Gatton Creek Falls Trail, Lake Quinault, Washington

2013.09.08

Our next trail was to Gatton Creek Falls.  We had some trouble finding it though.  Driving east on the south shore road, the forest service sign was just before a gravel road, which in turn was just before the road bridge across Gatton Creek.  We turned in to find a small, rough gravel parking lot, and just the vaguest break in the undergrowth that looked like merely an unofficial trail.  We drove on and looked at a trail map, and realized we needed to take the one-lane road on the east side of the creek.  The trail break we’d seen from the gravel lot, however, would have taken us to the falls as well, just via a longer walk.

From the east trailhead, the trail to the falls is about 3/10ths of a mile.  Officially this is described as a “barrier free accessible trail (moderate level)”, but I think the wheelchair icon is misleading.  The trail is very narrow until close to the bridge, scarcely wide enough for a person on foot at times, with some sharp switchbacks and muddy low spots.  It was, however, an easy walk for us.

Gatton Creek Falls Trail, Lake Quinault, Olympic National Forest, Washington
Gatton Creek Falls Trail, Lake Quinault, Olympic National Forest, Washington
Gatton Creek Falls Trail, Lake Quinault, Olympic National Forest, Washington
Gatton Creek Falls Trail, Lake Quinault, Olympic National Forest, Washington
Gatton Creek Falls Trail, Lake Quinault, Olympic National Forest, Washington
Gatton Creek Falls Trail, Lake Quinault, Olympic National Forest, Washington