Are there fees or permits required for John Pierce Waterfall?

No, there are no fees required to visit John Pierce Waterfall.

Is swimming allowed at John Pierce Waterfall?

No, swimming is not allowed at John Pierce Waterfall.

Nearby gauge (Thunder Creek) · 227 ft³/s · About average

John Pierce Waterfall

Q: Are dogs allowed at John Pierce Waterfall?

Yes, dogs are allowed at John Pierce Waterfall. Leashed pets are allowed in Ross Lake National Recreation Area, but not in the adjoining North Cascades National Park except on the Pacific Crest Trail.

Washington • North Cascades National Park • 66 ft

By Armen Suny · Last verified Oct 2026

LiDAR & 3D terrain

Ross Lake National Recreation Area NRA · National Park Service

Photo Credits (5)

National Park Service Public Domain · National Park Service

Steven PavlovUser:Senapa/TemplateFB CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Seattle Municipal Archives from Seattle, WA CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Difficulty

Drive Up

Trail Length

0.1 miles

Trail Type

Out And Back

About John Pierce Waterfall

John Pierce Falls, called Horsetail Falls until 1972, drops about 66 feet on Horsetail Creek beside the North Cascades Highway (SR 20) in Ross Lake National Recreation Area. It sits about 11.5 miles east of Newhalem and half a mile west of the Ross Dam Trailhead, then cascades over talus down to Diablo Lake. The whole fall is visible from the highway, and the base is about 200 feet from the road.

The Setting

John Pierce Waterfall sits at 1,578 feet within North Cascades National Park, in the hills of Washington. The falls drop 66 feet.

Height: 66 feet

Nearby Falls Worth Visiting

Gorge Creek Falls (242 ft) lies 6.5 miles to the west.

Gorge Creek Falls

Trail & Hike Details

The Approach

No hiking required. John Pierce Waterfall is accessible by vehicle with a roadside viewing area.

Trail Description

There is no formal trail. Park beside the cliff on the east side of the highway bridge and follow the brushy bench along the creek for about 200 feet to the base of the falls, where the water lands on the old roadbed to Ross Dam.

What to Expect

The falls drop 66 feet. Dogs are welcome.

Accessibility

This waterfall is viewable from a vehicle-accessible area. No hiking is required.

Frequently Asked Questions

🐶 Are Dogs Allowed at John Pierce Waterfall?

✅ Dogs are allowed
Leashed pets are allowed in Ross Lake National Recreation Area, but not in the adjoining North Cascades National Park except on the Pacific Crest Trail.

Are There Any Fees or Permits Required?

🆖 No fees required

🏊 Is There Swimming at John Pierce Waterfall?

❌ Swimming is not allowed

When to Visit

spring summer fall winter

Spring and early summer are ideal times to visit, as the waterfall is typically more active due to seasonal rainfall.

Seasonal Access

The best time to visit is Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. Check with North Cascades National Park for current conditions.

Safety Information

The trail may be slippery after rain, so caution is advised. Avoid getting too close to the waterfall, as rocks may be unstable.

Current Water Conditions

Updated about 3 hours ago Moderate

These readings come from the USGS gauge on Thunder Creek, 3.4 miles away, not on John Pierce Waterfall's own stream. Use them as a sign of whether the area is running wet or dry.

227 ft³/s

Current discharge — how much water is flowing

About average for this time of year

Very Low Low Normal High Very High

128 193 483 663

Based on 96 years of record

7.20 ft

Water depth at gauge

7-Day Discharge Trend

What does this mean for your visit?

Flow is about average for this time of year.

About This Gauge

THUNDER CREEK NEAR NEWHALEM, WA

USGS 12175500

3.4 miles from waterfall

Drainage: 105 sq mi

Altitude: 1,220 ft

7-Day Flow Outlook

Based on the USGS gauge THUNDER CREEK NEAR NEWHALEM, WA (5 km away).

High confidence

Moderate right now

227 cfs

→ Holding steady

Today

Moderate

245 cfs

6/10

Tomorrow

Moderate

243 cfs

8/10

Thu

Moderate

237 cfs

9/10

Fri

Moderate

254 cfs

6/10

Sat

Moderate

261 cfs

6/10

Sun

Moderate

252 cfs

6/10

Mon

Moderate

244 cfs

6/10

Best window: Thu — moderate flow, partly sunny (trip score 9/10).

