Hwy 20, WA

Rainy Lake is one of the most popular destinations along the North Cascades Highway due to its easy access. But you don't only get an exceptionally scenic alpine lake, you get to see one of the better waterfalls in the North Cascades at the same time. Flowing out of a pair of small lakes and the remnant of the Lyall Glacier, the small stream feeding Rainy Lake cascades down a narrow gorge and hurtles over 800 feet to a steep talus slope before entering the placid waters of the lake. Though pictures do not convey the true size of the falls, even in the late summer when the water flow is greatly diminished, the crescendo of the falls is plainly audible across the lake - over half a mile away from the viewpoint.