Short hike leads to Sol Duc Falls

A quick stroll through a scenic woods will bring you to a spectacular waterfall.

Sol Duc Falls inside Washington's Olympic National Park is at its best in the spring as the runoff from winter turns the falls into a raging torrent.

It's a short one mile hike to the falls on a well-maintained trail with a gradual 200-foot elevation gain.

Several bridges along the way allow for great photo opportunities.  Then there is a bridge over the falls that is another great place to get epic photos of yourself and friends.

The Sol Duc River splits into as many as four small channels at the top of the falls before plunging 48 feet into a thin and rocky canyon.

If you are lucky, the sun shimmering down through a narrow opening in the woods onto the moisture rising up from the falls will even cause a rainbow to arch its way across the scene.

No, there won't be any pot of gold at either end, but the presence of the bow itself is a treasure.

How to get there:

The turn for Sol Duc Falls can be found 29 miles west of Port Angeles off U.S. Highway 101 on the northern Olympic Peninsula.

Turn on Sol Duc Road and drive 14 miles to the parking lot at its end, which is past the Sol Duc Hot Springs and Resort.

The price of entry into Olympic National Park is $25 for seven consecutive days or $50 for an annual pass.

Camping is available in the area with a permit, including 82 sites near the trailhead.  Quotas and reservations are in effect May 1 through Sept. 30 for the Sol Duc-Seven Lakes Basin area.

Call (360) 565-3130 for more information on Olympic National Park, the falls and camping or (855) 584-5293 for the resort and its cabins and pools.

Text and photos by Jeff Clinton.  Tim Clinton also contributed to this report.