Tom Tom Falls

While there are multiple ways to reach the waterfalls of the Little Mashel River, all routes should utilize the Bud Blancher Trail, as other approaches are either no longer sanctioned or may be temporarily closed due to logging operations. Public parking can be found at the Bud Blancher Trailhead or Smallwood Park in Eatonville, or at the Pack Forest Headquarters off Highway 7 (only open on weekdays). Accessing the falls from Alder Cutoff Road is no longer permitted by the town of Eatonville.
From the Bud Blancher Trailhead, follow the trail for about 1.3 miles to where it crosses the Little Mashel River (the second river crossed), then bear left onto the Falls Trail shortly after. The Falls Trail climbs uphill and after about four-tenths of a mile, bear left at the third third consecutive fork in the trail (the trail at this point is bending away from the river and climbing more steeply up the hill). Tom Tom Falls will be encountered at the end of this spur trail in another one-fifth of a mile. It may be necessary to ford a channel of the river to get close to the falls.The colorfully named Tom Tom Falls is the first of a trifecta of waterfalls within the gorge of the Little Mashel River as it splashes towards Eatonville. As the river approaches the falls, it sluices down a narrow rocky channel which features a small concrete weir of sorts (possibly a remnant of a mill site at one time) and then pauses in a pool at the top of the falls. Here, the river may or may not - depending on the volume of water present - split into two channels. The more visible channel of the falls plunges a sheer 36 feet to a small bathtub-like pool below, while the second channel makes an odd 90-degree bend away from the main fall and cascades down a staircase-like slope, then twists back nearly 180 degrees and flows parallel to the other channel before the two converge below the falls again.
This unique occurrence is, unfortunately, almost impossible to photograph, and can only be seen when the river is running at higher levels - though recently it seems more reliable as some debris has partially clogged the notch in the cliff which produces the plunging side of the falls. During the winter months when the river is borderline flooding, it may be difficult to approach the falls closely (without getting quite wet), and viewing the falls without at least some trees obstructing will be tricky.
The waterfalls along the Little Mashel River are a popular spot for locals in the summer months. Numerous swimming holes provide enticing opportunities to cool off from the heat, but as is common at such places, this has lead to a lot of trash being left around the area. Please be considerate if you visit and be sure to pack out everything you pack in.This waterfall was erroneously listed in the third edition of Greg Plumb's Waterfall Lover's Guide as Little Mashel Falls, but corrected in subsequent releases. The falls have also occasionally been known simply as Upper Little Mashel Falls, but Tom Tom Falls is the colloquially accepted name for the falls.