Myrtle Falls

Myrtle Falls is a braided cascade on Edith Creek in Paradise, with Mount Rainier rising behind it. It's one of the area's best quick stops for the combination of waterfall and mountain. From Paradise Inn, follow the paved Skyline Trail northeast for about 0.4 mile to the footbridge. For the full view below the bridge, take the steep stairs and dirt path down. The bridge gives you a view of the upper falls if you want to skip that descent.

Edith Creek spreads over dark rock and drops through a deep gorge. The lower viewpoint puts the cascade and Mount Rainier in the same frame when the mountain is clear. Go down for the classic falls-and-Rainier view; from the bridge you see only the upper part. Cloud can hide the mountain, so the waterfall may be the whole picture on a grey day.

Guide Jules Stampfler named Myrtle Falls in 1907 after a woman who joined one of his climbing parties. He remembered her first name, Myrtle, but not her surname. He named Edith Creek around the same time after another woman in one of those parties, so the creek and falls carry two names from the same bit of Rainier's climbing history.

Paradise's high meadows can stay snow-covered into June or July. Once the snow pulls back, the short subalpine growing season brings flowers quickly. Heather, bell-heather and huckleberry are part of the local meadow community; lupine, glacier lilies and paintbrush are among the showier flowers around the park. Exact timing shifts with the snowmelt.

The paved approach has several steep sections, and the full viewpoint requires stairs and a steep dirt slope. The lower view isn't wheelchair-accessible. There is also a step at the bridge, so even the upper view may not suit everyone. Snow often lingers into early summer, and spring conditions around the falls can be treacherous. Dogs aren't allowed on Paradise trails.

The Paradise lots serve the falls, visitor center and Inn, and can fill by late morning on busy days; arriving earlier lowers the chance of circling. There isn't food or a restroom at the falls. Nearby, the Henry M. Jackson Visitor Center has public restrooms, water refills and the Paradise Camp Deli for snacks, lunch and drinks; Paradise Inn has a dining room and Tatoosh Café. Those are separate stops, and Paradise services are seasonal.