Washington's Best Winter Waterfalls

From the thundering ruckus of Snoqualmie Falls to the bubbling drops peppered among our favorite backwoods trails, Washington State is awash in waterfalls. 

While many Pacific Northwest adventurers hang their stompin' boots up for the winter and dream of warmer adventures to cascading treats at the end of trails, that shouldn't include you! The good and the bad news: Everyone loves waterfalls—so many of them are easy to get to. A handful are visible from your car! Those are the ones that you might have to battle and honk your way to in the summer when the tour busses flood viewing platforms. Chances are you'll find better views, quieter parking lots, and a much better experience checking them out in the heart of winter. Specifically, see Sol Duc Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, and Palouse Falls.

Those that aren't bellied up to roads might require snow tires, snowshoes, or heavy-duty waterproofing. But catching rainbows dancing off of icy pour-overs among frosty foliage is a winter wonderland worth some chilly digits. See: Outlet Falls and Snoquera Falls.

Below you'll find a less-than-comprehensive list of this wet, wet state's plunging wintertime wonders. Get out, enjoy, and remember to Leave No Trace. Be sure to check the weather and avalanche conditions if you plan to tread into snowy terrain, and ALWAYS travel with a buddy. Oh, and pro tip: Bringing along a camp stove to make hot toddies after the adventure is over will always earn you a future invite. 

Columbia River Gorge

• Sweeny Falls
• Rock Creek Falls
• Rodney Falls at Hamilton Mountain

Central Washington

• Narada Falls
• Falls Creek Falls
• Panther Creek Falls
• The Falls at Siouxon Creek
• Comet Falls
• Snoquera Falls
• Outlet Falls
• Lewis River Falls
• Sunset Falls
• The Falls at Boulder River

Northern Cascades

• Weeks Falls
• Snoqualmie Falls
• Green River Gorge Bridge Overlook
• Granite Falls Fish Ladder
• Boulson Creek Falls
• Deception Falls
• Gorge Overlook
• Franklin Falls
• Twin Falls
• Bridal Veil Falls

Olympic Peninsula

• Rocky Brook Falls
• Hamma Hamma Falls
• Bunch Falls
• Merriman Falls
• Sol Duc Falls
• Marymere Falls
• The Falls at Pony Bridge

Eastern Washington

• Palouse Falls