Hiking to Sol Duc Falls on the Olympic Peninsula

Looking for more hikes and things to do in Olympic National Park?
Check out my review on hiking and exploring Rialto Beach & Hole-in-the-Wall

WE HIKED IT

July, 2021, about 3.5 hours including a brief lunch break

CURRENT INFO

For information about Sol Duc Falls and the Sol Duc Valley, visit the National Park Service website. Find hiking reviews on the WTA (Washington Trails Association) website. For reviews of the shorter, 1.6 mile hike, visit this page. Good maps and trail info are also available in the book Day Hiking Olympic Peninsula by Craig Romano.

GOOD TO KNOW

• Since Sol Duc Falls is located within Olympic National Park, you must present an America the Beautiful pass (or other national parks pass) or pay the $30 entrance fee (valid for up to seven days) when you enter the park. You can also purchase an annual pass at a park entrance station. Olympic National Park has its own annual pass available for $55, but I prefer the America the Beautiful Pass, which covers entrance fees for all national parks as well as other national lands. Check ahead of time to see if you qualify for a free pass — fourth graders and active military do! Fourth graders must print a voucher ahead of time to qualify.
• To do the full 5.8 mile Lover’s Lane loop hike to Sol Duc Falls, park in the lot at Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort. Keep an eye out for deer — they love to graze near the parking lot and cabins.
• Restrooms, a gift shop, and restaurant are available at Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort, which manages the cabins and hot springs pools.
• Restrooms are also available at Sol Duc Campground. The trail passes through the campground early on in the loop hike.
• Pets are not allowed on the trails beyond the campground.
• To take the easier 1.6 mile out-and-back hike to Sol Duc Falls, drive past the resort to the parking lot at the end of the road. Restrooms are available here also. This is a popular hike, so go early in the day or off season if you seek a more solitary experience.
• Looking for a little post-hike pampering? Head to Sol Duc Hot Springs for a relaxing soak. The resort offers three small warm pools filled with natural mineral spring water, and one large unheated pool for swimming. And campers, listen up: you can also take a hot shower in the changing rooms! Score! In 2023, 1.5 hour pool sessions cost $18 for adults and $12 for children age four through 11. Children 3 and under are free.

HIGHLIGHTS

Sol Duc Falls is one of the icons of Olympic National Park. It’s not a tall waterfall, but its unique grace and beauty draws onlookers from around the world. Considering this, it’s no surprise that the short out-and-back trail to the falls gets a lot of foot traffic. Unless you go early in the day or in the off season, expect to have company during this portion of the hike. For those willing to hike further, the Lover’s Lane loop takes you through a verdant forest filled with cedar, sitka, and maples. In summer, huckleberries are ripe for the picking, and ferns tickle your feet. All this beauty, but none of the crowds!

THE KIDS’ TAKE

This was a fun hike, made even more so with the promise of a visit to the Sol Duc Hot Springs on our return! Everyone enjoyed the trek through the tranquil forest, and a couple of log bridges added a little excitement.

WHILE YOU’RE HERE

Did someone say “hot springs”? As noted above in the “Good to Know” section, you may want to plan a post-hike hot springs session at Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort. Yes, these are not “wild” hot springs, as the water has been diverted into man-made pools. Despite that, the setting is beautiful, the water feels divine, and our whole family heartily recommends it! The resort also has a restaurant. As you would expect, the food is pricey, but it’s quite good, and a fun way to make your day a little “extra” if it’s in your budget. A small selection of snacks, camp food, and drinks is available in the gift shop.

There is so much more to see and do in Olympic National Park! Want to camp? We stayed at nearby Fairholme Campground on gorgeous Lake Crescent. A lovely campground is also located at Sol Duc, and the resort offers cozy cabins for rent. The Sol Duc Valley offers longer hiking trails — it’s not just about Sol Duc Falls and the hot springs! Further afield, but well worth the detour, is Hurricane Ridge, with more hikes and endless views. Heading to the coast? Check out the incredible Rialto Beach.

I’ve been to the Olympic Peninsula a number of times, but somehow never made it to Sol Duc Falls (or the hot springs, for that matter). Now, it was time to rectify that oversight. And we weren’t about to take the easy way with the short, 1.6 mile out-and-back hike that most visitors choose. No, we (or really, “I”) chose the longer route, taking the full 5.8-mile Lover’s Lane loop from Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort to Sol Duc Falls and back again. Afterwards, there would be time to soak in the hot springs, enjoy a delicious dinner… wait a minute! This is the “hard” option? Fair enough, most hikes don’t end with a leisurely soak in a pool followed by crab rolls. But after 5.8 miles on the trail, didn’t we deserve a little luxury?

