Upper Whatcom Falls

In Bellingham, exit Interstate 5 at Lakeway Drive and head east for about 2 miles, then turn left on to Silver Beach Road at the sign denoting Whatcom Falls Park. Follow the road to the parking area near the fish hatchery at its end in just under a half mile. Find the trail leading to the footbridge over Whatcom Creek, cross and head upstream on the opposite side for one quarter of a mile to a trailside vista of the falls next to the large pool at its base.Upper Whatcom Falls is the first of the major waterfalls along Whatcom Creek. The creek spills through a small dam, used to divert water to the nearby fish hatchery, then turns hard left and sluices through the bedrock for 13 vertical feet. When Whatcom Creek is running high, the falls are much more impressive (and visible), stretching to as much as 50-60 feet wide, but as the volume of the stream drops between May and October, the entirety of the creek will occupy a narrow channel carved into the rock which functionally hides the falls from all angles except for right on top of it. Located between Upper Whatcom Falls and Whatcom Falls is another small waterfall which spans the breadth of Whatcom Creek that many often mistake for Upper Whatcom Falls - in reality it's actually too small (perhaps 2-3 feet tall at most) to be considered a significant fall along the creek.