Location: Elwha River, Olympic National Park, Washington
Distance: .25 Mile Out and Back Time: 10 – 15 minutes
Difficulty: Extremely Easy Elevation Gain: 30 feet
Season: Year round. Spring and early summer offer the best flows
Foot Traffic: Moderate
Date Hiked: Wednesday, July 21, 2021
Overview
Exploring doesn’t always have to mean epic, crazy adventures. Sometimes a nice, short stroll to a beautiful spot can do the job. Certainly, that is exactly what Madison Creek Falls is.
Located about an hours drive from Port Angeles, WA, in the Elwha River region of Olympic National Park, Madison Creek falls are a quick .25 mile hike along a completely paved trail in a mossy, rain forest setting. Looking up at the snow capped mountains in the distance, the trail heads away from the gorgeous Elwha River, eventually depositing you at the base of this pretty 75 foot waterfall.
Trail Description and My Story
After hiking and driving all day, my wife, daughter and I arrived at the parking area for Madison Creek Falls just before 5 pm. This was not a planned stop but was a perfect spot with a short, casual stroll for us to close out our day. The first thing that caught my eye as we pulled up were the insane views of the mountains in front of us. I could envision the parking area in and of itself being a neat area to relax and hang out for a bit. The Elwha River roared on the opposite side of the road from us. With our 10 week old daughter, Scout, fast asleep in the car seat, the plan was for my wife to hang out at the car and for me to make a quick trip to see the falls by myself.
I headed towards the trail board, picked up the stream and broke into a light jog along the paved path. In a matter of minutes I had reached the falls and was all by myself. I sat and took a few pictures as I relaxed to the enjoyable splashing of the falls in front of me. The tranquility of this place called for me to stay a little bit longer than I had originally planned.
Although the flow of the falls was no longer heavy, being that it was now mid July, they were still very pretty. After spending a short time hanging out I jogged back towards the parking area where my wife was waiting. Upon telling her how nice the falls were and how close they were, she additionally decided to take her own turn and jog up with the tripod to take a few pictures and see it for herself.
Meanwhile, I grabbed my daughter out of her car seat and carried her to the other side of the road. We sat by the river listening to the sounds of the river flowing heavily downstream. Our entire outing could not have lasted more than an hour before we packed up to leave. It had been a fun packed day but it was finally coming to an end. It was time to make the drive towards Port Angeles and plan for the next day and get some sleep.
As I have traveled through the years, it has run through my head daily, that it could be possible that I might never have the opportunity to return to some of these places. I continuously find myself trying to squeeze as much out of each day as I possibly can. Checking things off of a bucket list has never been my goal or purpose. Being in the moment and truly embracing every second of these beautiful places is so important to me. I significantly realize how blessed I am to have had the opportunity to see all the places that I have. Subsequently, I will never take these experiences for granted. After all, I recognize the reality that to some of these places, I may never return.
Getting to Madison Creek Falls
Elwha River, Olympic National Park, Washington
Notes, Question and Thoughts
Is this a fee Area?
- No. Even though the falls are located in Olympic National Park, this area is not a fee area.
Are there toilets at the trailhead?
- Yes, vault toilets are located at the parking area just before the trail head.
Are pets allowed?
- Yes, pets are allowed. However they must be leashed and picked up after. Please follow the National Park Services B.A.R.K principles.
- Bag your pet’s waste
- Always leash your pet
- Respect wildlife
- Know where you can go
Please recreate responsibly. Respect hikers, and all visitors and wildlife. Help make everyone’s experience better by keeping the nature experience as authentic as possible. Leave no trace and pack out everything that you pack in. Please remember that we are visitors and stewards of these special places. Help keep these places as wild as possible while not diminishing the outdoor experience of others.
