At a glance
- 1.6 mi round trip
- 250 ft
- Out & back
- Easy
- National Forest
A good nearly-year-round pick thanks to low elevation and shade; forest roads can be rough — check conditions before driving in.
Murhut Falls is the easy Olympic Peninsula payoff hike for dog owners: big waterfall, almost no effort. Per the Washington Trails Association, it is a roughly 1.6-mile round trip with about 250 feet of elevation gain to a striking 130-foot tiered waterfall in the Olympic National Forest (Hood Canal Ranger District), in the Duckabush Recreation Area.
With your dog
This trail is short, shaded, and family-friendly, which makes it an ideal warm-up or a relaxed half-day. Dogs are welcome on leash. The forest road to the trailhead can be rough, so check conditions before you drive in.
Why it beats the park
Olympic National Park’s waterfall trails (and almost all of its other trails) are off-limits to dogs. Murhut Falls sits just outside the park on national forest land, where leashed dogs are welcome — so you get the classic Olympic Peninsula waterfall experience without leaving your dog behind.
Gear for this hike
Ruffwear
$49.99Ruffwear Roamer Bungee Dog Leash — research review
The Ruffwear Roamer is a 1-inch webbing bungee leash offered in two length ranges that combines Wavelength stretch webbing, a padded adjustable handle with a side‑release buckle, a traffic handle for quick restraint, and an anodized 6061‑T6 aluminum Talon Clip. It’s presented by Ruffwear for running, hiking, hands‑free walking and biking and can be worn at the waist, carried by hand, or looped around a post without unclipping; the waist fit adjusts up to 48 in. The longer 7.3–11 ft option is noted as not ideal for crowded or high‑traffic sidewalks.
Ruffwear
$24.99Ruffwear Quencher Bowl: Sizes, Capacity & Alternatives
The Ruffwear Quencher Packable Dog Bowl is a collapsible square bowl designed for food and water on the go. It is made from a durable water-resistant shell fabric with a lightweight waterproof lining and includes reflective trim. The Quencher comes in three capacities (Small 0.75 L, Medium 1 L, Large 2.5 L), folds flat for pocket or pack storage, and—because its fabric construction is not rigid—must be held or placed on level ground to maintain shape. Ruffwear provides a limited warranty against defects in materials and workmanship.
Ruffwear
$34.99Ruffwear Bivy Collapsible Dog Bowl — Research Review
The Ruffwear Bivy is a single-size (1.5 L) collapsible bowl designed for portable feeding and hydration during outdoor adventures. It uses a welded durable fabric (not silicone) intended to create a watertight seal, has a non-slip bottom, and—according to the Amazon listing—stays open while in use and folds flat for transport. The product carries Ruffwear’s limited warranty against defects in materials and workmanship.
Related
- Lower Lena Lake
- Mount Walker
- Olympic Peninsula Road Trip
Sources & research
Read our research methodology and editorial standards →
- Trail reference Murhut Falls