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. The falls are located adjacent to the stone footbridge spanning the creek immediately adjacent to the parking area.Whatcom Falls is the largest and most impressive waterfall along Whatcom Creek in Bellingham. Here the creek makes a sharp bend in its channel and at its apex slides across a huge block of bedrock, plunging a nearly sheer 20 feet into a mass of boulders below. Just upstream from the falls is the Bellingham Fish Hatchery, which can be freely explored. Both immediately upstream from the falls, and adjacent to the downstream edge of the footbridge are spillways which return excess water from the hatchery to Whatcom Creek. The upper spillway creates a sort of artificial upper tier to the falls (though it can be seen spilling directly out of a pipe).