Middle Cora Falls

Located on the north side of Sawtooth Ridge near the Nisqually Entrance to Mount Rainier National Park. Follow Highway 706 east from Ashford for about 2 ½ miles to FR 52, signed for Big Creek and Packwood. Follow Road 52 for about 4 ¾ miles to FR 84 and turn right. Follow FR 84 for 4 miles to FR # 8420 (may not be signed) and turn right. Proceed along Road 8420 for just under 1 ½ miles to the Big Creek trailhead. Walk up the moderate trail for just under 1/4 mile to the first views of the creek. The falls are immediately below. Climb down the least steep part of the slope for views from the bottom.Though less significant than it's upstream sibling, the middle of three sets of waterfalls along Big Creek as it exits Cora Lake is no less scenic. Shortly below where the Big Creek trail crosses Big Creek, the stream begins dropping over a series of modest waterfalls. The first is a 15-foot sliding fall, followed by a pretty 24-foot fanning display which is unfortunately bisected by a large tree laying across the face of the falls. There appear to be additional tiers just downstream but we have not yet been able to verify their size. As mentioned already - and as you can see in the attached pictures - a large log straddles the largest drop of the falls. Realistically, this whole series of falls could potentially be considered an extension of Cora Falls itself, but we've long had it listed as a separate entity and the fact that there is no congruence in visibility of this set of falls and Cora Falls upstream makes it easy to designate the two as separate entries.We had previously called this waterfall Lower Cora Falls, but it turns out there is another fall a short distance further downstream which is the more appropriate target for such a name, so we've changed it to Middle Cora Falls in following.