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Asbestos Creek Falls is one of the tallest front country waterfalls in the state of Washington, but it's not highly regarded due to its seasonal nature, and "off the beaten path" locale. The long series of falls lie just upstream of Clear Creek Road # 2060, which the creek flows both over and under, thanks to a washed out concrete slab. Prior to the floods of 2003, one could drive past the falls without noticing due to the significant recent growth in front of the falls. However, since the road has been washed out - and may close permanently about a mile before the falls, it'll be much harder to pass by without seeing anything. The height of the falls is a big question mark. While they likely stand close to 1000 feet tall, only about 500 feet of falls can be seen from the road. The odd shape of the gorge further up prevents viewing of the rest of the falls. The only truly full views of the falls would be from across the valley or from the air. The falls become much less impressive later in the year due to the small drainage area of Asbestos Creek.
- Asbestos Creek Falls is the Official name of this waterfall.
The origin of the name of the falls is unknown, but I speculate it deals with the mining history of the area. It is possible that nearby Asbestos Falls on Clear Creek was named for its proximity to the mouth of this creek.
Drive two miles south of Darrington on the Mountain Loop Highway to FR 2060 and follow 2060 for 2 3/4 miles to the falls. As of May 2005, the road was barricaded just under 2 miles in, so walking the last mile might be necessary.
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