Rainbow Falls
RATING - 58.0
VR - 8.0 (Big) HR - 6.0 SR - 10/20
TYPE OF APPROACH - Roadside
DIFFICULTY - Very Easy
LOCATION - Baker Lake Road
TYPE - Tiered
HEIGHT - 146'
WIDTH - 25'
GPS - N48 46.216 W121 40.528
ELEVATION - 1622'
DIRECTIONS - Take HWY 20 east and turn left onto Baker Lake Road. Just after the road crosses over Boulder Creek, turn left onto FR 1130. Go straight at the first fork and then left at the next fork a short distance after passing Lower Morowitz Falls (the right fork goes to Baker Hot Springs). Continue along the road for another mile or so until it switchbacks sharply to the left with a big canyon on the right. Get out and look for a remotely clear view. Venturing further down the hillside does NOT provide a better view so don't bother.
Rainbow Creek drops off the edge of the cliff face and falls for about 100' before hitting the cliff and spreading out in a huge spray of water and falling another 70'. The views of the falls from the road are annoying because there are always a few branches in the way and there is really no good way to see the falls clearly.
We found a way to the base of the falls on Memorial Day 2010. Only problem is there's so much spray down there it's virtually impossible to see anything (see pictures below). It's still cool and the trip to the base involves a journey through a very cool old canyon. My guess is Rainbow Creek used to run through this canyon in the past and it somehow got blocked off, sending Rainbow Creek on its current course over the falls. Either way, there is now a small creek that runs through the canyon and three small volume, but very pretty waterfalls are passed on the way to the base of Rainbow Falls (see pictures below right).
View from the edge of the canyon
Rainbow Falls from near the base
One of the three small tributary falls en route to the base