Every now and again, you need a chance to get away from it all. To enjoy the world around you and to hear nothing but the woods.

This last weekend I went for a hike with my father to the Little Mashel Falls Trailhead. The walk itself was just over 5 miles round trip through the woods on a maintained gravel road. There are a lot of offshoots to different trails; however, there are signs posted to help hikers stay on the right path.

Our hike leads us to three beautiful waterfalls; the Upper, Middle, and Lower Falls. The first stop was Middle Falls. The waterfall is very calming and the perfect place for lunch. We very found a short path that goes behind the waterfall with some small caves. Of all the trails I have been to in Washington, this is the only one I can think of where you have the opportunity to walk behind the falls.

My father and I stopped for lunch at the lower falls, which has a shallow pool at the bottom of the falls. It is a great spot to just sit back and enjoy the scenery. In the hot summer days, this would be a great place to bring your dog to exercise and cool down before heading home.

The journey to the Upper Falls proved to be a bit more treacherous as the trail is not maintained. This is because the pathway leading to the Upper Falls is privately owned land. My father and I chose not to try our luck and turned back. We did manage to see the Upper Falls through a break in the trees.

Compared to other trails in Washington The Little Mashel Falls Trailhead is a great 5 mile round trip for beginning and experienced hikers alike. The path is commonly hiked so don’t be surprised if you see a few families walking by! However, it is not as heavily traveled like the trails on Mount Rainer.

The Little Mashel Falls Trailhead is located at 9010 453rd St E, Eatonville, WA 98328.

Thank you for reading and have a great hike!