Christine Falls

Van Trump Creek carries snowmelt off the mountain and drops it in two tiers, and it is the lower tier that draws the crowds. From the short path below the road, the falls line up under the arch of the stone bridge, creating the framed composition that has become a signature image of the park.

The falls run fullest in early summer, when the mountain's snow is melting fast, and quiet down as the season goes on. A cool, mossy glen surrounds the creek, a refreshing pause on a warm day.

The graceful bridge that frames the falls was built in 1928, part of the carefully engineered road that climbs the mountain toward Paradise. That road and its handsome stone bridges were designed to fit the landscape, and they are recognized today as part of the park's landmark collection of early park architecture.

So Christine Falls is really two things at once: a lovely natural waterfall and a small monument to the era when the mountain's roads were built as works of craftsmanship. Both are on display in a single quick stop.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

Christine Falls is a graceful 69-foot waterfall on Van Trump Creek in Mount Rainier National Park, on the road between Longmire and Paradise. It is one of the most photographed spots in the park because the lower tier of the falls lines up perfectly beneath the arch of an elegant 1928 stone highway bridge, so the water appears framed like a picture. Just steps from a small roadside pullout, Christine Falls is a quick and rewarding stop that combines a lovely mountain waterfall with a piece of the park's historic road-building craftsmanship on the drive up toward Paradise.

The classic framed view of Christine Falls, with the lower falls lined up beneath the arch of the stone bridge, is seen from the short path just below the road, not from the bridge itself. From the small pullout, a few steps lead down to the viewpoint where the composition comes together. The path can be a little uneven and is often damp near the creek, so watch your footing. Take care near the water and stay on the established viewpoint. The falls are fullest in early summer with snowmelt, which is also when the view is at its most dramatic.

Christine Falls is at its fullest and most dramatic in the early summer, when Mount Rainier's snowpack is melting quickly and feeding Van Trump Creek, and it becomes gentler as the season goes on and the snowmelt slows. Because the road above Longmire is seasonal and closed by snow for much of the year, summer into early fall is the window to visit. The falls are an easy quick stop at any point on a drive up toward Paradise, and combining them with nearby Narada Falls and the historic Longmire district makes for a rewarding day on the south side of the mountain.

Christine Falls is on the Nisqually-Paradise road between Longmire and Paradise, on the southwest side of Mount Rainier National Park. Most visitors reach it by entering through the Nisqually Entrance near the gateway town of Ashford and driving up toward Paradise, with the falls and its small pullout right at the historic stone bridge along the way. The road here is a seasonal mountain route, gated and closed by snow above Longmire for much of the year, so plan a visit for summer or early fall, check the current road status before you go, and carry tire chains in the shoulder seasons when they may be required.

The stone bridge at Christine Falls is famous because of how perfectly it frames the waterfall: from the viewpoint below, the lower tier of the falls drops right through the arch of the bridge, creating one of the signature images of Mount Rainier National Park. The bridge was built in 1928 as part of the carefully engineered road up to Paradise, and like the other handsome stone bridges on that route it was designed to fit gracefully into the mountain landscape. Today it is recognized as part of the park's landmark collection of early park architecture, so the view captures both natural beauty and historic craftsmanship at once.