Lower Stevens Creek Falls

Lower Stevens Creek Falls is the final of a multitude of waterfalls found along the course of Stevens Creek as it makes its way from the Paradise Glacier to the Muddy Fork Cowlitz River in Mount Rainier National Park. The falls mark the culmination of a short but very scenic canyon where the creek has cut through an exposure of the Stevens Ridge formation, with the falls plunging 34 feet out of the final step of the canyon into a huge, remarkably opalescent colored blue pool. Based on the water stains on the cliff which produces the falls, it appears likely that during periods of high flow the creek overwhelms the channel such that the falls may increase in breadth to a much broader fan-shaped form. It should be noted that Greg Plumb's Waterfall Lover's Guide books list a waterfall which the author titles as Lower Stevens Falls. This feature is found about one-third of a mile upstream from this location at the bridge along the Wonderland Trail, and should not be confused with the actual Lower Stevens Creek Falls. The small cascades in question do not meet our established criteria and were not included in the database as such. On our latest visit a large logjam obstructed the lower potion of the cascades as well, making them considerably less interesting in appearance.