OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK, WA (June 9, 2025) – Search and rescue teams continued their efforts Monday for a visitor who slipped and fell over Sol Duc Falls in Olympic National Park on Sunday afternoon, park officials confirmed.
The incident occurred shortly after 12:48 p.m. when the individual—believed to be in their late teens or early twenties—attempted to navigate across a glistening, moss-covered rock in the center of the falls. Witnesses reported that the person briefly surfaced downstream after being swept over the 50-foot cascade before disappearing beneath the rushing waters.
Clallam County Fire District No. 2, joined by Olympic National Park rangers and the Clallam swift water rescue team, cleared the immediate vicinity but found no trace of the person. Teams then focused their efforts on a cove located downstream as a potential refuge point.
Crews are employing a range of techniques—including high-angle rope systems, drones, and systematic ground searches—to locate the missing individual.
Sol Duc Falls is known for its hazardous footing, especially when water levels rise—prompting numerous rescues over recent years. In two prior incidents, a teenager and an adult were rescued after slipping toward the falls.
Park officials have again reminded visitors to stay on designated trails and behind protective barriers, particularly during high-flow conditions that make river rocks slippery and unpredictable.
This search remains active. Individuals with information—such as nearby sightings or shared media of the incident—are asked to contact Olympic National Park authorities.
Our thoughts are with the missing visitor and all involved in this challenging and emotional rescue effort.