La Follette Falls

La Follette Falls is a short lived but rather substantial waterfall in a tiny drainage on the northwest tip of Lake Crescent in Olympic National Park. Based on one meter resolution lidar, the falls drop a total of 285 feet - give or take - in two distinct steps, the largest (upper) being about 160 feet tall itself. Viewing the falls from its base makes it appear quite a bit smaller than its actual height due to a substantial degree of foreshortening. The stream which produces the falls is quite small, draining from a basin covering a scant 0.25 square miles (or about 165 acres) in area, and only reaching a maximum elevation of about 3300 feet. This all means that unless there is melting snow or prolonged periods of rain to fuel the stream, it will most likely be a trickle at best - and most assuredly will be dry in the later spring and summer months.This name probably dates back to the operation of the Lake Crescent Manganese Mine, which was located just below and to the east of the falls, but who the falls were named for and when isn't clear.