It's no secret that Washington is home to some seriously stunning waterfalls, like the iconic Palouse Falls and Snoqualmie Falls. That being said, our state is also home to some hidden gems you'd never spot unless you know exactly where to look. Sunbeam Falls is definitely one of them.
Sunbeam Falls is a little-known waterfall at Mount Rainier National Park.
But luckily, it's not hidden deep within the forest — in fact, you won't even have to hike to reach it.
To find it, you'll just take Stevens Canyon Road, which runs between Paradise and the southeastern entrance of Mt. Rainier National Park.
The waterfall is located near the Bench Lake Trailhead, above Louise Lake. Just look for the Sunbeam Creek sign by the side of the road. You'll be able to see the falls from the road.
While there is no trail leading to the falls, it's well worth parking your car and getting out to explore and take pictures.
The falls plunge over a small lofty cliff of volcanic bedrock, veiling outwards slightly at the top of the falls.
Sunbeam Creek flows year-round, and the stream heads in an area of about one square mile on the Tatoosh and the meadows along Mazama Ridge.
The nearby Louise Lake helps to regulate the flow of water down the creek late in the season, but once the winter's snow has melted off (which tends to take until July), the volume of water in the creek drops substantially.
Mt. Rainier National Park is absolutely full of hidden gems, some of which are hiding in plain sight.
But if you didn't know what you were looking for, you may not even spot Sunbeam Falls.
Have you ever spotted Sunbeam Falls? If it's been awhile since you've explored Mt. Rainier National Park, allow us to convince you.
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