Madison Falls

Madison Falls is a 60-foot cascade in the Elwha Valley. The walk from the trailhead is only 0.1 mile one way, with 26 feet of elevation change, so it’s a good quick stop if you want a waterfall without adding a substantial hike. Benches sit near the falls. The view is an intimate forest scene rather than a wide-open overlook.

The route bends among trees. Stop at the wooden rail partway along to see the creek through the branches, then continue to the falls. The path is described as paved and wheelchair-accessible, though roots have lifted some pavement; don’t count on a perfectly smooth surface. An accessible vault restroom and picnic area are at the trailhead. Parking and turnaround space are limited, and the lot also serves visitors continuing farther into the valley, so allow for a wait when it’s busy.

Klallam communities have relied on salmon in the Elwha watershed for millennia. Elwha Dam, built in 1913, and Glines Canyon Dam, completed in 1927, blocked fish runs without providing passage. Both were removed by 2014; salmon were spawning in the park again within months, the first time in a century. The falls sit in the middle of that larger river-restoration story.

The wooden rail gives you a partly screened view of the creek, while the benches at the end put you beside the falls and pool. For a photo, use the moss-covered rock, falling water and fallen trunks to show the close, wooded setting; there isn’t a broad valley view here.