Madison Falls in Olympic National Park, WA is a wonderful 60-foot waterfall near the Elwha River. With only a 0.2-mile roundtrip, Madison Falls Trail is also one of the most accessible places at the park. It is a perfect stop for families and visitors of all abilities. That’s why Madison Falls Trail is a popular trail. If you have about 15 minutes to spare, Madison Falls is a great place to stretch your legs and see some beautiful scenery.
Stats
Where
Madison Falls Trail:
1930 Olympic Hot Springs Rd, Port Angeles, WA 98363
48.040984, -123.590089
Parking
Small dirt lot on the side of the road. You can also park along the road before the parking lot.
Restroom
There are restrooms at the trailhead.
Fee
Free
Distance
0.2 mi R.T.
Elevation Gain
26 ft
Level
Super Easy. More of a walk.
Time:
10 minutes
Pet-friendly
You can bring your dogs, but they have to be on a leash.
Ideal Time
The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. It can get quite busy but it is such a short hike so people don’t usually stay that long. So, it’s easy to find parking.
Weather
Video
Getting to Madison Falls Trailhead
From Port Angeles, WA, head west on Highway 101 toward Lake Crescent. Turn left onto Olympic Hot Springs Road. About 2.1 miles, you’ll see a big sign for Madison Falls Trail on the right. Across from the sign is a dirt parking lot where the trail starts.
The Adventure
The Madison Falls Trail
After we pulled into the parking lot, we saw some wonderful views of the Elwha River. This place is the largest watershed in the Olympic Peninsula, home to salmon and trout. There were many people playing and fishing on the waterbed. It looks fun but we weren’t that motivated to walk on the rocky riverbed so we headed back to start our super short “hike”.
We said hike, but it’s more like a short, leisurely walk, with a distance of only 0.1 miles each way. The gently sloping, paved trail meanders between lush vegetation before reaching a wooden handrail. At the end of this handrail is the beautiful Madison Falls. There is a wooden bench here if you feel like taking a break. If you want, there is a little dirt trail leading down to the waterfalls below. The way down could be a bit slippery so be careful.
The Waterfalls
Madison Falls is quite beautiful and has a great payoff, considering how little effort you have to put in to get here. The white water rushes against the green mossy wall, pouring into a beautiful pond at the bottom. Fallen-down trees are circling around the small pond. If you look at the right angle, you can see a rainbow showing up through the mist. It was quite beautiful. When you’re ready, head back the same way you came from. If you want to see our favorite waterfall in Olympic National Park, check out Sol Duc Falls. Another beautiful one is Marymere Falls. For a short hike to a gorgeous swimming hole, check out Devil’s Punchbowl. If you’re up for a long hike along the longest sand spit in North America, check out Dungeness Spit.
These are the gear that we personally use and find them helpful for this particular adventure. Don’t forget to check out our Recommended Gear section as well.
adventure gear
This is our favourite hiking shoes. We use them for canyoneering as well. Lots of traction. Vy’s version.
Dustin’s version for La Sportiva shoes
Make sure to use lots of sunscreens! We use eco-friendly, reef-safe sunscreen, Stream2Sea SPF 30.
Face sunscreen is also important. We love these tinted, organic All Good Organic Sunscreen Butter.
You should always bring plenty of water. Vy loves the Camelback L.U.X.E.
For shorter hikes, the Patagonia Women’s Nine Trails Pack 18L is perfect to hold water and your essentials.
If you want something lighter, we love the packable Patagonia Women’s Houdini® Jacket and Patagonia Men’s Houdini® Jacket
other things to bring
Always good to bring some snacks with you. For healthy and easy snacks, check out some of our recipes.
camera gear
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