Little Wenatchee Falls

Little Wenatchee Falls is the ultimate two-faced waterfall. I had passed through the area several times prior to visiting the falls, but usually opted to write it off because it had been given a one star rating in "A Waterfall Lovers Guide to the Pacific Northwest". After visiting the falls twice, I can see why it would land such a rating yet I can't understand how a waterfall so significant can go so overlooked for so long, especially considering the popularity of the Wenatchee River in nearby Tumwater Canyon as a rafting destination. First of all, the falls are much larger than initial impressions let on. The Little Wenatchee River cascades over a series of progressively taller ledges totaling about 60 feet in height in about 300 feet of run. The formation stretches over 200 feet wide at the bottom of the falls. The reason the falls are so overlooked is the one well worn boot path that leads to the top of the falls doesn't allow one to see more than the top 5-10 feet of the falls. From the base of the falls, however, a much more impressive picture is painted. The Little Wenatchee can move a fair amount of water - easily cresting a thousand cubic feet during the spring melt - but because the drainage is largely runoff dependant, the river loses a lot of its power late in the season and the falls will become much less impressive as the year progresses.