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Big Blowout Falls is the middle of at least three known waterfalls along the east branch of Big Blowout Creek. The falls consist of three powerful drops, one of which is rather difficult to view. The uppermost tier plunges a nearly sheer 48 feet, followed shortly by a second sliding drop of 19 feet. The creek makes a gradual twist to the right and then plunges and slides over a third drop of about 40 more feet. While the first two tiers are easily seen from open woods adjacent to the creek, the third drop falls at an angle which makes viewing it clearly difficult (and the dozen or so logs which cover its face don’t help either). Despite the modest to small volume of this fork of Big Blowout Creek, the upper tier of the falls in particular ejects a rather significant volume of spray, which can create problems for photographers who may wish to seek out the falls.
- Big Blowout Falls is the Unofficial name of this waterfall.
Like the other waterfalls in the immediate area, we know of no official name of this entry. We chose to title it after its stream because it not only personifies the name of the creek with its forceful plunge, but because it is also the most boisterous and audibly significant of the several waterfalls in the immediate vicinity.
Big Blowout Falls is located on a small parcel of Department of Natural Resources land in the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River valley near North Bend. Exit Interstate 90 at Edgewick Road (Exit 34) and head north past the truck stop for one-quarter mile to SE Middle Fork Road and turn left. Proceed just over 7 miles (the first 2.5 are paved) to a signed and gated road on the left and park. This marks the beginning of the DNR’s Bessemer Road. As of 2012 a Discover Pass is required to legally park here. Begin hiking along the gated road, which climbs gently for the first mile, to where it intersects the CCC Trail. Continue following the obvious road up the hill where all trails and spurs branch off. About a mile and three-quarters from the trailhead is an active quarry, where trucks and heavy equipment may be encountered during the weekdays – stay clear of traffic and out of the quarry area. Continue straight past the quarry, climbing up three sharp switchbacks. At the 2.3 mile mark the road approaches the east branch of Big Blowout Creek closely. The top of Big Blowout Falls is found about 150 feet downstream from this point and can be easily accessed by dropping off the road at an obvious animal path and descending through the open woods to the base of either tier of the falls.
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