Our first full day at Sol Duc, we rose early to hike to the falls. The parking lot was already filling up, mostly with backpackers, but I was glad we were getting out there early. It’s a popular spot!
The trail began at the back of the parking lot. A few steps down and then it flattened out under the canopy of the thick forest above. A little sunlight trickled down, but any wind never even flicked our clothes as the lush vegetation above kept us protected. Becky Chambers in A Psalm for the Wild Built captures it perfectly: “This old road, headed into the … Forest, a place left to pursue its own instincts uninterrupted. Here, the trees were taller than any building you’d find outside the City, their branches locked like pious fingers against the distant sky. Only the slightest threads of sun broke through, illuminating waxy needles in eerie glow. Moss hung down like tapestries, fungus crept in alien curves, birds called but could not be seen.”
The forest here is a magical place. All the plants and animals live in this beautiful harmony. The tall conifers provide a home to birds, squirrels, chipmunks. The ferns and bushes provide protection and food for the elk and mountain lions. The moldering logs provide refuge for the slugs and insects. And the decomposing stumps provide a home for new trees to begin their life. They in fact are called nurselogs. It all feels like a warm hug.
We were so mesmerized by the forest, we arrived at Sol Duc Falls before we knew it. The water rushes through the riverbed and spills over three separate channels, falling below the bridge and spitting out one more time through a single deep gorge. Something about the roar and flow of a waterfall is meditative. It’s a continuous flow, seemingly endless, following the same rhythmic pattern over and over again.
After soaking up the beauty, my dad and I said goodbye to my mom. She was set to head back and enjoy alone time while we continued on to Deer Lake. My dad and I set off on the rocky, rooted path, climbing up.
We concentrated in our footing, each step unpredictable. Hiking poles were our best aid, catching us when a foot was a little of kilter. It was focused going, so we had to remind ourselves to look up every now and then. When we did, we were treated to the magnitude of more ancient trees, shiny ferns, and new wildflowers. We passed several more waterfalls, the path never far from the stream, but they were all at least partly hidden by the lucious vegetation. Secrets kept by the forest. A few weeping walls also bordered the trail, home to happy mosses, brilliant green.
Our legs were growing weary from the obstacles of the trail but finally, up ahead, we spotted the lake. Deer Lake sparkled in the sunlight, surrounded by forest. We found a spot by the shore to eat lunch, but soon packed up and relocated due to noisy backpackers arriving. Our relocation landed us at a campsite on a hill with a gentle breeze while we looked at the lake, so it all worked out for the best.
After nourishment, we continued around the lake and reconnected with the trail back to the waterfall. The most wildlife we spotted was a squirrel and backpackers in various conditions. The waterfall was crowded when we arrived, and our feet sore, so we continued to hustle on. The sooner we could put our legs up, the better.
That evening we soaked our muscles in the super water of Sol Duc Hot Sorings. The 107 degrees felt amazing. The smell was minor and easy to adjust to, thankfully. It was a relaxing end to a wonderful day.
Tonelli's Travels 