Washington’s Olympic National Park is a moss-covered, ethereal gem with lush views beyond belief. A testament to this beauty is Sol Duc Falls, surrounded by verdant flora and fauna. It’s located an hour away from Port Angeles, one of the best small beach towns in America. Featuring three mighty streams that pour into the Sol Duc River, it’s one of Olympic National Park’s most popular sites and waterfalls. However, make no mistake: Sol Duc Falls is just as deadly as it is breathtaking, with this stunning formation claiming the life of an individual in early June 2025.
Eighteen-year-old Grant Herridge was visiting Olympic National Park when he toppled over the falls. Although his body was promptly discovered, the National Park Service issued a news release days after his death stating that they were unable to retrieve the body due to raging river waters. Nevertheless, they noted that they would continue their efforts.
Tragically, Herridge, a Texas local, had recently graduated high school and had plans to attend Baylor University. “He was always so full of life and we are going to honor him by living life to the fullest in the future,” wrote his father, Brad Herridge, on Facebook. By and large, this fatality serves as a reminder of the dangers presented by Mother Nature when visiting Sol Duc Falls.
Hikers have been injured at Sol Duc Falls before
Sol Duc is said to translate to “sparkling water” in the Quileute language, but don’t let this serene name, bestowed by a tribe native to the Olympic Peninsula, fool you. Sol Duc Falls is a force to be reckoned with. Indeed, Grant Herridge’s death is not the only accident that has transpired here. In May 2016, Josh Reichert, a Washington local, narrowly escaped death at Sol Duc Falls. The then 30-year-old made his way to a rock near the edge of the falls and subsequently plummeted down the cascades as he attempted to get out of the water. Despite falling 70 feet and several chutes, Reichert did not die. In fact, he was able to make it out of the Sol Duc River. Even so, he was not completely unscathed; Reichert broke his heel and had other injuries. Additionally, it took over nine hours for rescue teams to get Reichert, who developed hypothermia, to safety. If this wasn’t baffling enough, there was a witness who filmed the incident, the footage making waves on the news and the web.
In an interview with KIRO 7, Reichert expressed his disbelief of the outcome of his misadventure. He told the outlet, “It was a miracle I did live. I should have died right then,” before adding, “I decided I’m going to live and swim.” That, he did. Similarly, an unnamed teenager was lucky to be alive after he fell and landed into the Sol Duc River in September 2019.
Follow these safety tips when visiting Sol Duc Falls
