Myrtle Falls

Myrtle Falls is one of the most famous waterfalls in national park especially because you usually get the perfect view of Mount Rainier in the background. We visited in October, but unfortunately couldn’t see Mount Rainier since the Paradise area was completely foggy. Even without the mountain view, the falls were still beautiful. You need to walk from the Paradise parking lot to reach the falls.

I went to Mount Rainier National Park with a group of people, hoping to climb Mount Rainier. We had so much fun and developed a great friendship. We spent two nights at Camp Muir; however, conditions did not allow us to go any further, and one of our friends got sick. This was one of my first mountaineering expeditions, and I learned so much.

Myrtle Falls is one of the most stunning and easily accessible waterfalls in Mount Rainier National Park. The short walk from the Paradise parking area offers incredible views — especially with Mount Rainier perfectly framed behind the falls. The trail is well-maintained and great for families or anyone looking for a quick scenic stop. Definitely worth the visit, especially at sunset or early morning when it’s less crowded!

When we visited “she wasn’t out,” it was rainy and cloudy. While we were bummed to miss the iconic view from this quintessential hike, it was still a nice hike and the waterfalls were breathtaking. It’s a relatively short hike with a slight incline but a walk worth taking, no matter the weather.

Myrtle Falls is one of the most beautiful spots in Mount Rainier. The trail to the falls is short, only about 10–15 minutes, and really easy for everyone. The view of the waterfall with the mountain in the backdrop is stunning and definitely worth the stop. There’s another trail that continues further up Mount Rainier which I couldn’t take this time because of limited time, but if you can, it’s worth exploring. My tip would be not to try to cover five different mountains in one trip, instead spend a couple of days just at Rainier. There’s so much to see here, from Myrtle Falls to Crystal Lake and plenty of other beautiful trails. An easy hike, incredible scenery, and one of the highlights of the park. Sharing my travel experiences here, follow me for more real reviews and tips on where to go and what not to miss.

Some of my friends actually did their proposal here — The Hands of the Heart sculpture. If you’d like to come here for photos or just to see the view, it’s best to come after 9 or 10 a.m., because the sky usually opens up more then and you can see the mountains. Earlier than that it can be foggy, especially during rainy or cold weather.

Quick hike from Paradise visitor center. Paved road. The fall with view of Mt Rainier at the backdrop is a great sight to start your visit at this national park.

Well- maintained. Family-friendly. Be sure to wear hiking boots and pants that can get muddy just in case the ground is wet from the snowmelt. Please stay on trail and be careful not to leave any trash.

The trail to reach Myrtle falls is pretty easy/short (a little less than a mile) and BOY are the views stunning. The actual view of Myrtle facing Mt. Rainier is kind of the "poster child" picture for Mt. Rainier at least that I saw online so that was fun when I realized! A crowd definitely does gather right in front of the falls so don't be surprised, you may have to wait/ask folks to shift around if you want to get a nice photo. It's worth it though! Overall if you're visiting the Paradise part of Mt. Rainier, this is such an easy spot to get to that you absolutely should not miss. The whole trail path is paved.

This is one of the most photographed areas in Mount Rainier National Park. The view of Myrtle Falls with Mount Rainier in the background is one of the most stunning viewpoints in the whole park. Myrtle Falls is located in the Paradise area and is a short walk from the parking lot on the Skyline loop trail. The trail is moderately challenging and is on paved asphalt. This waterfall tumbles 72 feet into a rugged gorge, There is a viewing area off to the side that allows you to take photos of Myrtle Falls with Mount Rainier directly behind it. Just know that it can get crowded in this small area. There may also be professional photographers in this area taking photos with a tripod. There is a bridge over Myrtle Falls that allows you to see it from above. I highly recommend doing the full Skyline loop trail if you have time. It's a great hike. The Paradise area is closed during the winter season.

Absolutely beautiful stop. You look at pictures and postcards, and the picture looks more colorful and intense than in person. Myrtle Falls, however, is one of those places that is prettier and more impressive in person. Words (and even my picture) will not do it justice. A quick, easy 0.5 mile walk from the Paradise visitor center (on the Skyline Loop), it is easily accessible. If you don't have much time here, this is definitely a stop you should incorporate and will be quick. Parking is super easy at the visitor center at the start of the hike. An easily accessible, quick point of beauty in Mt Rainier National Park.

Less than one mile from the visitor center, it's an easy trail. The viewing area is kind of small and always packed with people, you will have to wait for your turn to get closer and to take photos.

Myrtle Falls is a short walk from Jackson Visitor Center and is just picturesque. It's a 70 foot waterfall with the majestic Mount Rainier in the background. It's one of the best attractions in the park in terms of effort-to-reward ratio. I can see why it's one of the most popular and most photographed areas and you'll often see people with tripods taking pictures.

started on the left side of the trail so seeing myrtle falls nearing at the end of our hike was so rewarding! truly magnificent work of art i lov our earth ... yes i am a taurus

One of the bestttttt views of Mt Rainier ! Wowow . We were just amazed with this view ! The only issue is the space of this viewpoint ! It's pretty small and u r almost pushed out of ur spot , if u try to take 5-6 pics ! It's about a .5 mile walk from visitor center and it is worth it . There is a small walkway / step to the viewpoint . There are soooooo many people there trying to take a pic . Yeah . It's toooooo crowded on weekends and summer days ! It's still worth the view . Beautiful view of the falls with Rainier at the background . Tough to take strollers ! Loved it overall

Beautiful, quick trail in Mount Rainer National Park. You can easily access it from the visitors center. It's a little bit of an incline but it's not hard. There are stopping points along the way for anyone that needs a quick resting spot. I was also very close to a deer walking on the path. The wildflowers along the way were absolutely stunning!

