|
Rattlesnake Falls is an airy 92 foot plunging waterfall along the upper reaches of Rattlesnake Creek that would be a great attraction if only its stream held water throughout the year. The area Rattlesnake Creek drains from is low elevation and on the leeward side of the Cascades, so it doesn't receive a whole lot of rain at all, and I suspect the creek might run dry at the falls as early as June (earlier in dry years). When it flows I'm sure this is quite an impressive waterfall, but I can't quite attest to that yet.
- Rattlesnake Falls is the Official name of this waterfall.
Rattlesnake Falls is the first waterfall I have ever visited where using an auto GPS is virtually mandated. Roads can get you to within about 2/3 of a mile of the falls, but they are poorly marked and impossible to discern on the topographic maps. Starting at Highway 141 in BZ Corner, turn east onto the BZ Corner - Glenwood Highway and proceed just over 6 miles. Watch for a gravel road that veers off gently to the right, passing through a cattle gate. From here follow the rocky but generally well graded road for 4.6 miles, turning as follows at the junctions encountered. Right at the first junction, straight at the 5-way junction at the top of the hill, right at the fourth and left at the fifth. This will lead you to a berm in the road with limited parking and minimal turn around room. From here follow the road on foot for about 2/3 of a mile to a clearcut area on the left and watch for an overgrown road on the right which leads quickly to the canyon rim near the falls. Again, a GPS is essential in locating this waterfall, and a map is useful. The falls and access roads are on DNR land so if the DNR makes available a map of the road system in the area, it would be immensely helpful.
|
