Middle Tumwater Falls

Located in Olympia, just off Interstate 5, near the old Brewery. Depart I-5 at Exit 103, and turn left, crossing the freeway. Turn right immediately after crossing the freeway and river, heading downhill, and crossing the canyon. After crossing the second bridge, turn left and drive to the park entrance (second left). A paved trail begins past the bathrooms and passes half-artificial Upper Tumwater Falls, and proceeds down either side of the river, forming a short loop. Middle Tumwater Falls is found about half way down the loop trail, and can be easily seen from both sides of the river.Of the major waterfalls within Olympia's Tumwater Falls Park, this is easily the most overlooked. While the falls are plainly visible from the trail, being that they only drop 15 feet, most people give it a glance, then head up or downstream to the two more pronounced waterfalls in the park. Like both other falls in the park, there is also a fish ladder bypassing this waterfall, which partially detracts from the scenic qualities of the river. When the river is running lower in the summer, the falls appears visibly diminished because of the amount of water which is constantly diverted into the fish ladder.Best views of the falls are from the west side of the river, along an elevated catwalk. I recommend a 60mm focal length, give or take about 10mm. A word of warning to all users of cameras without manual exposure controls: because of the bridge spanning the river high above the falls, the area can be dark during overcast days, and during the winter months.