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This is the uppermost accessible waterfall along the Wallace River. This waterfall is less popular than the main falls, and you are less likely to encounter crowds here. The falls consist of five drops in all, but only two are readily visible. The first drop is the largest, falling 83 feet over a wide ledge with several notches chiseled in its brink, which forces the water to split into as many as four distinct channels at moderate levels (but will probably just become one really big one at high flow). This drop is situated immediately below where and old road crossed the river and there may be boot paths on the opposite side of the gorge which may provide a view of the falls. Below this drop, the river turns hard right and falls over the successive 30 and 65 foot drops seen from the viewpoint along the trail. Whats so decieving is the upper drop is literally no more than 20-30 feet out of sight around the corner when viewing these two drops. As the river exits the pool below the 65 footer, it falls over another 37 foot plunge which can only be looked over from above as the gorge is much too narrow or deep to access without rappelling. Below this is one final drop of about 25 feet which, again, can only be seen from within the gorge. One may be able to reach the base of the final fall in low flow periods by rock hopping upstream from wherever you can safely reach the river. The slopes around this series of falls are unstable, and I shouldn't have to warn you of the dangers of going off trail. But since there are a lot of stupid people in the world, I will. DO NOT stray off the trail around the gorges, the river is swift and cold, and if you survived a fall into the gorge, there is pretty much no way out, short of an airlift.
- Upper Wallace Falls is the Official name of this waterfall.
Drive from Monroe along U.S. 2 to Gold Bar, and turn North at the sign for Wallace Falls State Park. The trailhead is about 2 miles further. Hike in to Wallace Falls at the 2 mile mark and continue upstream. After 2 1/3 miles, a side trail goes to a vista over the Valley. Continue another 4/10 mile to a overlook looking above and into the Upper Falls, a total of 2 3/4 miles from the trailhead (via the shorter trail).
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