Ranger Falls

Ranger Falls is a three-part waterfall on the Green Lake Trail in Mount Rainier’s Carbon River area. Ranger Creek feeds it. Across three segments, the cascade drops 172 feet in total, with a tallest drop of 73 feet. It is a memorable pause on a long hike through old-growth forest, rather than a roadside stop; the signed viewpoint is a short spur off the trail.

The route starts at the Carbon River Entrance on an old roadbed that has been closed to vehicles since flood damage in 2006. The Ranger Creek junction is 3.6 miles from the entrance, then the falls are another mile uphill. The full Green Lake hike is 10.8 miles round trip with 1,300 feet of climbing. Ranger Falls is about 0.8 mile before the lake, so it makes a substantial out-and-back on its own. At the junction, follow the signed 200-foot spur to the overlook; nearby informal paths descend but do not reach the viewing point. Bring food and drinking water for the long approach, and treat any natural water before drinking.

The water tumbles through a narrow slot among dark boulders and fallen trunks, breaking into several drops rather than one clean plunge. The falls carry more water outside high summer and can shrink to a trickle in midsummer. The ledges and logs make the channel’s shape easier to see when you take a moment at the signed overlook.

The route passes old-growth Douglas-firs about 800 years old. Beyond the falls, the trail keeps climbing through a cooler montane forest with hemlock and silver fir. The waterfall is a natural pause between the old forest along the approach and the uphill stretch toward Green Lake.

From the signed viewpoint, frame the upper and lower cascades together with the fallen trunks and dark rock ledges. The logs crossing the water give the tiers a sense of scale, while a tight crop of white water loses the shape of the slot.