Myrtle was on my list of sites to see while visiting the park for the first time. What I hadn't realized was that the Paradise area would be packed to the gils, as roads from there were already closed for the year. After battling for a parking spot we fought the ice rink of stairs that was to lead from the lot to the falls. The path to the falls was gorgeous, and of course crowded. With so many site seekers converged in the area, it was hard to get onto the bridge at the top, I had to wiggle past numerous tri-pods. To be expected I suppose, as Myrtle Falls has a stunning setting with direct views of the snowy peak above. I carefully traversed the icy stairs down to the viewing area, but not carefully enough I guess, as even though I was holding the cable I still went down hard. But, I was most of the way down and wanted my bruises to not be in vain, so I got up and finished my course. Glad I did, the view from below is amazing...especially with the blanket of snow on the surrounding trees. Overall, I'd hold to Myrtle being a must-see in the park. As an avid falls hiker, it's not the most unique falls out there, or even within the park. It's the setting that makes it special. *Sorry my pics aren't great, wrong time of day for shadows!

*Summer Flashback* Located in the Paradise region of Mount Rainier National Park, Myrtle Falls is such a delight to enjoy before continuing on to explore trails up ahead. On a sunny day, if you're lucky, Mount Rainier will appear directly in the backdrop of the Falls, making for an extremely picturesque shot. Although the mountain hid behind the clouds on the day I visited, I was still captivated by the entire scene. The Myrtle Falls viewpoint is accessible down a well-defined but steep set of steps covered with sand and some rocks. Although common sense, be sure to wear shoes with good traction to prevent sliding on the surface. While the lookout area is small and gets fairly crowded with visitors constantly rotating in and out, it provides the perfect place to snap some beautiful photos. Now for my favorite area of the park! Back on the main path in the same general area is a bridge which passes directly over a stream of water that feeds Myrtle Falls. There is something so serene about standing on the bridge, listening to the trickling water and appreciating the sight of the green hills that lead your gaze up to Mount Rainier. Spend a couple minutes here to take it all in...the views can't be beat!

Myrtle Falls is one of the easiest waterfalls to get to. It's located within the main Paradise section of Mt. Rainier National Park. And although this Paradise area is the beginning to many iconic Mt. Rainier hikes....I decided to come straight here to Myrtle Falls first thing when I arrived just as a little sampler towards my exploration around this section. Myrtle Falls from the Henry M. Jackson Visitor Center is simply a 1 mile round trip walk. Though....by the time you just even get to the Skyline Trail where Myrtle Falls is located along...it's a very easy a 1/4 mile little side stop for people with maybe bigger plans and hikes to traverse around Paradise. But, point is...Myrtle Falls is very easy to access and there are visible signs to find it. And all Myrtle Falls is....just an overlook. Yeah a viewpoint of a cascading waterfall...it was pretty. I enjoyed it. Though there are certainly much better waterfalls to view throughout Mt. Rainier. But like I said...Myrtle Falls was sort of like my appetizer attraction....a quick stop to check off my list. For those who know me, I can't stand handrails or guardrails when trying to photograph surroundings at panoramic points. So...as per my usual, here at Myrtle there was a guardrail which prevented me from putting myself in the picture. No problem....I gently climbed over the rail and avoided this obstruction. Lol, once again...I'm always on the lookout for better angles. So I was able to hop over the rail, but barely because there was little room to maneuver....otherwise I'd fall over the cliff's edge. Myrtle Falls is a 60 foot waterfall in length. I visited here in early afternoon on my first day visiting Mt. Rainier and had no issues with the angle of the sun disrupting my picture taking. I maybe spent 5 minutes looking at the falls and taking a few photos before moving on. Since it was already afternoon when I arrived here in the Paradise section....I was only looking to do the easier hikes and paths. I decided to save the more strenuous trails like the Skyline Trail to Panorama Point and many of the hikes in the Sunrise section for early mornings when I had full days to explore. If anyone cares...from Myrtle Falls I returned to my car and drove down less than 1 mile to the lower section parking lot here at Paradise to hike the easy Nisqually Vista Trail Loop which I highly recommend for some scenic and undisturbed shots of Mt. Rainier.

Went on 10/16/21 around 4pm and was surprised to see snow on the trail. Some parts are slippery. Recommend to wear traction cleats so you don't slip. Alot of people on trail were not prepared. We were helping each other down the steps. But overall, fun to see snow at this time. Not much view of the falls since covered in snow.

Wow, such a beautiful waterfall! The waterfall viewpoint is located in the Paradise area and is an easy less than half mile walk (one way) from the main trail head next to the visitor center. This trail is wheelchair/stroller accessible but will require some assistance since there is a short but very steep ramp down to the viewpoint. Myrtle Falls is also on the way down/or up from the Golden Gate Trail and Skyline Trail. The viewpoint area was quite busy, so you might have to wait your turn to snap some pictures. There was a portion of some trees cut away for you to have an even closer look at the waterfalls, though it's hard to get a good shot of both the waterfall AND yourself, so just soak in the view!