Myrtle Falls: Mount Rainier National Park
The hike to Myrtle Falls in Mount Rainier National Park is a short but incredibly scenic trail in the park’s Paradise Area. The trail is a little less than a mile round trip and has nearly 200 feet of elevation gain.
My wife and I hiked to Myrtle Falls on a warm summer afternoon. We pulled into the parking lot around 4 p.m. It easily took us ten minutes to find a place to park, but it was busy. After a quick stop in the visitor center, we headed up the paved Skyline trail towards the waterfall. It was a pretty steady incline for most of the way to the top of the falls.
- Trail Name: Myrtle Falls via Skyline Trail
- Trailhead Location: Paradise Parking Area
- Distance: 0.8 Miles Roundtrip
- Difficulty: Easy
- Elevation Gain: ~180 Feet
- Type: Out & Back
- Features: Waterfall, Mountain Views, Wildflowers
- Dogs: No
We had amazing views of Mount Rainier the entire time. The giant snow-covered peak popped on the canvas of a brilliant, deep blue sky. We could not have asked for better weather. Wildflowers were not at their peak yet, but thousands upon thousands were still blooming. In particular, there were carpets of stunning white avalanche lilies.
After about 0.4 miles, we came to some stairs that led down to a viewpoint of the falls. What a view, indeed! I’d seen pictures, but standing in front of the 60-foot waterfall with Mount Rainier towering in the background was one of the best views I’ve seen in any National Park.
It was crowded, but that was to be expected. The hike to Myrtle Falls is one of the most popular ones in the park and for very good reason. We spent about 20 minutes enjoying the view and taking pictures.
Afterward, we decided to hike a bit up the Golden Gate Trail. A ranger at the V.C. recommended it for its great views and incredible wildflowers.
We eventually headed back the same way we came to the parking lot very satisfied with a short, but amazing hike.
Where is Myrtle Falls located?
Myrtle Falls is off the Skyline Trail in the Paradise area of Mount Rainier National Park.
How long does it take to hike to Myrtle Falls?
If you are like us and take way too many pictures, expect to spend about 45 minutes or so, maybe a bit longer.
Other things to do nearby?
There are so many great things to do in Mount Rainier that it’s impossible to list them all. A few easy things to do nearby include Narda Falls, Christine Falls, and Reflection Lake. If you have the time, I highly recommend camping at Cougar Rock. We really enjoyed our stay there.
