Teneriffe Falls Trail
Teneriffe Falls is no joke. The first time I attempted to hike it was in January of 2020. It was cold and rainy, and I was with my sister and her then two-year-old. We didn’t make it to the falls.
So I knew I needed to come back to try it again. I decided to come out one bright sunny day after work, and successfully made my way to the falls. They are quite impressive!
Teneriffe Falls Trail Review
Hiked: late April
Distance from Seattle: 45 minutes
Accessibility: Entirely highway and paved road
Length: 5.6 miles round trip
Difficulty: Moderate
Crowds: Light (*after work hours*)
Trail views: Forested, with a couple spots with sweeping mountain views
Overall rating: 7.5/10
Teneriffe Falls trailhead parking requires a Discover Pass. The parking area is quite spacious and there is a bathroom available as well.
The Teneriffe Falls trail is part of a network of trails in the general Mount Si area. It’s incredibly well-signed and near impossible to get lost.
The trail starts with a gentle climb through the forest. As I was lucky enough to be there on a sunny day, the first half mile to the fork was basically perfection. Soft trail, beautiful and mossy trees, and sunshine filtering through the forest.
After the first half mile, you’ll reach a fork and turn left to continue towards the falls. That portion of the trail is a bit rockier and a bit wider, but relatively short. Upon reaching another fork (this time you’ll turn right to continue to the falls), the trail narrows again and continues to climb.
After ascending fairly gently, the trail gradually steepens and becomes really rocky. It really starts to change drastically after this area on the trail, where it opens up to a boulder field with the most stunning views.
From there, the trail becomes a bit of a scramble. It’s not one I would recommend for people with weak ankles or unstable knees, and you definitely will want hiking boots with good traction for this one.
After several steeper switchbacks, I arrived sweaty and breathing hard to the falls. They are a sight to behold. While the falls weren’t the most voluminous in terms of amount of water, they were one of the tallest waterfalls I’ve seen. It was really challenging to capture them in a single frame!
After taking in the falls for 10 minutes or so, I decided to head down. I am fairly certain I was the last person at the falls that day, as the entire way down no one else was coming up. Because of how underpopulated this trail was after work (I arrived right around 5 pm, the gate closed at 8 pm, and there were 3 cars in the lot) I would not recommend this as a solo hike on a post-work weekday excursion. I tail gated (at a respectful distance) a couple that arrived at the falls right when I did, so that in the case of a fall or a twisted ankle, I could call out to them for assistance. Thankfully it was easy for me to keep up with them and I felt much safer as I made my way down the trail! If I were to do this trail again solo, it would probably only be on a weekend when there is more traffic.
Teneriffe Falls was a quick, fantastic hike, and one I’m sure I will do again. I was able to do the trail round trip in about 2.5 hours, and it was a nice workout, too. Be sure to check it out!
