Kennedy Falls Guide Before Visiting 2026 Updated

Kennedy Falls is a waterfall in Thurston County, Washington, about 6.7 miles east of McCleary. This guide covers what to check, bring and expect before you go, using visitor ratings, official USGS records and live conditions for this exact location.

At a glance

Location

Thurston County, WA

Nearest town

McCleary (6.7 mi)

Visitor rating

★★★★☆ 4.0 from 33 reviews

Crowds

Quieter

Coordinates

47.07746, -123.12675

USGS topo

Kamilche Valley quad

Getting there

Kennedy Falls sits about 6.7 miles east of McCleary in Thurston County. Navigate to the coordinates 47.07746, -123.12675, which mark the waterfall itself; the trailhead or parking area may be some distance away.

Open directions in Google Maps or Apple Maps, or view the map on the Kennedy Falls listing. Navigation apps sometimes route onto seasonal forest roads, so check road status if you are heading into the mountains.

Washington's falls are split among national parks, national forests and state lands. State parks and Department of Natural Resources lands generally require a Discover Pass, while many national forest trailheads require a Northwest Forest Pass or interagency pass, and the national parks charge entrance fees. Popular trailheads along I-90 and US 2 fill early on weekends, and Snoqualmie Falls draws crowds year-round. Hazards vary by region: in the Cascades and Olympics, cold, swift glacial and snowmelt rivers, moss-slick logs and rocks, and winter avalanche paths; at Palouse Falls, unfenced basalt cliffs where people have fallen to their deaths. Wildfire smoke and closures can affect eastern Cascade trails in late summer.

What to bring

This checklist is tailored to Kennedy Falls based on what visitors report and the conditions typical of Washington. For the complete list, see our waterfall hike packing guide.

• Offline map and coordinates. Save 47.07746, -123.12675 and download offline maps; cell service is often weak near waterfalls.
• Shoes with real grip. Rock near falling water stays wet and slick even in dry weather.
• Water and a snack. More than you think you need, even for a short walk.
• A light rain layer. Spray from the falls and quick-moving showers can soak you.
• Headlamp. In case your visit runs later than planned; check sunset time in the conditions panel above.

How to prepare

Timing

West of the Cascades, rain sustains falls for much of the year, but the most powerful flows come with spring snowmelt from about April through June and again with autumn and winter rains. Higher falls such as those around Paradise on Mount Rainier are often snowbound until early summer, so July and August are the main season there. In eastern Washington, Palouse Falls and Spokane Falls peak with spring runoff, usually from March to May, and both drop considerably by late summer. Winter brings heavy rain at low elevations and deep snow in the mountains, closing some park roads and making approaches like the Franklin Falls trail prone to avalanches. Summer weekends bring the heaviest crowds. With 33 reviews, it sees fewer visitors than the region's headline falls, so you may have it to yourself on a weekday.

Safety

Stay behind railings and off wet rock, never climb on the falls, and keep children within arm's reach near the water. Check the weather panel above for flood or storm alerts before you set out; water levels can rise fast after upstream rain. Our waterfall safety guide covers the most common hazards.

Respect the place

Pack out everything you bring, stay on established paths to limit erosion, and leave rocks and plants where they are. See Leave No Trace at waterfalls.

What visitors say

Kennedy Falls holds a 4.0-star average across 33 Google reviews, and 55% of reviewers give it five stars. That makes it the number 3 waterfall by review count in Thurston County. Visitors have shared 59 photos.

See the rating breakdown or read reviews on Google.

History of the area

Kennedy Falls was entered in the Geographic Names Information System on September 10, 1979, and it appears on the USGS Kamilche Valley 7.5-minute topographic map.

Its neighbors on the map tell the story of the surrounding land: Summit Lake (reservoir, 1.9 mi).

Mount Rainier and the South Cascades. Mount Rainier's glaciers feed dozens of streams that drop off the volcano's flanks, and the park and the surrounding foothills hold more named falls than any other part of the state. Narada Falls, a two-tiered cascade beside the road to Paradise, is among the most visited. Near Eatonville, Little Mashel Falls lies in forested foothills. Farther south, Skamania County takes in the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge and the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, where Falls Creek Falls is reached by a forest trail near Carson. Clark County's Moulton Falls, on the East Fork Lewis River, is a popular local park with a high arched bridge.

Nearby waterfalls to add to your trip

Summary

Kennedy Falls about 6.7 miles east of McCleary is rated 4.0 out of 5 by 33 visitors. Check the live forecast and stream gauge above, save the coordinates for offline use, and pack for wet, uneven ground. Ratings, hours and access can change, so confirm conditions with the land manager before you drive out.

See the full Kennedy Falls listing for the map, photos and nearby landmarks.