Being part of Mount Rainier National Park helps. Trails to Alice Falls are generally maintained and signed, and the park is the first place to check for closures before you go.
What brings people back to Alice Falls is how different it looks from one visit to the next. A wet spring week and a dry August afternoon can feel like two different places.
Geology and background
What makes Alice Falls special
Alice Falls is a waterfall in Mount Rainier National Park, Washington, and the park is part of the visit. Entry costs $30, and the fee covers the park rather than the fall alone, so a trip to Alice Falls is a trip into Rainier country: mountain forest, snow-fed streams and the volcano itself on the horizon when the weather clears.
Its neighbours are close. Cress Falls is 0.8 miles away, Ipsut Falls 2.1 miles away and Upper Van Horn Falls 3.2 miles away, so the area holds several falls within a short drive of each other. There is no gauge linked to this fall and no height figure has been verified for it, so recent rain is the guide to flow.
Navigate by coordinates rather than by name. Map apps often send waterfall searches to the wrong parking lot or the far side of the stream. Download an offline map before you lose signal.
Prices and passes
Entry fee: $30.
Best time and crowds
No stream gauge is linked to Alice Falls, so recent rain is your best guide. Expect the most water in spring and after heavy rain, when snowmelt runs off the mountain. In a dry spell, especially late summer and early fall, the same fall can look half the size.
Mount Rainier is busiest in summer. Arrive early or late: the middle of a summer weekend is peak time, and the park’s parking lots can be full by 10 a.m.
Safety
Stay on marked trails and behind railings. Wet, mossy rock near the brink is the most common cause of serious injury. Never climb the cascade or stand at the top edge, even when the flow looks gentle. Plunge pools hide cold water, strong currents and submerged logs.
What to bring
Shoes with real grip
A rain shell for the spray and the mountain weather, which changes fast here
Water and a snack
An offline map or screenshot
A dry bag for your phone
A bag to pack out trash
Practical tips
Pair it with Cress Falls, 0.8 miles away.
Screenshot the directions and these coordinates before you leave town.
Check the Mount Rainier National Park page on the day for closures and entry requirements.
Check recent rain before you go: with no gauge, rain is the only guide to flow.
A waterfall is a stream caught in the middle of reshaping its valley. The plunge pool at the base is scoured out by falling water and the stones it carries, and the lip retreats a little with every flood.
Water flow and seasons
No stream gauge is linked to Alice Falls yet, so recent rain is your best guide. The weather panel on this page adds up the last three days of rain at the fall.
Expect the most water in spring and after heavy rain. In a dry spell, especially late summer and early fall, the same fall can look half the size.
The trail and the viewpoint
We do not have a trail length for Alice Falls yet. Some falls are a few steps from a parking area, others take a real hike, so check the park or a trail app before you set out.
Swimming is not listed. Treat the plunge pool as off-limits unless signs say otherwise: the water at the base is colder and stronger than it looks.
Facilities and amenities
Facilities depend on Mount Rainier National Park: larger parks usually have a signed trailhead, restrooms and a parking area, while smaller reserves may have none of these.
Plan as if there is no drinking water and no phone signal at the falls themselves. Use the restroom and fill your bottles before you start walking.
Fees, permits, and opening hours
An entry fee of $30.00 is listed. Fees change, and some parks charge per vehicle rather than per person, so confirm before you go.
Most falls are reachable from dawn to dusk. Gates, seasonal road closures and timed-entry permits are the usual surprises, so check the managing agency on the day.
How to get to Alice Falls
Alice Falls is in Mount Rainier National Park, Washington. For the last stretch, navigate by coordinates (46.9606, -121.7895) rather than by name. Map apps often send waterfall searches to the wrong parking lot or the far side of the stream.
The final approach is usually the hardest part: narrow roads, small trailhead lots that fill early, and a walk that can be ten minutes or several hours. Download an offline map before you lose signal.
Our Washington waterfalls page maps every fall in the state, which helps when you are planning a route.
For the fullest flow, visit Alice Falls in spring or within a couple of days of heavy rain. For easier footing and warmer air, early summer is the compromise.
Light matters for photos: the base of a fall is often in shade by midday, and an overcast day evens out the bright water against dark rock.
Crowds and timing
Arrive early or late. The middle of a summer weekend is peak time almost everywhere, and small trailheads can be full by 10 a.m.
Holiday weekends and the first warm days of spring are the busiest of all. If the lot is full, do not park on the road shoulder: it is the most common reason for tickets and towing at trailheads.
How long to spend there
Without a listed trail length, plan for half a day: enough time to find the trailhead, walk in, spend an hour at the water and walk out without rushing.
If there are other falls nearby, they are often on the same road or trail system. Two or three in a day is very doable.
Where to stay near Alice Falls
We do not recommend specific places to stay. The links below search for hotels and campgrounds around Alice Falls on Google Maps, so you can compare drive times from the trailhead.
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