Friday, February 10, 2012

Whatcom Falls Park in Bellingham Washington

Spencer Jack in Bellingham's
Whatcom Falls Park
Whatcom Falls Park in Bellingham is one of my favorite parks in Washington.

Whatcom Falls Park covers 241 acres. Inside the park are 4 waterfalls. The waterfalls are on Whatcom Creek which drains from Lake Whatcom to Bellingham Bay.

After heavy rains, when the Northwest goes into flood mode, the falls in Whatcom Falls Park can turn very powerful.

In Whatcom Falls Park you will find many miles of very well maintained hiking trails which cover a variety of terrain. Inside the park there is a fishing pond and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife runs a fish hatchery.

Whirlpool Falls, found on the Whirlpool Loop Trail, is my favorite of the Whatcom Falls Park waterfalls. Whirlpool Falls is a sort of grotto, with cliffs, a falls which sort of acts like a slide, plus a very popular swimming hole.

On June 10, 1999 the Olympic Pipeline blew up, with a massive explosion, which resulted in a lot of damage to forested land inside Whatcom Falls Park.

Spencer Jack with Whatcom Falls behind him
Part of the area damaged was Whirpool Falls.

For several years following the pipeline explosion disaster the city outlawed swimming at Whirpool Falls.

But. s

Swimmers repeatedly ignored and destroyed fences and signs designed to keep them out of Whirpool Falls. Eventually the city gave up controlling access and removed all barriers.

Of late my nephew has been taking my great nephew, Spencer Jack, for hikes on the trails of Whatcom Falls Park and sending me pictures.

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