Visiting Nooksack Falls – Whatcom County, Washington

Located off the Mount Baker Highway (Highway 542), down a forest service road, Nooksack Falls waterfall is a great stop on a road trip when visiting the beautiful North Cascades/Mt Baker area of Washington State and the Pacific Northwest. Also – fun fact: Nooksack Falls was featured in the movie, The Deer Hunter. Let’s explore Nooksack Falls!

Nooksack Falls Location:

The waterfall is located off of Mt. Baker Highway, off of Wells Creek Road (also known as Forest Service Rte 33), a single-lane unpaved road. The waterfall viewing area is located a short, 2/3 mile drive down this road. While the road is unpaved, it’s very well-maintained – any passenger vehicle can make this drive. The parking lot is located right before the bridge – if you pass the bridge, you’ve gone too far.

Nooksack Falls – Details

Cost: Free

Time Commitment: 10 minutes. It’s a short drive off the highway and the viewing area is just a short walk.

Visiting Nooksack Falls Waterfall

The waterfall viewing area is just a short walk from the parking lot. You will see the sign for the trail right in the parking lot. This is a heavily forested area, with tall trees with their moss-covered limbs and lush vegetation. It’s very beautiful! The short trail to the waterfall is rugged; lots of exposed tree roots, so definitely not wheelchair/stroller friendly.

The viewing area contains lots of fencing, so getting a full view photo of the waterfall just isn’t possible. In the past, many tourists have lost their lives here, causing the forest service to put up the fencing. In addition to the fence, this area contains many signs warning of the dangerous terrain, as well as a solemn memorial near the parking lot for the visitors who have lost their lives here in the past.

After viewing the waterfall, head back the way you came – again, leave your daredevil desires in the parking lot because there is no way to get to the bottom of the falls. Once back at the parking lot, don’t forget to check out the nearby views of the Nooksack River from the bridge. I actually thought the river views were better than the waterfall.

Other nearby attractions

Mt Baker Ski Area
Picture Lake
Heather Meadows

Nooksack Falls in Washington State – Final Thoughts

All in all, Nooksack Falls isn’t anywhere near on my top 10 list of waterfalls. It’s a pretty area, but there are much better waterfalls in Washington State. That said, it’s a quick stop that you don’t need to go too far out-of-the-way for, so if you’re in the area, it’s worth checking out.

Pros:
Beautiful, lush forest setting
Quick stop off the Mt. Baker highway

Cons:
Due to fencing, you can only see a limited view of the waterfall.

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