Updated July 2026
Rainbow Falls
A 392-foot two-tier waterfall on Rainbow Creek in the remote Stehekin Valley, with lower and upper viewpoints just steps from the road off the Stehekin shuttle route.
Before you go
Waterfalls are hazardous by nature — wet rock, cold water, and unstable edges — and flow varies enormously with season and recent rain. Trail figures here describe the route as documented, not conditions today. Check National Park Service (Lake Chelan National Recreation Area) for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Rainbow Falls drops about 392 feet. That makes it the 31st-tallest documented waterfall in this inventory, taller than roughly 96% of the falls listed here. Height comes from published land-manager and survey records, not from our own measurement.
The Rainbow Falls viewpoint (Stehekin Valley Road) reaches it about 0.1 miles (out-and-back) with roughly 10 feet of elevation gain, rated easy. The nearest town is Stehekin. That describes the route as documented, not conditions on the day — check with National Park Service (Lake Chelan National Recreation Area) for closures and current conditions.
May through June (peak spring runoff); reachable only via boat/shuttle to Stehekin. Waterfall flow swings enormously with snowmelt and recent rain, so a fall that roars in spring can be a trickle by late summer.
More Washington waterfalls
- Big Creek Falls · 125 ft
- Boulder River Falls (Feature Show Falls) · 120 ft
- Bridal Veil Falls
- Christine Falls · 69 ft
- Coal Creek Falls · 28 ft
- Comet Falls · 320 ft
- Curly Creek Falls · 86 ft
- Falls Creek Falls · 335 ft
Sources
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