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Tin Cup Joe Falls is one of Washington's hidden gems. While it's obvious that people have seen the falls before, it's surprisingly unknown, considering it's proximity to the Seattle Metro area. The falls, on Cripple Creek's major headwall, are a rare combination of significant height and volume. Cripple Creek, just before reaching the top of the falls, splits into two channels then plunges down the stepped cliff face. The left-hand segment has tiers of 50, 200, 40, 60 and 50 feet respectively, while the right-hand segment horsetails almost continuously down the headwall for 300 feet, then steps down another hundred before joining with the other channel. After merging, the creek then splits again and plunges over closer side-by-side falls, another drop of 50 feet. While the falls are almost positively the most impressive in the Snoqualmie River drainage (if not, certainly Top 3), Cripple Creek is subject to seasonal fluctuation, and the creek, regardless of being fed by 8 lakes, is reduced significantly in periods of prolonged drought (as you can see in my pictures). Probably the most disappointing thing about this waterfall is the near impossibility of seeing the entire waterfall at once. The upper 400 feet can be easily seen when the creek is low (and it may be possible, but dangerous, to see at peak flow), the top 200 feet of each segment can be seen individually or collectively, but there is no way to see all 450 feet together. Its likely the falls may extend further upstream as well.
- TIN CUP JOE FALLS is the Historical name of this waterfall.
- Known Alternate Names: Cripple Creek Falls
I don't know where the name Tin Cup Joe came from specificly, but Cripple Creek at one time was known as Tin Cup Joe Creek, so it's thought the falls were either named after the creek, or the person whom the creek was named for. Either way, the name is of local origin, and has been in use, albiet quite unknown, for some time.
Exit Interstate 90 at Edgewick Road, east of North Bend, turn north and proceed about ½ mile to Dorothy Lake Road, which becomes Taylor River Road. At 11 miles, the Gateway Trailhead is passed. There are two options from this point. Low clearance vehicles will want to park at the trailhead and hike the Middle Fork Trail east for 4 miles to Cripple Creek. Those who have higher clearance vehicles can drive another mile to the Taylor River Bridge, then bear right at the junction immediately following and proceed another 6 miles to the Dingford Creek Trailhead (a gate is soon to be installed, if it isn’t already). From there, hike 1/3 mile to the Middle Fork Trail, then another mile west to Cripple Creek. The Derrick Lake route starts on the west side of the Cripple Creek bridge, and provides access to the base of the falls in another mile. The route is passable, but not maintained and not for inexperienced hikers. Note that the route all but disappears near the base of the falls, and footing can be very unstable climbing up the right side of the lower part of the falls. When the creek is low, the trail fords Cripple Creek about 200 feet downstream from the falls and climbs the opposite hillside to closer approaches to the upper sections of the falls.
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