Rat Trap Falls

Rat Trap Falls is located adjacent to National Forest Road #27, which runs between the White Chuck River and Suiattle River Roads via Rat Trap Pass. The falls can be approached from either side just as easily. From the north, take the Mountain Loop Highway north from Darrington and turn right onto the Suiattle River Road #26, then follow it for 10 miles and turn left onto South Suiattle Road #25, which crosses the Suiattle River. Just after crossing Straight Creek at the 3 mile marker, bear right onto Road #27, signed for Rat Trap Pass, and continue another 5 1/3 miles to the falls on the right. From the south, take the Mountain Loop Highway south from Darrington for 9 miles and turn left onto the White Chuck Road just after crossing the Sauk River. Follow the White Chuck Road for 5.7 miles to where it makes a very sharp switchback to the left and becomes Road #27, then continue another 5 miles to where the falls will be visible on the left.Draining from the smaller of the two White Chuck Lakes beneath the east face of White Chuck Mountain, Rat Trap Falls is a surprisingly significant roadside waterfall which splashes 114 feet down a narrow forested gully and veils out in a broad display right in plain view of the road heading over Rat Trap Pass. It may be legitimate to consider this stream the headwaters of Straight Creek, because it appears to be the larger volume water course originating from the White Chuck Lakes, despite Thornton Lake being a larger water body that appears capable of producing a larger stream. There is however a modest body of permanent ice which gathers on the east side of White Chuck Mountain around the 5500 foot level, the majority of which will drain north into the stream which produces Rat Trap Falls, rather than into Thornton Lake, so this both allows the stream to swell considerably during the spring melt-off and sustain a consistent flow during the dry months.