Lower West Austin Creek Falls

The Austin Creek drainage on the back side of Lookout Mountain, just east of Bellingham, harbors a handful of surprisingly decent waterfalls - though none are obvious at first glance. Austin Creek drains the majority of the east flank of Lookout Mountain, and this unnamed stream, which we casually refer to as the West Fork of Austin Creek, joins the main stem a short distance upstream from the neighborhoods of Sudden Valley via a series of several waterfalls. The lowermost falls of the stream is found immediately at the confluence of the two water courses, where the West Fork glides down a concave shaped ledge forming a scenic 34-foot tall veiling falls. A second waterfall can be partially glimpsed through the trees in certain places less than 200 feet upstream from this one, but whether it should be considered an upper tier to this waterfall, or its own separate entry has not yet been determined. The stream producing this waterfall drains from a basin which covers approximately 6/10 of a square mile, with no significant source of water found within. This will ensure that the stream will only flow well during the wet season, and will quickly shrivel - if not completely dry out - by the mid summer months. The waterfalls of the Austin Creek area are likely all found on Private Property, however upon our last visit to the area there was no evidence that the public was not allowed to access the area. Please be respectful of the rights of the adjacent landowners, and do not disturb the area excessively (and of course pack out any trash you may bring in). If any indication is found that public access is not allowed, please leave the area.