Best time of year: this gauge typically runs highest from late May to mid August, peaking in June.

How we calculate this

This is a transparent outlook, not a precise forecast. We take the waterfall's current flow strength (how it ranks against its historical normal for today, from the nearest USGS stream gauge), carry that ranking forward along the gauge's seasonal curve, and nudge it for forecast rain. Confidence is highest for the next day or two and falls further out. Always check official conditions and your own judgment before visiting — high flows can be dangerous.

Know when to go.

Get a free email alert when waterfalls near Marblemount hit peak flow. We only send when conditions are worth the trip — no weekly newsletters, no spam.

Is John Pierce Waterfall Frozen?

Updated about 7 hours ago

Not frozen highs above freezing lately

John Pierce Waterfall is not frozen right now; highs have been above freezing. Yesterday ran 53°F to 34°F.

Days below freezing: 0 of the last 14
Current cold streak: 0 days
Freezing days ahead: 0 of the next 7
Flow: 215 ft³/s

Winter safety. Frozen falls are the one waterfall trip with a documented injury pattern: falling ice, and ice-glazed rock and trail. Wear microspikes, keep well back from the base and from overhangs, and never walk out on ice over moving water.

Estimate from Open-Meteo daily temperatures at the falls, the LiDAR-measured facing direction, and the nearest stream gauge. It is a likelihood, not a report from the trail. See every frozen waterfall in Washington.

Weather Forecast

The Terrain, Seen by LiDAR

Aircraft-mounted lasers measured this ground to within inches. Trees and buildings are digitally stripped away, leaving the bare shape of the land the water has carved.

The laser survey finds one clean step here: roughly 589 feet of drop concentrated at the brink. Only part of that is the waterfall, which is listed at 66 feet; the rest is the canyon carrying on downstream. Elevation at the pin is about 1,587 feet.

The whole reach is steep: about 421 feet of descent in the 500 feet above the falls and another 358 feet in the 500 feet below. The falls face west and glow in afternoon and evening light.

Aerial photo of the same ground around John Pierce Waterfall near Marblemount, Washington, for comparison with the lidar view

LiDAR bare-earth terrain around John Pierce Waterfall near Marblemount, Washington, showing about 589 feet of drop, a single sheer drop, facing west

Aerial LiDAR bare earth

Drag to compare. The dot marks the waterfall. The frame is about a mile across.

Ground elevation: 1,587 feet; Measured by 1-meter lidar
Drop at the falls: About 589 feet; Change in ground height within ~250 feet of the falls
Faces: West; Glows in afternoon and evening light.

Ground profile through the falls

A slice through the lidar ground surface, from above the falls to downstream (heading west).

Elevation data: USGS 3D Elevation Program. Aerial imagery: USGS The National Map. Public domain.

Location & Access

Getting There

Drive the North Cascades Highway (SR 20) about 11.5 miles east of Newhalem. The falls are next to the highway bridge about half a mile west of the Ross Dam Trailhead.

Get Directions on Google Maps

Parking

Park off the highway beside the cliff on the east side of the bridge. Keep clear of the travel lanes.

Elevation

1,578 feet above sea level

Coordinates

48.721241° N, -121.070676° W

Land Management

Ross Lake National Recreation Area NRA

Managed by NPS

Visitor Tips & Gear

The falls can be seen from a passing car, but the short walk to the base gives a much better view. Footing on the brushy bench and boulders can be wet.

Where to Stay

Browse vacation cabins and private rentals nearby

Glamping Hipcamp

Unique outdoor stays — tents, yurts, and treehouses

RV Rentals Outdoorsy

Rent a campervan or RV for your waterfall road trip

Some links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Nearby Campground

Colonial Creek South Campground

2.5 miles away · 94 sites

Reservable

Overview Colonial Creek South Campground requires reservations during the peak season, from late May through early September of each year. Important changes to booking windows: To better serve visitors, Colonial Creek South Campground will release campsites in two staggered block releases. These block releases will be 6 months in advance and 7 days in advance. Campsites #64 - #95 and #116 - #164 are available for reservations 6 months in advance. Campsites #96 - #113 are available for reservat

Book on Recreation.gov