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Ethania Falls is the second to last waterfall along St. Andrews Creek and is easily the most scenic and my personal favorite. The falls veil 127 feet over a broken cliff lined with old growth Cedars and lots of moss. Like nearby Larrupin Falls, this one is quite difficult to access. In climbing back to the Westside Road after visiting the falls, the dense brush in the area decided one of my two-way radios needed to be sacrificed to the gods, never to be seen again. Also like with Larrupin Falls, it appears there was once a very well maintained trail that led downstream from Denman Falls at least as far as Ethania Falls, if not all the way to the Puyallup River. Traces are very visible in several places, but elsewhere was impossible to follow. The former trail, if restored, would make a fantastic hike for those biking the Westside Road.
- ETHANIA FALLS is the Official name of this waterfall.
I don't know the origin of the name of the falls, but my best guess (based on what I've found online) is that it may stem from a word Hebrew in origin which means Firm or Enduring.
Ethania Falls is a little less than 1/2 of a mile downstream from Denman Falls, west of the Westside Road in Mount Rainier National Park. I don't recommend attempting to visit the falls due to the lack of a defined trail, but to those who wish to attempt it, find the trail near the Denman Falls viewpoint marked with the "Unmaintaned Beyond This Point" sign and generally stay within earshot of St. Andrews Creek, following the old trail wherever possible. I guarantee you will lose it in several locations and will have to battle thick brush practically the whole way. It gets steeper when scrambling from the top of the falls to the viewpoint halfway down.
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