Myrtle Falls is a short, family-friendly hike in the Paradise Area of Mount Rainier National Park. This hike is flat and runs for just 1 mile round trip. You could push a wheelchair or stroller along this trail, but in order to view the waterfall, you need to walk down a very short, steep path with stairs. This path to the viewpoint would not be fully accessible to someone on wheels. Myrtle Falls in Mount Rainier is a must-do hike for families.
Parking at Paradise Visitor Center can be a problem. Even though the main parking lot is quite large, you may find yourself down the hill at the overflow parking. With your back to the Visitor Center, you’ll see a very short set of stairs to the left. The easiest way to begin the Myrtle Falls hike is up these stairs (if you are taking wheels, head left at the bottom of the stairs). The trail starts right at the top of the stairs at the sign directing you to Myrtle Falls.
On a clear day Mount Rainier is standing right above the trail like a silent sentinel, watching as you hike. It was so misty and cloudy on the day we visited, that we never even caught a glimpse of the mountain. It is only a half mile to the top of the waterfall, which is relatively small but beautiful.
When you reach the top of the falls, you can look down on it, but to get good pictures, you’ll need to walk down the steeply paved stairs and path to the bottom. It is only about 20 meters. From the viewpoint, the waterfall is very beautiful.
The rivulets come down in separate streams, and it is what waterfall enthusiasts call a veil or horsetail. The water doesn’t free fall much or have a significant drop, but it is spectacular. The effect is enhanced by the fact that Mount Rainier is situated at the top like a crown for the waterfall. Of course, we didn’t see that on our visit as there were too many clouds.
There are many trails in the Paradise Area, but our must-do trail that is appropriate for everyone is Myrtle Falls. This trail continues past Myrtle Falls and on to the Skyline Trail, which is a 6.0 mile difficult trail. We decided to enjoy Myrtle Falls and then turn around making our hike 0.8 miles roundtrip. This hike is so easy and so striking. Don’t miss Myrtle Falls in Mount Rainier. Visit our Mount Rainier National Park post with other family-friendly ideas.
