About Whatcom Falls
Whatcom Falls was kind of our excuse to break up the drive between Seattle and Vancouver as it was on the way.
The word “whatcom” was said to mean “noisy water” in the local Native American tongue.
However, I managed to see this falls in a more subdued and tranquil state as pictured above.
That said, I can easily imagine how much wider and more forceful the flow of Whatcom Creek can become had I showed up a few months earlier than my late July visit.
In any case, this 25ft waterfall was a mere 100 yards from the nearest parking lot.
That was where I was able to see the front of the Whatcom Falls from a stone bridge built under the authority of the WPA (Works Progress Administration).
Apparently, had I walked another 0.3 miles downstream along one of the handful of trails meandering about the lush city park, I would have arrived at the Whirlpool Falls, which was a well-known and popular swimming hole.
Speaking of Whirlpool Falls, I learned that there was the Olympic Pipeline disaster in 1999 where a gas pipe ruptured and leaked 237,000 gallons of gasoline into Whatcom Creek.
An explosion ensued when the fuel was ignited accidentally.
The result of this environmental disaster (as well as a human tragedy as a man and two boys died in the explosion) was that swimming access at Whirlpool Falls was closed.
Yet that didn’t stop swimmers from enjoying the falls despite the risks so the city of Bellingham eventually gave up in their efforts at regulation and just let people go into the area at their own risk.
Nevertheless, this incident serves as a cautionary tale of what can happen in the presence of oil or gas pipelines, which has been quite the hot button topic when I visited in July 2017.
Authorities
Whatcom Falls resides in Whatcom Falls Park near Bellingham in Whatcom County, Washington. It is administered by the City of Bellingham. For information or inquiries about this area as well as current conditions, visit their website.
Related Trip Reports
Related Top 10 Lists
No Posts Found
Related Itineraries
Trip Planning Resources
Nearby Accommodations
This content is for subscribers only. See Membership Options.Featured Images and Nearby Attractions
This content is for subscribers only. See Membership Options.Visitor Comments:
Got something you'd like to share or say to keep the conversation going? Feel free to leave a comment below...No users have replied to the content on this page
Visitor Reviews of this Waterfall:
If you have a waterfall story or write-up that you'd like to share, feel free to click the button below and fill out the form...No users have submitted a write-up/review of this waterfall
Nearest Waterfalls
