15 Best Waterfalls in Washington (2026 Updated)
Of the 212 named waterfalls in Washington, these 15 earn the strongest visitor ratings, led by Narada Falls, Silver Falls, and Silver Falls. The list spans the Mount Rainier and the South Cascades, North Cascades and the Snoqualmie Corridor, and Olympic Peninsula and Puget Sound.
How We Picked
We ranked the 96 publicly accessible Washington waterfalls with at least five Google reviews by a weighted rating that balances score against review volume, so a 4.9 from a dozen reviewers counts for less than a 4.8 from thousands. Every waterfall links to a full page with coordinates, maps and nearby falls.
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1. Narada Falls
Eatonville, WA · Lewis County · Mount Rainier and the South Cascades
Why it made the list
It holds a 4.9-star Google rating and is the 8th most reviewed in the state, with 260 reviews. 89% of reviewers give it five stars. Google's listing sums it up as: "Cascading falls featuring 2 separate tiers, with trails & a pool at the base of the lower half." Older records also call it Cushman Falls. It is one of 94 named falls in the Mount Rainier and the South Cascades region. Washington Cascades is only 0.2 miles away, so the two are easy to pair in one outing. The nearest town is Eatonville, about 25 miles to the west.
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2. Silver Falls
Eatonville, WA · Lewis County · Mount Rainier and the South Cascades
Why it made the list
Visitors rate it 4.9 stars across 132 reviews. 90% of reviewers give it five stars. It is one of 94 named falls in the Mount Rainier and the South Cascades region. The nearest town is Eatonville, about 34 miles to the west.
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3. Silver Falls
Granite Falls, WA · Chelan County · North Cascades and the Snoqualmie Corridor
Why it made the list
Visitors rate it 5.0 stars across 20 reviews. 95% of reviewers give it five stars. It is one of 69 named falls in the North Cascades and the Snoqualmie Corridor region. Entiat Falls is only 2.6 miles away, so the two are easy to pair in one outing. The nearest town is Granite Falls, about 16 miles to the east.
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4. Upper Falls
Carson, WA · Skamania County · Mount Rainier and the South Cascades
Why it made the list
Visitors rate it 5.0 stars across 16 reviews. Older records also call it Upper Lewis River Falls. It is one of 94 named falls in the Mount Rainier and the South Cascades region. Middle Falls is only 0.8 miles away, so the two are easy to pair in one outing. The nearest town is Carson, about 31 miles to the south.
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5. Cascade Falls
Friday Harbor, WA · San Juan County · Olympic Peninsula and Puget Sound
Why it made the list
Visitors rate it 4.9 stars across 37 reviews. 92% of reviewers give it five stars. Google's listing sums it up as: "Picturesque 40-ft. waterfall accessed by a short hiking trail through national park forest." Reviews most often mention photo ops, stream, easy hike, and waterfalls. It is one of 17 named falls in the Olympic Peninsula and Puget Sound region. Rustic Falls is only under 0.1 miles away, so the two are easy to pair in one outing. The nearest town is Friday Harbor, about 11 miles to the southwest.
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6. Kalama Falls
Amboy, WA · Cowlitz County · Mount Rainier and the South Cascades
Why it made the list
Visitors rate it 4.9 stars across 29 reviews. 93% of reviewers give it five stars. It is one of 94 named falls in the Mount Rainier and the South Cascades region. The nearest town is Amboy, about 14 miles to the south.
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7. Union Creek Falls
Cle Elum, WA · Yakima County · Mount Rainier and the South Cascades
Why it made the list
Visitors rate it 4.9 stars across 25 reviews. 92% of reviewers give it five stars. It is one of 94 named falls in the Mount Rainier and the South Cascades region. The nearest town is Cle Elum, about 27 miles to the northeast.
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8. Snoqualmie Falls
Snoqualmie, WA · King County · North Cascades and the Snoqualmie Corridor
Why it made the list
It is the most reviewed waterfall in Washington, holding 4.8 stars across 4,480 Google reviews. 85% of reviewers give it five stars. Google's listing sums it up as: "Well-known, scenic 270-foot waterfall surrounded by a 2-acre park, observation deck & gift shop." It is one of 69 named falls in the North Cascades and the Snoqualmie Corridor region. The nearest town is Snoqualmie, about 1.1 miles to the southeast.
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9. Franklin Falls
Tanner, WA · King County · North Cascades and the Snoqualmie Corridor
Why it made the list
It holds a 4.8-star Google rating and is the 2nd most reviewed in the state, with 660 reviews. 83% of reviewers give it five stars. Google's listing sums it up as: "3-tiered waterfall on the Snoqualmie River’s south fork, a popular hiking & picnicking destination." It is one of 69 named falls in the North Cascades and the Snoqualmie Corridor region. Keekwulee Falls is only 1.0 miles away, so the two are easy to pair in one outing. The nearest town is Tanner, about 15 miles to the west.
