Rainbow Falls Trail is one of the premier temperate rainforest hiking routes in the Tongass National Forest. Starting at sea level along Zimovia Highway, the trail quickly climbs alongside a rushing mountain creek through an old-growth canopy dominated by giant Western red cedars, Sitka spruces, and Western hemlocks. The forest understory is carpeted in deer ferns, mosses, and devil’s club.

Handcrafted wooden staircases ease the climb through steep terrain, bringing hikers to an elevated viewing platform directly facing Rainbow Falls—a dramatic cascade tumbling over dark bedrock cliffs. The constant mist generated by the waterfall supports a rich micro-climate of specialized mosses and liverworts clinging to the surrounding granite canyon walls.

For those seeking a longer trek, the trail continues past the falls to connect with the Institute Creek Trail and the high-elevation Shoemaker Overlook, offering expansive vistas of the southern straits. The lower trail is engineered with sturdy timber handrails, non-slip tread textures, and resting landings that allow hikers to catch their breath while immersed in deep rainforest birdsong and rushing water.

Along the trail, interpretive signs provide insight into the lifecycle of temperate rainforests, from nurse logs supporting new saplings to the role of fungi in nutrient recycling. Rainbow Falls represents the ideal introduction to Southeast Alaska’s wilderness trails, offering significant vertical reward and dramatic natural power within a manageable 1.6-mile round-trip distance.