Imperial Falls

From Highway 101 in Sequim, head east to Palo Alto Road and turn right, following signs pointing to the Dungeness Trail. After 8 miles, bear right onto Forest Service Road #2880 and follow it steeply down hill towards the Dungeness Forks Campground where the road crosses the Dungeness River. After another three quarters of a mile the road becomes #2870 at a major junction. Continue along Road #2870, following signs pointing to the Dungeness Trail for another 10 miles to the trailhead, found just before crossing over the Dungeness River for a second time. Hike the Dungeness Trail for a mile to the bridge over Royal Creek, but take a right where a sign points towards Royal Basin just before crossing the creek. Now along the Royal Creek Trail, continue for another 6 miles to Royal Lake. Continue past Royal Lake to a huge overhanging boulder on the left, then watch for a sign pointing out the trail leading to the Upper Basin. Continue towards the Upper Basin for another half-mile to where the falls can be seen spilling down to the meadows, a total of about 7 3/4 miles from the trailhead – the best views are had before crossing the unnamed stream. This hike is moderate in difficulty and can be done in a long day by strong hikers, but is best done as a multi-day hike. Backcountry camping in the Royal Basin area requires a permit from the National Park Service.Those hiking from Royal Lake to Upper Royal Basin in Olympic National Park will be greeted with views of this waterfall as it cascades out of one of the eastern pockets of the upper basin into the enclosed bowl harboring the upper meadows of Royal Basin. The falls occur along an unnamed branch of Royal Creek which originates from snowfields on the northwest shoulder of Mount Fricaba. None of the snow feeding this stream is permanent so the volume of water present in the falls will slowly diminish as the seasons progress. Until mid summer in most years a large snow finger often occupies the ravine below the falls, which results in half (or more) of the falls being obstructed from view until the snow melts.This waterfall is not known to have any official or historically applied names. The moniker Upper Royal Basin Falls has been infrequently used by a few visitors, but not enough for it to have fallen into colloquial usage. We're proposing naming it after nearby Imperial Tarn - a remarkably vibrant cerulean-hued lake found about one-quarter of a mile to the west at the terminus of the large boulder field below Mount Deception - as there are no other landmarks in the immediate vicinity of which the name could be carried over.