In 2004, the beautiful colored lights that lit up the glacier water at Ladder Creek Falls and Garden went dark. Now, after three years of restoration, the light show is officially lit again.

The Skagit River waterfall is in Newhalem on Highway 20, about two and a half hours from Seattle. The company town supports area projects from Seattle City Light (one of the biggest electricity companies in the United States). Originally installed in the 1920s by J.D. Ross, superintendent of Seattle City Light, the lights create an electricity–meets–nature spectacle.

The lights are tucked neatly away from view and play a 15-minute energy-efficient show on a loop. The view changes from different angles, and the surrounding trees do a good job of blocking out all other light.

What’s changed since the 1920s? For one thing, there’s now a seating area. The trail to the falls is a quarter mile from the City Light’s Gorge Powerhouse, and there are now handrails, guardrails, a concrete stairway, and benches to make the site more accessible. It’s greener now, too; instead of the old 1,000-watt bulbs, the new show has 30 LED lights. The entire update project cost about a million dollars.

The falls are "plugged in" every night from dark until midnight. Add the spot to a day trip to Diablo Lake (when the highway is open).