Paradise River waterfalls

The Paradise River is known for having a total of 8 major waterfalls. Below are descriptions of all 8 of them:

Paradise Falls

Paradise Falls
Location	Mount Rainier, Pierce County, Washington
Type	Segmented Block
Total height	30 feet (9.1 m)
Number of drops	1
Total width	30 feet (9.1 m)
Watercourse	Paradise River

Paradise Falls, at 46°47′54″N 121°43′04″W / 46.79833°N 121.71778°W, is the first waterfall on the Paradise River. The falls are a segmented block and are about 30 feet (9.1 m) high. The Skyline Trail crosses the river a mere 500 feet (150 m) downstream from the base of the falls, however, since off-trail travel isn’t allowed in the area, one has to settle with the mediocre views from the footbridge.^[1]

Sluiskin Falls

Sluiskin Falls
Sluiskin Falls, c.1912
Location	Mount Rainier, Pierce County, Washington
Type	Fan
Total height	180 feet (55 m)
Number of drops	1
Total width	50 feet (15 m)
Watercourse	Paradise River

Sluiskin Falls, at 46°47′36″N 121°43′02″W / 46.79333°N 121.71722°W, is the second tallest waterfall on the Paradise. It is only 8 feet (2.4 m) shorter than Narada Falls. The falls occur where the river, still small at this point, drops into Paradise Valley. The falls are about 180 feet (55 m) high and about 50 feet (15 m) wide.^[2]

Like Paradise Falls, it would be very easy to reach the base of the falls however, since off trail travel isn’t allowed, one has to stick with long distance views from the trail.

General Hazard Stevens and Philemon Beecher Van Trump were the ones who named the falls. They named it after a local Indian named Sluiskin who guided them to the fist ascent of Mount Baker in 1870.^[3]

Ruby Falls

Ruby Falls
Location	Mount Rainier, Lewis County, Washington
Type	Tiered
Total height	30 feet (9.1 m)
Number of drops	2
Total width	20 feet (6.1 m)
Watercourse	Paradise River

Ruby Falls, at 46°46′42″N 121°44′21″W / 46.77833°N 121.73917°W, is the first major waterfall on the Paradise River after it exits Paradise Valley. One of the most forgotten waterfalls in the area, Ruby Falls consists of 2 major tiers, first a 15-foot (4.6 m) cascade and then a 15-foot (4.6 m) plunge. There is a bridge situated between the 2 tiers. The falls are located about 200 feet (61 m) upstream from the top of the Washington Cascades.^[4][5]

The upper tier can easily be seen from the bridge while one can get good views of the lower tier by walking about 100 feet (30 m) downstream from the bridge along the Narada Falls Trail.^[6]

Washington Cascades

Washington Cascades
Location	Mount Rainier, Lewis County, Washington
Type	Cascade
Total height	100 feet (30 m)
Number of drops	5
Total width	10 feet (3.0 m)
Watercourse	Paradise River

The Washington Cascades, at 46°46′41″N 121°44′26″W / 46.77806°N 121.74056°W, are a series of cascades along the Paradise River that start about 200 feet (61 m) downstream from the base of Ruby Falls. The falls are a long series of cascades that drop about 100 feet (30 m) over the stretch of 100 yards. No single drop is higher than 30 feet.^[7][8]

Henry Schwargel named the falls simply for the state of Washington. Some sources call the falls the Washington Torrents.^[9]

Narada Falls

Sidewinder Cascades

Sidewinder Cascades
Location	Mount Rainier, Lewis County, Washington
Type	Cascade
Total height	60 feet (18 m)
Number of drops	3
Total width	20 feet (6.1 m)
Watercourse	Paradise River

The Sidewinder Cascades, at 46°46′24″N 121°44′58″W / 46.77333°N 121.74944°W, are a series of cascades a short distance downstream from Narada Falls. The falls are about 60 feet (18 m) high and drop that in 3 tiers, the bottom one being the largest at about 25 feet (7.6 m), dropping into a bunch of boulders.^[10]

Madcap Falls

Madcap Falls
Location	Mount Rainier, Lewis County, Washington
Type	Cascade
Total height	25 feet (7.6 m)
Number of drops	1
Total width	10 feet (3.0 m)
Watercourse	Paradise River

Madcap Falls, at 46°45′55″N 121°46′02″W / 46.76528°N 121.76722°W, is a small 25-foot (7.6 m) high cascade located a short distance downstream from the mouth of Tatoosh Creek.

Most topo maps have placed Madcap Falls at incorrect locations along the river. Some show the falls right at the mouth of Tatoosh Creek, however it has been proved there is no waterfall there. There is a possibility that the waterfall currently known as Carter Falls is actually Madcap Falls, and Carter Falls lies further downstream.^[11]

Carter Falls

Carter Falls
Location	Mount Rainier, Lewis County, Washington
Type	Plunge
Total height	55 feet (17 m)
Number of drops	1
Total width	10 feet (3.0 m)
Watercourse	Paradise River

Carter Falls, at 46°45′54″N 121°46′07″W / 46.76500°N 121.76861°W, is the final of the 9 waterfalls along the Paradise River. It is about 55 feet (17 m) tall and occurs when the river simply plunges 55 feet (17 m) out of a narrow chute. There is a small upper tier of an unknown height just above the main drop.

There is a possibility that the actual Carter falls lies further downstream and that the waterfall currently known as Carter Falls is Madcap Falls.

Henry Carter, who built the first trail to the Paradise Valley, named the falls between 1889 and 1900.^[12]

See also

• Nisqually River

References

1. "Paradise Falls". Waterfalls of the Pacific Northwest.
2. "Sluiskin Falls". Aaron's Waterfall World.
3. Swan, Bryan. "Sluiskin Falls". Waterfalls of the Pacific Northwest.
4. Ruby Falls - Waterfalls of the Pacific Northwest
5. Ruby Falls - Waterfalls of the Northeastern United States
6. Ruby Falls (Aaron's Waterfall World)
7. Washington Cascades (Aaron's Waterfall World)
8. http://www.northeastwaterfalls.com/waterfall.php?num=405&p=0
9. Washington Falls - Waterfalls of the Pacific Northwest
10. Sidewinder Cascades - Waterfalls of the Pacific Northwest
11. Madcap Falls - Waterfalls of the Pacific Northwest
12. Carter Falls - Waterfalls of the Pacific Northwest