Little Mashel Falls Trail is a 5 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near La Grande, Washington that features a lake and is good for all skill levels. The trail is primarily used for hiking and nature trips and is best used from March until October. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.
Note: Due to COVID-19, the gate is open Monday-Friday from 7:30am to 2:30pm. Limited parking is available in the lot by the administration building and the Arboretum lot until 2:30 pm. All vehicles still in that lot after 2:30 pm will be towed at the owner’s expense. More info at http://www.packforest.org The recommended way to see the falls is by entering from Highway 7. Follow the yellow diamonds on the trees, and there are 2 brown signs (1 for lower and 1 pointing up the trail for the upper). Muddy areas, due to recent rains, can make this trail slippery at times, so beware and be careful at all times. The trail takes you through a set of three waterfalls. Two are medium sized and the third is very large. About 125 ft drop. Access is a little tricky but well worth it. The largest of the three major waterfalls in the gorge, the Little Mashel River drops over a small punchbowl before sliding down a smooth concave lip and veiling 125 feet into a pile of large boulders in the gorge below. If you are fortunate enough to visit the falls in the spring when the river is at it's peak, you'll encounter a spectacular wall of water and spray. In the late summer, the falls become much more placid and tame, and actually provide an opportunity to walk behind the falling water. All three waterfalls along the river here are popular locations for the locals to come and hang around.
just on side of road. Very limited. Must access with vehicle with higher ground clearance...or just park on side of highway. Park in UW experimental forest, just off sr7. Drive in to visitor parking and hike from there in.
From Highway 7 in Eatonville, follow signs to Mount Rainier which takes you along the Eatonville Cut-off Road - for about 2 miles to a large turnout on the right side of the road shortly after crossing a set of railroad tracks. The turnout has recently been bermed, so parking is more limited now, though you can access it if your vehicle has a higher ground clearance. The best route is to enter the UW Pack Forest Entrance off of Hwy 7 and they have a legit parking area and trail maps where you can comfortably hike to the falls.
February 21, 2021Muddy but totally worth it . Signage was a little unclear. The trails map won’t steer you in the wrong direction but some of the signage will. It was still a great hike even with the added miles!
February 21, 2021The first couple miles in is boring dirt road, but the 3 separate trails and the falls themselves are definitely worth it.
February 20, 2021Super muddy! Plus a minor detour...
February 20, 2021Stunning waterfalls. There are three separate areas to view from. Lower middle and upper falls. Middle falls is the best if you have to choose only one, but all three are unique and awesome.
February 14, 2021It snowed the night before so my family ended up snowshoeing from the first parking lot to all three of the falls. It ended up being about 7.5 miles RT to see it all. Even with the snow you could easily see the mud and slush others had mentioned in previous reviews. It will definitely be slippery as it freezes back over the packed snow. The signs for the new trail route are not the easiest to understand and are often in obscure places. Following the map on this app helped us. Middle falls were our favorite because we could get pretty close. All three falls trails are really close to one another.
February 11, 2021Went on Thursday morning when it started snowing. Seems like there’s different ways the trail can be done. I took the lower road which was quicker to the main falls. Trail was very muddy throughout. Did all 3 falls and the middle was the most impressive. Was very pretty in the snow. Saw only 2 other groups the whole time. Also be mindful of when the gate closes (2:30). Seems like they are very strict on that.
February 8, 2021Don’t go this way, take t
February 7, 2021Incredible gorgeous. Hiked 8 miles to see all the falls. The middle falls are definitely the most beautiful, while the upper falls are the most adventurous and extremely muddy trail. Well worth the visit and barely any elevation. Easy for anyone to do!
February 7, 2021Cool little hike with some good views. Went on 2/7/21 - lots of mud on the trail with standing water. Careful, the stairs are slippery. If you follow the directions there the trail head can be a little elusive. The trail head starts near the back of the pond by a grass parking lot. There are signs, but they're not super helpful. Overall it's a fun short hike that most people could probably do.
February 6, 2021Wet...muddy and a lot of fun!!!! WHAT A DAY!!!!!
February 5, 2021Worth it!! Loved the hike. Like everyone else said, it’s very muddy. (Really annoyed with the 7:30-2:30 hours though. Just get on the trail early so you can stop and enjoy the falls before having to head back.)
February 1, 2021January 31, 2021Such a fun hike with friends! The falls are all gushing, no snow (but some mud), & you can go behind the middle falls!
January 30, 2021January 26, 2021Mashel Fall today did not disappoint!
January 26, 2021January 24, 2021muddy but fun. revision made it close to 6.5 miles
January 23, 2021Worth returning to for a second hike!
January 23, 2021muddy, there is a trail revision around the pond. great for families
January 19, 2021Fun, easy trails. Not well marked, but the falls were so worth it.
January 18, 2021It was great just wish the signs were more clear.. advise wearing hiking shoes and jacket but overall great hike
January 18, 2021January 16, 2021easy hike... gets pretty muddy. waterfalls are huge right now.
January 15, 2021January 15, 2021Hood
January 13, 2021
