Sol Duc Falls...

I first saw a photograph of Sol Duc Falls on Instagram, a couple of summers ago. It seems that photographing waterfalls was the thing to do that summer, and every time I opened up IG, there were more photos of waterfalls. There were so many waterfalls that I drooled over, and vowed to go see for myself. Most were in the Columbia Gorge, but Sol Duc Falls on the Olympic Peninsula really appealed to me.

Last March we spent our anniversary weekend in Port Angeles, and early one morning, we tried to hike to Sol Duc Falls. But we were a week too early, and the road was still closed. So we made sure the road was open for this trip, and this morning we shouldered our day packs and headed up the trail.



It's a short 8/10 mile to the bridge over the river, with a picture perfect view of the three separate cascades that flow over the basalt cliff. The trail was popular, and cameras and tripods were everywhere. But I managed to get a few shots without a lot of people in them.

Before we walked back out, we stopped to see the trail shelter that stands on a ledge above the falls, built of logs with an ingenious covered fire ring and chimney just outside the doorway. The shelter is closed for restoration, and the inside has been stripped of bunks and shelving. It's a historic building, and a marker sign explains its history.

I am happy to check this waterfall off my list.