Granite Falls

The falls are located about 1 mile north of the town of Granite Falls, along the southern reaches of the Mountain Loop Highway. Just follow the signs for the highway out of town, and after about 1 mile, there is a big sign on the left that says "Granite Falls Fishway". A path leads down to the falls and the 540 foot long fish ladder.Granite Falls is both the only major waterfall along the South Fork Stilliguamish River and the feature from which the town of Granite Falls gets its name. Viewing the gorge from the bridge crossing the river above the falls just outside of town, the impression conveyed is more substantial than reality. The falls are not very exciting, cascading about 40 vertical feet in about 300 feet of run - most of that in a 25 foot tall churn at the top of the formation - but during high water, the force exuded by the river is immense. A 540 foot long fish ladder parallels the river along the falls, serving as the primary viewing platform. During the floods of 2006 the river was actually exploding out of the grated deck of the fish ladder.Granite Falls was named when the Everett & Monte Cristo Railroad was built, for the abundance of granite in the gorge where the falls are located. Subsequently, the city of Granite Falls was named, also by Everett & Monte Cristo Railroad personnel, for the nearby falls.