Porter Falls

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Region: Olympics

Roundtrip Miles: 1.8 miles

Elevation Gain (feet): 450

Best Month(s): October

Hikeable: year-round

Trailhead Coordinates:  46.9780, -123.2563

Pass: Discover

Features: waterfalls, wildlife, fall foliage, old growth, river

Water: river access during low flow, but it’s such a short hike just bring a bottle with you

Time: Plan on spending about an hour for this one including time at the falls.

Summary: A beautiful short hike only 40 minutes away from Olympia. It took me about 20 minutes to get to the falls and then 25 minutes back. It’s mostly uphill on the way back. It’s more like 1.75 miles round-trip, not 2.2 as listed on WTA. Ascent was 457 feet.

The road up is excellent. The trail is in good condition. The fall colors are spectacular right now. Just maples here but they’re beautiful. The water level is still rather low, but plenty of flow at the falls.

The only obstacle on the trail was a downed tree, about 12″ diameter, angled across the trail about 1-1.5 feet off the ground. It was very easily crossed. The first part can be a little steep, especially on the way down. The ground is so compact that it is probably pretty slick in the rain, but today was no issue.

The dogs and I had the trail to ourselves both out and back on a sunny Wednesday morning, starting out around 9am . Only other vehicle we saw out there was the campground host. The trailhead is on the left, a couple hundred feet past the camp host’s RV. There are a couple pull outs before the campground that weren’t designated as campsites, so that’s where I parked.

Went mushroom hunting in the forest afterwards and came up with a couple gallons of chanterelles.

Post-hike Food Stop:

  1. Curry Corner (Lacey): honestly, everything here is delicious but my favorite is the Butter Chicken…make sure you order garlic naan as your side or in addition to your side of rice; the vegetarian options are fantastic as well…Dal Makhni and Dal Tarka are especially good
  2. Ramirez Mexican Store and Restaurant (Tumwater) – authentic, delicious, and good service; the breakfast Machaca is bomb! I think they may have the best Mexican food in Washington state
  3. Fish Tale Brewpub* (Olympia): crab cakes, clam chowder, fish and chips

Other Olympia Attractions:

  • Capitol Lake/Heritage Park
  • Washington State Capitol
  • Farmers Market
  • Hands On Children’s Museum
  • Priest Point Park
  • Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge
  • Artesian Well
  • Lattin’s Cider Mill and Farm — THE BEST apple fritters you’ll ever have!
  • Wolf Haven

Note: The restaurants and breweries denoted with * are potentially dog-friendly for their outdoor seating. Their patio dining may only be open during summer, however. You should always check with each restaurant to see if outdoor space has a separate entrance and if they are willing to accommodate well-behaved dogs. I would never assume just because a place has allowed dogs in the past that this is still the case.