Mima Falls Loop: A Dark and Muddy Washington Rain Hike

Plunging into the dark, muddy woods during a heavy Pacific Northwest rainstorm is a grueling challenge, but it is the absolute best way to experience the raw atmosphere of Washington. Located just outside Olympia, the Capitol State Forest offers over 100,000 acres of working forest land and a massive network of interconnected trails. Starting at the Mima Falls Trailhead, this area features a rugged environment with dense timber and heavy rainfall that creates a thick, humid canopy. As you navigate the trail system, the environment occasionally opens up into stark logging areas, providing a striking visual contrast to the deeply shaded, overgrown sections of the park. The Mima Falls Loop itself is a deeply immersive trek defined by deep mud, slick roots, and wooden bridges crossing dark, rushing creeks. Battling these challenging, wet conditions makes reaching the midpoint destination of Mima Falls highly rewarding, especially during a storm when the cascading water volume surges. The intense weather also brings out local wildlife like forest newts along the muddy path before the canopy closes back in and the daylight completely fades on the final stretch back to the trailhead. Thanks for watching, and make sure to join us on our next adventure! SOCIAL: TWITTER: https://twitter.com/adventurewithbg INSTAGRAM: https://instagram.com/adventureswithbg FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/adventureswithbg BLOG: http://adventureswithbg.com #mimafalls #capitolstateforest #washingtonhiking #pnwhiking #rainhike #waterfallhike #solohiking #olympiawashington