Parking
Use the Grove of the Patriarchs parking area on Stevens Canyon Road. The Eastside Trail access is just northwest of Stevens Canyon Entrance Station, across the road from the Grove trailhead; take the Eastside junction about 0.4 mile in.
Overview
About Eastside Trail to Ohanapecosh Falls
Why go
- Two-tier falls and plunge pools reward the long approach.
- Old-growth forest and river scenery along the way.
Heads up
- The 7.4-mile round trip makes this a half-day commitment.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Mount Rainier map
Full mapElevation2,254–2,579 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
7 active Mount Rainier alerts
- ClosureWildfire closures in the northern parkGrand Park 2 and Wonderland Complex fire closures affect trails, backcountry camps, and Sunrise access; stay out of closed areas.Official details
- ClosureSR 165 bridge closed: no public access to Carbon River or Mowich LakeThe SR 165 Carbon River/Fairfax Bridge is closed to vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians; there is no public access or alternate route to Carbon River or Mowich Lake.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Mount Rainier Tour Guide
Your drive to Eastside Trail to Ohanapecosh Falls, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Mount Rainier National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Mount Rainier audio tourRecorded for this area
Laughingwater Creek: A Full Day to Three Lakes0:00 / 0:25
“You're coming up on Laughingwater Creek trailhead, where the hike to Three Lakes starts across the highway from the parking area.”
Plays on the road 0.4 mi from the trailhead in the Parkwolf Mount Rainier Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- A Woodpecker's Rectangular Clue
- A Banana Slug's Slime
- A Douglas-fir’s Thick Skin
- Ohanapecosh: Old Forest and Silver Falls
- 77 audio storiesacross Mount Rainier’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Mountain Goat, Black Bear, Wolverine, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 99 trails, 87 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Eastside Trail to Ohanapecosh Falls
A full half-day walk to the fallsThis is a 7.
This is a 7.4-mile out-and-back from the Grove of the Patriarchs parking area to Ohanapecosh Falls on the Eastside Trail. It suits hikers who want a long forest walk with a waterfall at the end, not anyone looking for a quick roadside stop. Allow about four hours, including time at the falls.
Follow the Eastside TrailThe first 0.4 mile leads to a junction; turn left onto Eastside Trail.
The first 0.4 mile leads to a junction; turn left onto Eastside Trail. The route passes through old-growth fir, hemlock and cedar forest, with river and creek scenery along the way. Expect mostly gentle walking with short climbs and dips. You return on the same trail, so save some energy for the walk back.
Take time at the fallsThe Ohanapecosh River drops nearly 70 feet in two tiers into a pair of plunge pools.
The Ohanapecosh River drops nearly 70 feet in two tiers into a pair of plunge pools. The footbridge crosses above the water; the best view of the full falls is from its south side. This is the payoff for the distance, and a better reason to linger than to rush back as soon as you reach the bridge.
Start and trail rulesBegin at the Eastside Trail access beside the Grove of the Patriarchs parking area on Stevens…
Begin at the Eastside Trail access beside the Grove of the Patriarchs parking area on Stevens Canyon Road. At the first junction, about 0.4 mile in, go left. Pets are not allowed on Mount Rainier trails.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Mount Rainier
466 sightingsMountain GoatMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
383 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
10 sightingsWolverineMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
58 sightingsElkMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
574 sightingsMule DeerMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
1,853 sightingsHoary MarmotMost seen around 6 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Mount Rainier. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
