
NOOKSACK FALLS
This 90-foot gusher is a must-see near the Mount Baker Highway. Less than a mile from the road, watch the clear aqua-hued waters of the Nooksack River spit over the edge of a jumbled mass of dark rock.
SOL DUC FALLS
In Olympic National Park, an easy 1-mile hike leads to one of the state’s most popular waterfalls, which plummets over mossy rocks into a narrow chasm in three distinct lacy sheets of rushing water.
FALLS CREEK FALLS
In the Columbia River Gorge near Carson, trek 3.5 miles to see this 200-foot-tall, triple-tiered cataract. One of the most spectacular in the state, its thunderous display is enjoyed from a rocky perch set in an old-growth forest.
PALOUSE FALLS
This southeastern Washington gem near Starbuck plummets 185 feet into a spectacular canyon carved by ice-age floods. Time your arrival for sunset to see the layers of rock bask in misty, golden light.
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-Craig Romano