But first, the hike. Following the route outlined in Day Hiking Olympic Peninsula by Craig Romano, we left the Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort parking lot and crossed the bridge over the Sol Duc River. Just past the bridge, a sign pointed the way toward the campground and Sol Duc Falls. A lovely, alder-lined path led to the RV campsites and an unusual surprise. Next to the trail, a strange pipe stood straight out of the ground. Black water edged with green trickled across the path, and the smell of sulphur was strong. No doubt about it, this was hot springs water! We took turns dipping our fingers into the steaming water as it seeped silently from the mysterious pipe.

Continuing on, we soon spotted campsites near the river, and the trail turned to lead us through Sol Duc Campground. Knowing this was our last chance until we returned to the resort, I encouraged everyone to use the restrooms. Signs in the campground handily pointed the way to the falls. Michael and I admired the campsites; many were spacious, and the forested setting was idyllic. It was Wednesday, and the camp was quiet, with many sites still vacant. Hmm, this might be a good place to stay on a future trip to the Olympic Peninsula…

Moving on, we left the campground behind and were immersed in the forest. Much to our delight, we soon spied ripe huckleberries, both red and blue, along the trail. Berry picking on summer hikes is always a treat.

The trail was easy to follow, but a little overgrown in spots. We were momentarily confused, however, at one point where it seemed to continue straight ahead, only to disappear into the brush.

“Is this really the trail?” I asked the kids, who were several steps ahead.

Just then, I heard voices to my right. “The trail’s down here!” someone called. I turned around to find a group of hikers making their way over a series of logs along a muddy marsh. That was the trail? We waited for the other group to pass, then tried it for ourselves. Sure, enough, once we crossed the log, we could clearly see the trail ahead of us. Onward we went!

As we walked, the boys began to wonder when we would reach Sol Duc Falls. T, in particular, was hungry and eager for lunch. “Once we’re close to the falls, we’ll have lunch,” I promised.

It wasn’t long before we reached a trail junction with a sign pointing left toward the parking lot and right toward Sol Duc Falls. This was the shorter route that most visitors take. Sure enough, the trail was much more crowded after this point. Luckily, it was also wider. Steps built into the path led us gradually uphill as we drew nearer. We were also delighted to cross paths with a mule train making its way down from the back country, laden with supply boxes.

Finally, the roar of the falls was heard. We were almost there! But first, lunch. Pulling off the trail, we stopped outside a small, cabin-like hiking shelter to enjoy a quick meal. The shelter was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in 1939, providing a beautiful respite for hikers during stormy weather.

Lunch was finished, and Sol Duc Falls was calling. We hurried down the path and walked out onto the bridge that spans the narrow gorge above the Sol Duc River and were met with this stunning sight:

Sol Duc Falls lived up to the hype, and the other visitors gawping over the rails along the viewing platforms seemed to agree. Unfortunately, we didn’t have long to linger. It was 2:00 and our hot springs session was booked for 4:00. Both Michael and J were determined to arrive back at the resort before then — they didn’t want to miss one minute of their allotted pool time!

Now on the opposite side of the Sol Duc River, we continued our journey. Once again, we had the trail mostly to ourselves, as the majority of visitors turned to head back to the parking lot. From descriptions of the trail, I expected the route back to be easier than the way in. This stretch of trail, on the western banks of the Sol Duc River, is the part officially named “Lover’s Lane”, after all. With peek-a-boo views to the river below, log bridges crossing bubbling streams, and a mind-boggling number of ferns, it was indeed lovely.

At times, however, the trail was also considerably rougher than the wide path that led us on the final approach to Sol Duc Falls. We encountered more roots and rocks, and one area in particular was strewn with jagged stones. Perhaps that’s fitting for a trail titled “Lover’s Lane”. After all, love isn’t always easy.

Beyond the rocks, we passed through a thicket of ferns towering over our heads and encroaching onto the narrow trail. Michael and I found it delightful, but T was less than impressed (I think he needed another snack). Further ahead, a boardwalk led us safely over a small bog.

We were in the home stretch now, with Michael urging us on. As we rounded some tight curves on Lover’s Lane, a distinctive smell hit my nose: sulphur! It wasn’t long before a pool of pale blue water appeared through the trees. We would arrive with time to spare.

We made it to our car by 3:30, where we sloughed off our packs and gathered our swimming supplies, eager for the hot springs to soothe our hard-working feet. Ahhhh… surely there could be no better end to a wonderful day on the trail!