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Upper Sulphur Creek Falls
   Whatcom County, Washington

[ Physical Makeup ]  [ Pictures ]  [ Maps ]  [ Update History ]

Sulphur Creek harbors several small but pretty waterfalls where it has carved a twisting gorge into the broad Sulphur Creek basalt formation that permeates the Rocky and Sulphur Creek drainages. Those visiting the Schriebers Meadows area have no doubt glanced at the pretty gorge along Sulphur Creek upstream from the bridge, but just 700 feet downstream lies a much more scenic stretch where this 23-foot fall plunges into a narrow grotto. As of May 2011 there were unfortunately a few logs lying across the falls which makes taking good pictures from multiple angles quite a bit more difficult, but the area is nonetheless quite scenic.

While Sulphur Creek is a remarkably consistent stream thanks to the extensive snow and glacier melt from Mount Baker, it has been partially diverted to the nearby Koma Kulshan Powerhouse and as a result has its average volume reduced by perhaps one-third (the capacity of the Koma Kulshan system is 121 cfs, and most of that comes from Rocky Creek). This seems to actually be a benefit in the case of Sulphur Creek as the falls do not overwhelm with spray and the bedrock is more exposed than it might otherwise be, allowing easier access in some areas.

HISTORY AND NAMING INFORMATION

  • Upper Sulphur Creek Falls is the Unofficial name of this waterfall.

LOCATION AND DIRECTIONS

easy access

From Highway 20, follow the Baker Lake Road for just over 12 miles to FSR 12 (signed for Schriebers Meadows and Mount Baker Recreation Area) and turn left. Proceed another 2.1 miles along FSR 12 to the bridge over Sulphur Creek and park. Enter the woods on the south side of Sulphur Creek and follow the creek downstream for about 700 feet to where the falls are visible. In order to get clear views it may be necessary to scramble down to a ledge of bedrock directly across from the falls, which may or may not be a bit precarious.

Latitude

48.67138 N

Longitude

-121.73052 W

Elevation

1480 feet

USGS Quadrangle

Welker Peak 7 1/2"

Online USGS Topographic maps on Terraserver

Aerial Photographs: Terraserver | Flash Earth

Download KML

Open this location in Google Earth

OTHER NEARBY WATERFALLS

Name

Distance

Middle Sulphur Creek Fall...

0.176 miles

Sulphur Creek Falls

0.317 miles

Sandy Creek Falls

1.54 miles

Lower Sulphur Creek Falls

1.975 miles

County Line Falls

2.849 miles

Little Sandy Creek Falls

4 miles

Unnamed Waterfall

4.934 miles

Lower Anderson Creek Fall...

5.211 miles

Unnamed Waterfall

5.81 miles

Laplash Falls

5.86 miles

 

 

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Magnitude

33.39

IWC

0.55  (Class 1)

RATING

32.52 %

 

Photo of Upper Sulphur Creek Falls

[ View Pictures ]

 

PHYSICAL MAKEUP

Height

23 feet

Tallest Drop

23 feet

Num. Drops

1

AVG. Width

30 feet

Pitch

90 degrees

Run

5 feet

Primary Form

Segmented Plunges

 

Watershed

Skagit River

Stream

Sulphur Creek

AVG. Volume

50.0 cfs

Source

Glacier

Seasonality

12 months

Best Flows

Year Round

 
 

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Search for Upper Sulphur Creek Falls on Google

Information on this waterfall at the World Waterfall Database

Search for more pictures at:
Flickr | PBase | Webshots | Smugmug

       
 

UPDATE HISTORY

Apr 30, 2012

Edited basic information about this waterfall

 
 
 
 
 

 

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