Illinois Creek Falls

Illinois Creek Falls is a set of cascading falls along its namesake creek located about halfway between where the creek breaks into the valley of the North Fork Snoqualmie River at Beaverdale Falls, and the confluence with the river itself. At the falls, the stream sheets across smooth granite and cascades in two primary tiers; the upper tier drops 56 feet, beginning as a smooth sliding cascade, which veils outward and pitches into a semi-clamshell like drop at its base, and then a short distance downstream the lower tier drops 63 feet in a steeper cascade which sluices down the granite bedrock in a chute-like formation. Since Illinois Creek drains from a basin of about 1.5 square miles in size, and features no standing water or permanent ice, the volume in the creek at the falls will certainly decrease considerably as the season progresses. We surveyed the falls in March and the creek was impressively engorged, however by July we expect its flow to be reduced such that the falls will lose much of their luster, and could potentially diminish from the falls as a destination, at least in terms of an effort vs. payout consideration.