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10. Granite Falls
Newport, WA · Pend Oreille County · Columbia Plateau and Northeast Washington
Why it made the list
Visitors rate it 4.9 stars across 19 reviews. It is one of 32 named falls in the Columbia Plateau and Northeast Washington region. LaSota Falls is only 0.3 miles away, so the two are easy to pair in one outing. The nearest town is Newport, about 41 miles to the south.
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11. Deception Falls
Gold Bar, WA · King County · North Cascades and the Snoqualmie Corridor
Why it made the list
It holds a 4.8-star Google rating and is the 5th most reviewed in the state, with 290 reviews. 89% of reviewers give it five stars. Reviews most often mention trails, loop trail, rushing water, and easy hike. It is one of 69 named falls in the North Cascades and the Snoqualmie Corridor region. Alpine Falls is only 1.5 miles away, so the two are easy to pair in one outing. The nearest town is Gold Bar, about 25 miles to the northwest.
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12. Marymere Falls
Port Angeles, WA · Clallam County · Olympic Peninsula and Puget Sound
Why it made the list
It holds a 4.8-star Google rating and is the 6th most reviewed in the state, with 267 reviews. 81% of reviewers give it five stars. Google's listing sums it up as: "90-ft.-high waterfall accessed by a short, popular trail through old-growth evergreens & ferns." Older records also call it Murymere Falls. It is one of 17 named falls in the Olympic Peninsula and Puget Sound region. The nearest town is Port Angeles, about 17 miles to the east.
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13. Moulton Falls
Yacolt, WA · Clark County · Mount Rainier and the South Cascades
Why it made the list
It holds a 4.8-star Google rating and is the 10th most reviewed in the state, with 217 reviews. 86% of reviewers give it five stars. Older records also call it Mowton Falls. It is one of 94 named falls in the Mount Rainier and the South Cascades region. Yacolt Falls is only 0.2 miles away, so the two are easy to pair in one outing. The nearest town is Yacolt, about 2.5 miles to the north.
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14. Spokane Falls
Spokane, WA · Spokane County · Columbia Plateau and Northeast Washington
Why it made the list
Visitors rate it 4.8 stars across 209 reviews. 81% of reviewers give it five stars. Google's listing sums it up as: "Surrounded by a 100-acre park in the city center, this waterfall is a local landmark & man-made dam." It is one of 32 named falls in the Columbia Plateau and Northeast Washington region. Lower Falls is only under 0.1 miles away, so the two are easy to pair in one outing. It is right in Spokane.
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15. Falls Creek Falls
Carson, WA · Skamania County · Mount Rainier and the South Cascades
Why it made the list
Visitors rate it 4.8 stars across 180 reviews. 89% of reviewers give it five stars. It is one of 94 named falls in the Mount Rainier and the South Cascades region. The nearest town is Carson, about 14 miles to the south.
When to Visit Washington's Waterfalls
West of the Cascades, rain sustains falls for much of the year, but the most powerful flows come with spring snowmelt from about April through June and again with autumn and winter rains. Higher falls such as those around Paradise on Mount Rainier are often snowbound until early summer, so July and August are the main season there. In eastern Washington, Palouse Falls and Spokane Falls peak with spring runoff, usually from March to May, and both drop considerably by late summer. Winter brings heavy rain at low elevations and deep snow in the mountains, closing some park roads and making approaches like the Franklin Falls trail prone to avalanches. Summer weekends bring the heaviest crowds.
Before You Go
Washington's falls are split among national parks, national forests and state lands. State parks and Department of Natural Resources lands generally require a Discover Pass, while many national forest trailheads require a Northwest Forest Pass or interagency pass, and the national parks charge entrance fees. Popular trailheads along I-90 and US 2 fill early on weekends, and Snoqualmie Falls draws crowds year-round. Hazards vary by region: in the Cascades and Olympics, cold, swift glacial and snowmelt rivers, moss-slick logs and rocks, and winter avalanche paths; at Palouse Falls, unfenced basalt cliffs where people have fallen to their deaths. Wildfire smoke and closures can affect eastern Cascade trails in late summer.
Read our waterfall safety rules and packing list before heading out.
Explore More Washington Waterfalls
See all 212 waterfalls in the Washington waterfall guide, or browse by town: Eatonville, Granite Falls, Carson, Friday Harbor, Amboy, Cle Elum, Snoqualmie, Tanner.
More Washington Waterfall Lists
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best waterfall in Washington?
Narada Falls tops our 2026 list, with a 4.9-star rating from 260 Google reviews. It is near Eatonville in Lewis County.
How was this list made?
We ranked the 96 publicly accessible Washington waterfalls with at least five Google reviews by a weighted rating that balances score against review volume, so a 4.9 from a dozen reviewers counts for less than a 4.8 from thousands.
How many waterfalls are in Washington?
Our directory lists 212 named waterfalls in Washington. See them all, sorted by town, in the Washington waterfall guide.
What is the most visited waterfall in Washington?
Snoqualmie Falls in King County is by far the most reviewed in our directory, thanks to its observation deck, park and location close to Seattle. Franklin Falls and Palouse Falls are the next most reviewed.