We arrived to the parking lot at 7:30am and it was full but we didn’t have to park too far down the road at all. By the time we got back 3.5 hours later (lots of stops for littles and walking at a 2.5yo pace for 1/3 of the hike) cars were lined up very far down the road and people were waiting to take our spot as we were loading up to leave.
Headed out with a 10yo, 8yo and 2.5yo - great hike for kids. Some up and down but overall more down on the way out and up on the way back so keep that in mind when deciding when to turn back especially with littles. We turned around after getting to Spray Falls. Our 2.5yo desperately wanted to hike and walked most of the way out but was forced into the backpack for our peace of mind for the last water crossings - one on a narrow but sturdy log with a handrail and the last one out on rocks in the water. If you’re sure footed or long legged or have waterproof boots you can get across without getting your feet wet. Otherwise know you might have to continue your hike with wet feet in order to see the entirety of the falls which was well worth doing in my opinion. My 8yo declined to cross but my 10yo willingly did it. Eagles Roost is a short distance off the trail and is a must see either on the way up or way down. Gorgeous view of Mt. Rainier especially on a clear day.
Some mosquitoes but not bothersome. Lots of wildflowers blooming and while there were a lot of people out on the trail it didn’t feel crowded.
Bring your suit or a change of clothes to take a quick dip in the lake at the end to cool off! Several people with paddle boards, kayaks or inner tubes enjoying the beautiful clear day.
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