Upper Fryingpan Creek Falls

Upper Fryingpan Creek Falls is accessed from the Summerland Trail in the northeast part of Mount Rainier National Park. Turn off Highway 410 onto the White River Road (toward Sunrise an the White River Campground) 4-1/2 miles south of the northeastern park entrance. Continue along the White River Road for 4.3 miles to the bridge over Fryingpan Creek and the adjacent trailhead for Summerland and park. Follow the Summerland Trail, which becomes the Wonderland Trail shortly, for 3.4 miles to the footbridge spanning Fryingpan Creek. The falls are found just downstream of the bridge, but thick brush prevents any sort of views other than looking over the top.Fryingpan Creek is a large tributary to the White River on the northeast side of Mount Rainier. It is not normally thought of as an area of the park to visit to find waterfalls, however tucked in several gorges along its length are several significant drops. The Summerland / Wonderland trail crosses over the top of this 46-foot waterfall where Fryingpan Creek, having lost about half of its volume to the branching of Meany Creek, plunges sideways into a short narrow canyon. Unfortunately due to the shape of the canyon and the thick brush growing all around its rim, there isn't any way to see the falls other than a glimpse over the top.