Mazama Falls
Mazama Falls is a waterfall in Washington, at a modelled elevation of 1,194 m. Mount Baker stands 3,287 m to the south-southwest, 6.1 miles off. The nearest named place is Barometer Mountain, a peak 1.2 miles away. JCT SR 5 VIC BELLINGHAM TO AUSTIN PASS VIC MT BAKER passes 2.2 miles off.
The story
Mazama Falls, also referred to more simply as Wells Creek Falls (though this is incorrect, as there is a Wells Creek Falls downstream), is a waterfall on Wells Creek in the U.S. state of Washington. At nearly 500 feet (150 m) high, it is said to be the largest waterfall in the Wells Creek watershed. The falls drops 500 feet (150 m) in three main tiers. The uppermost tier is formed as Wells Creek squeezes between a "pinched" cliff and falls over 200 feet (61 m) in a horsetail form, reminiscent of Nevada Falls in Yosemite National Park. Directly after this drop is a 100 feet (30 m) plunge, which falls into a water-sculpted bowl. The third tier is a short distance downstream, plunging about 150 feet (46 m) in a segmented form. The waterfall is also said to have four more smaller tiers, the largest of which is 50 feet (15 m). The waterfall is easily seen from Wells Creek Road #33 in the Mount Baker Wilderness Area, approximately 7.5 miles (12.1 km) from Washington State Route 542. About 0.75 miles (1.21 km) below Mazama Falls is the 40 feet (12 m) rapids called Lower Mazama Falls. About 1.5 miles (2.4 km) downstream of Mazama Falls is Wells Creek Falls, a 90 feet (27 m) plunge.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Wikidata Q38086, referenced by the OpenStreetMap record.
How to reach it
- 2.2 mi off the JCT SR 5 VIC BELLINGHAM TO AUSTIN PASS VIC MT BAKER
- 18.6 mi off the JCT SR 542 VIC KENDALL TO JCT SR 9 AT CANADIAN BORDER
- 20.8 mi off the JCT SR 530 VIC ARLINGTON TO CANADIAN BORDER
- 21.3 mi off the JCT KEYSTONE FERRY ZONE WHIDBEY ISLAND TO JCT SR 153 VIC TWISP
Overlooks nearby
- Artist Point · 2 mi
- Nooksack Falls Viewpoint · 5 mi
- Viewpoint Dam · 21 mi
Named places within 25 miles
- Barometer Mountain: 1.2 mi
- Table Mountain: 1.2 mi
- Mazama Dome: 1.4 mi
- Happy Bunny Butte: 1.5 mi
- Coleman Pinnacle: 2.0 mi
- Nooksack Falls: 4.9 mi
- Rainbow Falls: 6.2 mi
- Upper Morovitz Falls: 6.6 mi
- Lower Morovitz Falls: 6.9 mi
- Sulphide Creek Falls: 8.3 mi
- Liumchen Ecological Reserve: 12.9 mi
- Maple Creek Park: 16.0 mi
- Silver Lake Park: 17.2 mi
- Pressentin Ranch Conservation Area: 21.7 mi
- Birdsview Elysium Conservation Easement: 22.7 mi
- Vogler Lake Public Access: 19.2 mi
- Deming Homestead Eagle Park: 20.2 mi
- Lake Shannon Recreation Area: 20.3 mi
- Josh VanderYacht Park: 20.9 mi
- Garden Club Park: 21.4 mi
- Park Cliffs: 5.1 mi
- Winnies Slide: 5.8 mi
- Roman Wall: 6.4 mi
- The Palisades: 7.2 mi
- Lee Promontory: 8.5 mi
- Historic Galbraith Barn Ruins: 22.4 mi
- American Legion Tribute Memorial to Saxon cemetery veterans: 22.9 mi
- Bernard Swinehart Safe: 23.5 mi
- North Cascading: 24.4 mi
- Austin Pass Picnic Area: 2.6 mi
- Shuksan Picnic Area: 4.4 mi
- Mount Baker Vista: 8.0 mi
- Homespun Kinetic Art: 18.8 mi
- Lumberjack Mural: 21.5 mi
- Nooksack Totem Pole: 21.9 mi
- Black Mountain Forestry Center: 17.5 mi
- Skagit Aero Education Museum: 22.1 mi
- Baker Hot Springs: 6.8 mi
- Shadow of the Sentinels: 12.5 mi
- Angele Cupples Community Garden: 21.5 mi
Summits around it
The highest named summits within 12.9 miles of Mazama Falls. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.
| Summit | Bearing | Elevation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Baker | SSW 214° | 3,287 m | 6.1 mi |
| Lahar Lookout | SSW 212° | 3,069 m | 6.3 mi |
| Sherman Peak | SSW 210° | 3,020 m | 6.6 mi |
| Colfax Peak | SW 221° | 2,851 m | 7.2 mi |
| Mount Shuksan | ESE 102° | 2,784 m | 6.4 mi |
| Lincoln Peak | SW 224° | 2,695 m | 7.8 mi |
| Nooksack Tower | E 97° | 2,530 m | 7.1 mi |
| American Border Peak | NNE 19° | 2,436.6 m | 10.6 mi |
When to go
Light through the year
| Date | Sunrise | Golden hour | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 07:11 | 18:38 | 19:20 |
| June solstice | 05:04 | 20:25 | 21:15 |
| September equinox | 06:54 | 18:25 | 19:07 |
| December solstice | 08:59 | 16:18 | 17:13 |
Local time (America/Vancouver).
Climate normals
Months averaging 50–80 °F: May–Sep.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg °F | 33 | 36 | 40 | 46 | 53 | 57 | 63 | 63 | 58 | 48 | 39 | 34 |
| Precip in | 15.3 | 8.8 | 10.4 | 6.7 | 4.5 | 3.3 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 4.8 | 10.5 | 16.0 | 14.1 |
1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Upper Baker DAM, 14 mi away.
Months at or above the year’s average flow: May–Jul, Nov — fullest in Jun, leanest in Mar.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean cfs | 567 | 476 | 430 | 574 | 1,149 | 1,519 | 1,283 | 785 | 586 | 682 | 823 | 669 |
USGS monthly mean discharge at gauge NF Nooksack River BL Cascade Creek NR Glacier, WA, 6 mi away — the nearest gauge, which can sit on a different stream.
Where this comes from
Location and category confirmed against OpenStreetMap.
OpenStreetMapWikidataOpenStreetMap element node/1931647739
Day trips start here
- Mount Baker · 6 mi
- Northwest Washington · 26 mi
- Sumas · 26 mi
Take the scenic way to Mazama Falls.
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