The best waterfalls near Olympia, Washington are Narada Falls, Silver Falls, Little Mashel Falls and 7 more, ranked by visitor ratings and distance from the city. The closest is Deschutes Falls, about 28 miles southeast of Olympia.
For more waterfalls around Olympia, browse the nearest towns: McCleary, Rochester, Belfair, Eatonville, Bonney Lake, Winlock, Seabeck, Buckley. You can also see every waterfall on the Washington waterfalls page.
How we picked: We looked at the 60 publicly accessible Washington waterfalls within 100 straight-line miles of Olympia that have at least five Google reviews, then ranked them by a weighted rating with a small penalty for distance, so a great waterfall close to town edges out an equally rated one far away.
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1. Narada Falls
57 miles east of Olympia. Our top pick near the city 4.9 out of 5 from 260 reviews.
Lewis County, WA 98361 (GPS 46.7751, -121.7465)
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Narada Falls is about 57 miles east of Olympia, near Eatonville. Visitors rate it 4.9 stars across 260 Google reviews, and 89% of them give it five stars. In short: "Cascading falls featuring 2 separate tiers, with trails & a pool at the base of the lower half." Older records also call it Cushman Falls.
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2. Silver Falls
66 miles east of Olympia. Rated 4.9 out of 5 from 132 reviews.
Lewis County, WA 98361 (GPS 46.7523, -121.5594)
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Silver Falls is about 66 miles east of Olympia, near Eatonville. Visitors rate it 4.9 stars across 132 Google reviews, and 90% of them give it five stars.
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3. Little Mashel Falls
32 miles southeast of Olympia. Rated 4.7 out of 5 from 328 reviews.
Pierce County, WA 98328 (GPS 46.8493, -122.2726)
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Little Mashel Falls is about 32 miles southeast of Olympia, near Eatonville. Visitors rate it 4.7 stars across 328 Google reviews, and 80% of them give it five stars.
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4. Chenuis Falls
50 miles east of Olympia. Rated 5.0 out of 5 from 5 reviews.
Pierce County, WA 98304 (GPS 46.9932, -121.8415)
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Chenuis Falls is about 50 miles east of Olympia, near Buckley. Visitors rate it 5.0 stars across 5 Google reviews.
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5. Christine Falls
56 miles east of Olympia. Rated 4.8 out of 5 from 103 reviews.
Pierce County, WA 98304 (GPS 46.7809, -121.7798)
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Christine Falls is about 56 miles east of Olympia, near Eatonville. Visitors rate it 4.8 stars across 103 Google reviews, and 83% of them give it five stars. In short: "Waterfalls framed by a stone bridge are among the attractions at this sprawling national park."
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6. Snoqualmie Falls
61 miles northeast of Olympia. Rated 4.8 out of 5 from 4,480 reviews.
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Snoqualmie Falls is about 61 miles northeast of Olympia, near Snoqualmie. Visitors rate it 4.8 stars across 4,480 Google reviews, and 85% of them give it five stars. In short: "Well-known, scenic 270-foot waterfall surrounded by a 2-acre park, observation deck & gift shop."
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7. Spray Falls
51 miles east of Olympia. Rated 4.8 out of 5 from 19 reviews.
Pierce County, WA 98304 (GPS 46.9157, -121.8418)
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Spray Falls is about 51 miles east of Olympia, near Buckley. Visitors rate it 4.8 stars across 19 Google reviews.
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8. Ranger Falls
49 miles east of Olympia. Rated 4.8 out of 5 from 14 reviews.
Pierce County, WA 98304 (GPS 46.9840, -121.8540)
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Ranger Falls is about 49 miles east of Olympia, near Buckley. Visitors rate it 4.8 stars across 14 Google reviews.
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9. Kalama Falls
69 miles south of Olympia. Rated 4.9 out of 5 from 29 reviews.
Cowlitz County, WA 98603 (GPS 46.1087, -122.3570)
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Kalama Falls is about 69 miles south of Olympia, near Amboy. Visitors rate it 4.9 stars across 29 Google reviews, and 93% of them give it five stars.
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10. Deschutes Falls
28 miles southeast of Olympia. Rated 4.6 out of 5 from 38 reviews.
Thurston County, WA 98597 (GPS 46.8029, -122.4146)
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Deschutes Falls is about 28 miles southeast of Olympia, near Eatonville. Visitors rate it 4.6 stars across 38 Google reviews, and 82% of them give it five stars.
Waterfall Day Trips From Olympia
| Waterfall | Distance | Nearest town | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deschutes Falls | 28 mi southeast | Eatonville | 4.6 |
| Little Mashel Falls | 32 mi southeast | Eatonville | 4.7 |
| Ranger Falls | 49 mi east | Buckley | 4.8 |
| Chenuis Falls | 50 mi east | Buckley | 5.0 |
| Spray Falls | 51 mi east | Buckley | 4.8 |
| Christine Falls | 56 mi east | Eatonville | 4.8 |
| Narada Falls | 57 mi east | Eatonville | 4.9 |
| Snoqualmie Falls | 61 mi northeast | Snoqualmie | 4.8 |
| Silver Falls | 66 mi east | Eatonville | 4.9 |
| Kalama Falls | 69 mi south | Amboy | 4.9 |
Straight-line distances from downtown Olympia. Driving distances are longer, especially in the mountains.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best waterfall near Olympia?
Narada Falls tops our 2026 list. It is about 57 miles east of Olympia and rated 4.9 stars from 260 Google reviews.
What is the closest waterfall to Olympia?
Of the waterfalls on this list, Deschutes Falls is the closest, about 28 straight-line miles southeast of the city, near Eatonville.
How many waterfalls are near Olympia?
We track 60 publicly accessible, reviewed waterfalls in Washington within 100 miles of Olympia, 4 of this list's picks within 50 miles. See every waterfall in the state on the Washington waterfalls page.
How was this list made?
We looked at the 60 publicly accessible Washington waterfalls within 100 straight-line miles of Olympia that have at least five Google reviews, then ranked them by a weighted rating with a small penalty for distance, so a great waterfall close to town edges out an equally rated one far away.
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.
Summary
Narada Falls is our top waterfall pick near Olympia, rated 4.9 out of 5 and about 57 miles from the city. Ratings and review counts reflect public data at the time of writing and can change, and trail access and water levels vary through the year, so confirm conditions before you go.
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.
For more Washington waterfalls, see the full Washington waterfalls page, or read 15 Best Waterfalls in Washington, 10 Most Beautiful Waterfalls in Washington and 5 Must-See Waterfalls in Washington.