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Hundred Step Falls is the largest of the 5 major waterfalls along Twentytwo Creek. The falls, split near the brink into two streams, horsetail and cascade down chunky bedrock for several hundred feet, which prompted me to give it the name "Hundred Step Falls". Though the falls are not visible from the trail, I would bet that this is the most commonly photographed waterfall along the trail, due to it's impossible-to-miss roar, heard for quite some distance away. The bottom 75 feet of the falls is all that is obvious from the base of the falls, due to the way it curves around at the bottom of the falls, but scrambling up the slope next to the falls will reveal an additional 125 feet of falls crashing down the mountainside. At the base of Hundred Step Falls, one can observe severely twisted and deformed rock formations. I forgot to get a closer look when I took my newest pictures, but if I remember my geology, I believe this rock belongs to the Schistose family.
- Hundred Step Falls is the Proposed name of this waterfall.
- Known Alternate Names: Twentytwo Creek Falls
I had previously grouped this waterfall with the four other major waterfalls along the creek, and listed it as "Twentytwo Creek Falls". Upon re-examination of the creek, all five falls are separated by enough distance that they be considered separate waterfalls. I've proposed the name Hundred Step after the appearance of the falls as they stairstep down the hillside for seemingly an eternity.
Starting in the town of Granite Falls, drive east along the Mountain Loop Highway for 13 1/2 miles, or 2 1/2 miles passed the Verlot Ranger Station, to the signed Lake 22 trailhead. Park and start hiking along the trail to Lake 22. The trail climbs easily for 1/2 mile to a bridge spanning Twentytwo Creek, then starts climbing more steeply, passing Humpback and Confusion Falls along the way. Hundred Step Falls is reached approximately 1 1/2 miles from the trailhead. The falls are heard from a switchback near the creek, but can't be seen from the trail. There is an unmarked, but obvious path leading from the trail at the apex of the switchback, to the base of the loud falls. From the base of the falls, about 75 feet of the falls can be seen. To see the upper part of the falls, climb up the slope to the right of the base of the falls, ending up in front of the major portion of the lower part of the falls. From here, you can look up to the larger part of the falls crashing down it's hundred steps.
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