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Hilt Creek Falls has intrigued me since I first visited it in 1999. When I first found the falls, it was absolutely impossible to see from the road, thanks to thick surrounding forest. A quick scramble to the base revealed clear views. Second visit a year later led me to find a previously unseen upper tier. After inspecting the topographic maps and visiting the falls again in 2005, I have concluded that the falls are much bigger than I previously thought. Thanks to the storms and floods of 2003, the falls are now visible from the road, albeit still blocked by trees, and access is much easier thanks to some boot paths worn down by visitors. My most recent visit also allowed me to re-establish a height estimate at closer to 90 feet - with tiers at 35 and 55 feet - and I suspect, based on the maps, that there is at least one more large tier further upstream, which may bring the total height of the falls to over 120 feet. Considering that another large waterfall lies inaccessible downstream of here, surrounded by private property, that Hilt Creek Falls may be this much more significant makes losing the lower falls to private land a little more tolerable.
- Hilt Creek Falls is the name of this waterfall.
Located south of Rockport, off of Highway 530. Drive north of Darrington for about 12 miles, or south of US 20 in Rockport for about 2 ½ miles, to Illabot Creek Road # 16. Follow Road 16 for 2 miles, and park at the turnout just past the 2 mile marker, where the falls can be glimpsed through the trees. A rough, but fairly obvious boot path leads down to the creek - steeply at times - for views of the falls.
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