Upper Wallace Falls

Drive from Monroe along U.S. 2 to Gold Bar, and turn North at the sign for Wallace Falls State Park. The trailhead is about 2 miles further. Hike in to Wallace Falls at the 2 mile mark and continue upstream. After 2 1/3 miles, a side trail goes to a vista over the Valley. Continue another 4/10 mile to a overlook looking above and into the Upper Falls, a total of 2 3/4 miles from the trailhead (via the shorter trail).Upper Wallce Falls is the uppermost of the trio of multi-step waterfalls found along the Wallace River. The cumulative drop of the falls is 259 feet in five distinct steps with minor cascades in between several, though only two steps are readily visible from the trail system in the park. The first drop is the largest, falling 83 feet over a wide ledge with several notches chiseled in its brink, which forces the water to split into as many as four distinct channels at moderate levels (but will probably just become one really big one at high flow). This drop is situated immediately below a footbridge which now spans the gorge at the top of the falls which will eventually provide access to trails further to the east on DNR land. The river then turns hard right and falls over the successive 26 and 62 foot drops which can be seen from the fenced viewpoint along the trail. As the river exits the pool below the 62 footer, it falls over another 33 foot plunge which can only be looked over from above as the gorge is far too narrow and steep to access without rappelling gear. Below this is one final drop of 23 feet, which again can not be seen from the trail. Do not attempt to view the falls from anywhere but the designated viewpoints.