rainbow falls

I have been to Rainbow Falls many times. This trip I was able to see a complete rainbow across the falls - beautiful!

Nice little walk to the falls on an ADA trail. It is a nice place to stop if you only have a few hours at Stehekin or if you are on a bike ride.

Short hike to a great vista...all could do this....easy trail. Do on your own so that you can spend some time and enjoy without the crowds.

Pretty and peaceful on our way back on bikes from the ranch. Avoid when the bus of day trippers flood the place.

Beautiful waterfall, a must see in Stehekin. Rented bikes and rode to the falls. Enjoyed our picnic lunch on the enormous picnic table at the base of the falls.

Gorgeous water fall, the second landing is a beautiful view you will get wet the water is cold, crisp, and clear. We rented bikes and rode the 3.5 miles to the falls.

So the walk up the mountain hurts... a lot. Make sure you have good footwear on as it's so rocky and uneven, if you are into hiking then this is a perfect trail, if not, the falls that await you at the top are well worth it so carry on and don't give up!When we eventually reached the top and climbed up the rocks to get underneath the falls by partner got down on one knee and proposed... it was the perfect ending to the walk.

Wow! Our trip began when we boarded the Lady Express of Chelan for the 2.5 hour cruise to Stehekin, Washington. We'd called the Stehekin Lodge a few days prior to our arrival to find out if the waterfall was accessible. It's late March following a stretch of several warm days and a winter that delivered only a fraction of the snowfall that we'd usually receive. The lodge indicated that the road was mostly plowed and perhaps the last 1/2 mile would become a hike to the falls. In summer, the lodge provides tour buses to the waterfall and places further up road to High Bridge. Since it's off season, that option wasn't available. And, to add another layer of complication, The Lady Express begins its journey back to Chelan following a short one hour stay. With all of the parameters we were faced with, our odds of ever getting to the waterfall were slim to none. Or were they? As the Lady Express docked, my wife and I were the first passengers off the boat and were greeted by a nice lady with a clipboard who noticed our tripod and camera bag, "Are you the folks wanting to get to Rainbow Falls?" Well, Yes, but I don't think will be able to get there, "see that red car over there? Keys are in it". Whoa, we cannot believe what's happening as we scurry off to our awaiting red Subaru. Up the road we go, headed to a waterfall that's 3.5 miles away. As we pull up to the entrance road we notice a six or seven foot wide strip where someone ran what appeared to be a privately owned snowplow. The Rainbow Falls access road is only 1/8 mile long with a turn around at the end. Everything was plowed, except for a short foot trail up to the waterfall itself. The snow we encountered was minimal (less than 30 feet) and only eight or so inches deep. Talk about rolling out the red carpet. The love we received, as complete strangers who happened to call in advance to figure out what all of our options were. The folks at Stehekin Lodge are truly amazing. Since we visited during the off season, there was no fee. Our access was a volunteer effort that didn't go un-noticed. As we were running to catch our return trip back to Chelan, we provided a $20.00 tip for the use of the car. If the kind folks at TripAdvisor could place this review to multiple locations, I'd be forever grateful to see it at Stehekin Lodge as well as this attraction.

We had a great time, the falls was cascading down, creating a rainbow to see. We took some friends with and they said that they will come again in the summer. There were only eight of us on the tour and the driver went out of her way to make it very personal. Thank You......

A high narrow waterfall, reached easily off the main road, served by the shuttle. Worth seeing, but not Niagara. two view points, one below falls, where you may get wet, and presumably the place to see Rainbow, which we did not see. Second part way up, moderate slope getting up there. Short walk to the old school which is a museum, and new school. Good way to wile away the minutes until the shuttle arrives.

Love these beautiful falls and yes we could actually see a rainbow from the mist. We biked about 3 miles from the landing to the falls and then hiked a short way to the lower lookout. Don't miss going to the top lookout. That is where we were actually able to see the rainbow. Just beautiful!

It was easy to get to by rented bicycle at the Lodge at Stehekin and we could have spent hours picnicing there.

The trial is well maintained and the falls are well worth the short hike. The lower pool is spectacular but don't miss the view from the upper falls. There are benches for relaxation if you so choose!

Pretty falls and still flowing strong in mid summer. Nice stop if you bike up valley. Good place to take a picnic lunch.

The Rainbow Falls Tour was great. We were there early in the season and a massive amount of runoff was coming down. We really saw the rainbow... The water cascaded down directly in front of us and then went down the gorge into the river. The bus driver and the Park tour guide were very helpful in pointing out the historical and natural sites along the route. there was also a stop at the old Stehekin school house. This school showed all of the valley history and gave us a personal insite of the local population. We plan to take another trip to Stehekin in the fall to see the colors and another trip to the falls.