Hi. It's Within Hiking Distance.
As you know we traveled for 18 months in the Western US and we wanted to share with you
our 15 favorite waterfall hikes.
We ranked them on how much we enjoyed the hike
and the impressiveness of the waterfall.
Starting off with number 15 is the Marymere Falls Trail in Olympic National Park.
This trail is 1.8 miles round trip with 500 feet of elevation gain.
This is a family-friendly hike through an old growth forest that has a 90-foot waterfall at the end of it.
[Music]
There's a small loop at Marymare Falls where there's a couple platforms to view it.
[Music]
Next up is number 14 with Myrtle Falls in Mount Rainier National Park.
This waterfall is located only 0.3 of a mile from the Paradise Inn along the Skyline Trail.
The waterfall is 72 feet high and offers a spectacular view of Mount Rainier in the background.
This is one of the most photographed areas in the park and for good reason.
Number 13 on the list is the Lower Calf Creek Falls Trail
in the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument in Utah.
[Music]
This trail is 6.6 miles round trip with 850 feet of elevation gain.
The hike is inside a canyon and along Calf Creek.
[Music]
You can get some views of petroglyphs from across the canyon.
At the end of the trail you'll be greeted by the 126-foot Lower Calf Creek Falls,
which is pretty impressive.
[Music]
In this alcove you'll see water plunge down
the sandstone cliff and drop into a pool at the base of the falls.
Next up is number 12 with Comet Falls, Narada Falls, and Christine Falls
in Mount Rainier National Park.
I grouped these three waterfalls together because they're all within five miles of each other
and can easily be seen in a day.
Christine and Narada Falls are both roadside attractions and easily accessible to anyone.
Christine Falls is 37 feet high and framed nicely by a bridge.
Narada Falls has two drops but the 159 foot horsetail fall is the most impressive.
[Music]
Comet Falls is a 3.8 mile round trip hike with 900 feet of elevation gain.
This is a great hike for families as there are cascades, footbridges, wildlife,
and a walk through an old growth forest.
There is also a chance to see Pikas on rocky slopes.
Comet Falls plunges 320 feet off a cliff
and gets its name because it looks like a comet's tail.
Number 11 on the list is the Apikuni Falls Trail in Glacier National Park.
[Music]
This two-mile round-trip hike deserves a spot on the list due to its impressive
waterfall and stunning views of the Many Glacier Valley.
[Music]
The trail has 700 feet of elevation gain and
is best seen in June when the water is flowing at its peak.
[Music]
Coming in at number 10 is Tokopah Falls in Sequoia National Park.
[Music]
This is another great hike to do in May and June when the water is flowing at its peak.
This hike is 4.2 miles round trip with 700 feet of elevation gain.
[Music]
We really enjoyed this hike and even saw a marmot at the end of the trail.
[Music]
Number nine on the list is the Ramona Falls Trail in Mount Hood National Forest.
[Music]
This hike is 7.4 miles round trip with 1000 feet of elevation gain.
Be careful when crossing the Sandy River as there is no footbridge.
[Music]
After crossing the river it is best to do the loop in a counterclockwise direction.
[Music]
Ramona Falls is 120 feet high and it is beautiful to see the water spread out as
it cascades down to black basalt rock.
There is a footbridge at the falls and the opportunity to take some amazing photos.
This waterfall hike is definitely worth doing.
Next up at number eight is the Bridalveil Fall Trail in Yosemite National Park.
This iconic waterfall is a must see when Yosemite.
[Music]
The parking lot is next to the falls and
is only a half mile round trip with 60 feet of elevation gain.
The water plunges 620 feet.
It is best to see this waterfall in spring and early summer.
Use caution when viewing the falls as the platform is crowded and slippery.
Coming in at number seven is Palouse Falls in Palouse Falls State Park.
Palouse Falls is located in Eastern Washington and is officially the state waterfall.
It has a drop of 198 feet
and has an impressive amount of water flowing over it.
The parking lot is next to the falls so you can walk as much or as little as you'd like.
Use caution when visiting the falls as there are no railings around many of the ledges in the park.
This waterfall has a unique geology as it was created as a result of several
glacial floods during the end of the last ice age.
Number six on the list is the Trail of Ten Falls Loop
in Silver Falls State Park in Oregon.
We parked at the North Falls Trailhead and walked the loop in a counterclockwise direction.
[Music]
This trail is eight miles round trip with two thousand feet of elevation gain.
This trail actually has ten amazing waterfalls on it and there are four waterfalls that you can walk behind.
[Music]
For us the most impressive waterfalls were the North Falls with a 136 foot drop
and the South Falls with a 177 foot drop.
You can walk behind both of these waterfalls.
[Music]
Next up at number 5 is Brink of the Lower Falls trail in Yellowstone National Park.
This trail is 3/4 of a mile round trip
with 300 feet of elevation gain.
From the parking lot there is a series of switchbacks
that will lead you to the edge of the lower falls.
Here you'll get an up close view of the water cascading 308 feet over the ledge.
There are spectacular views downriver of the colorful canyon walls.
There are also views upriver of the upper falls from the trail.
Coming in at number four is Multnomah Falls.
Multnomah Falls is the tallest waterfall in the state of Oregon.
It is 620 feet high and consists of two drops.
It is located off the historic columbia river highway and I-84
about 30 minutes outside Portland.
There is a platform near the Multnomah Lodge for excellent views of the falls.
You can continue to walk a quarter mile on a paved path to Benson Bridge for amazing views of the first drop.
[Music]
Multnomah Falls is a great place to visit any time of year.
There are several other great waterfalls near Multnomah Falls
so be sure to check those out as well.
Number three on the list is the Upper Yosemite Falls Trail in Yosemite National Park.
Upper Yosemite Falls is North America's tallest waterfall at 2425 feet.
The trail is strenuous and is 7.2 miles round trip with 2700 feet of elevation gain.
Use caution on this trail as the footing is rocky and uneven.
The best time to hike this trail is between May and July when the water is flowing at its peak.
Along this trail there are spectacular views of Yosemite Falls and Half Dome.
Also be sure to check out Lower Yosemite Falls
as that waterfall is pretty impressive with the 320-foot drop.
[Music]
Next up at number two is the Falls Loop Trail in McArthur-Burney Falls State Park in California.
Teddy Roosevelt referred to these falls as the eighth wonder of the world.
[Music]
The trail is a well-maintained 1.3 mile loop with 300 feet of elevation gain.
Burney Falls is 129 feet high and more than 250 feet wide.
There is an enormous amount of water flowing over the falls at around 100 million gallons per day.
[Music]
And the number one waterfall hike on our list is the Mist and John Muir Trails to see
Vernal and Nevada Falls in Yosemite National Park.
This is an amazing hike with two large waterfalls.
It is a strenuous hike that is a 6.6 mile loop with about 2500 feet of elevation gain.
Depending on your hiking ability there are several variations of this trail
that will change the distance of the hike.
To see the peak water flow, go between April and June.
[Music]
Vernal fall is the first waterfall on the trail and it drops 317 feet.
Chances you'll get wet from the mist from Vernal Fall as you ascend to rocky stairs to the top.
The whole experience is pretty cool.
Nevada Fall is an equally impressive waterfall and it has a drop of 594 feet.
There are many photographic opportunities to catch this waterfall as you ascend the trail.
Take the John Muir Trail on the way back for wonderful views of Nevada Fall and the Yosemite Valley.
So those are our 15 favorite waterfall hikes in the Western US.
If you have a favorite waterfall hike, put it in the comments below.
And if you like this video, give it a thumbs up, share with your friends and family,
and don't forget to subscribe to our channel.
[Music]