Canyon Falls

Canyon Falls occurs within a private development which does not allow general public access to the falls. Please do not attempt to visit the falls unless you have received explicit permission from a resident in the area.Canyon Falls is a name lacking color yet very fitting for this waterfall of the South Fork Skykomish River. The falls drop 26 feet over a heavily sculpted outcrop of reddish granite into a long, narrow gorge, within which the river drops another 18 feet before exiting into a large pool downstream. The falls are surrounded by private residence and has not been accessible to the public since the early-90s. There have been altercations with the landowners in the area in recent years and fairly intense security systems have been installed to dissuade visitors. Please do not attempt to visit this waterfall unless public access is / can be restored, or unless you receive specific permission to do so from a landowner in the area. As of late 2011, the Snohomish County Public Utility District has proposed building a dam on the South Fork Skykomish River just upstream of Canyon Falls, which would divert as much as 2,500 cubic feet of water per second away from the river. During springtime flows, this would result in as much as half of the river being diverted away from the falls, and during autumn and winter months may result in as much as 90 percent of the river being diverted. Prescribed releases would ensure the falls would continue flowing, but chances are they would not be more than 100-200 cubic feet per second, which is anywhere from one-fourth to one-eighth of the average volume of the river during its lowest natural flows in the late summer months.