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Wolf Creek Falls is the hidden gem in the northern portion of Olympic National Park. Located at the end of an obscure trail near the end of the Whiskey Bend Road above Lake Mills, the falls are seen by few, and truly appreciated by even fewer. I say this because while the lower 25 foot tier of the falls is a piece of cake to view – enchanting, mysterious and totally worth the short hike in its own right – the main 90 foot drop of the falls is difficult, if not flat out dangerous to achieve clear views of. The trail to the falls winds steeply down the hillside and ends on the shores of the Elwha River just upstream from Lake Mills. The mouth of Wolf Creek is immediately adjacent to the end of the trail, and a quick stroll up the gravel bar yields the presence of a pretty little waterfall tucked back in a dark alcove. The streambed is shallow and pebbly all the way back to the falls, so even in winter when the falls are running high, getting your feet wet won’t entail wading more than ankle deep water. Standing in the middle of the creek at the base of the falls, one can peer up the gorge to the impressive upper tier veiling over a jagged face. The only possible way to view the upper falls in unobstructed ways is to scale an undercut root ladder and traverse a precarious herd path directly above a steep drop terminating in the pool at the base of the falls. While it is doable (and completely worth the nerve wrack), I definitely don’t recommend it be undertaken by anyone not comfortable with walking on less than 6 inches of earth – or falling and breaking a leg for that matter.
- WOLF CREEK FALLS is the Adopted name of this waterfall.
Wolf Creek Falls can be accessed from the Lake Mills Trail near the Whiskey Bend Trailhead in Olympic National Park. Follow Olympic Hot Springs Road for 4 miles from Highway 101, then turn left on to Whiskey Bend Road and follow for just under 4 miles to the signed Lake Mills Trail. The falls are reached in 4/10 of a mile.
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