13 Kid-Friendly Waterfall Hikes for Seattle-Area Families

Kids will love: The sight of gorgeous cascading falls fit for a national park but in an urban setting. 

Highlights: Whatcom Falls Park is 240 acres of shady forest, a tumbling creek and a lagoon that provides habitat for dabbling ducks, plus more than 5 miles of trails that pass four cascading waterfalls (Upper Whatcom Falls, Whatcom Falls, Whirlpool Falls and Pixie Falls). 

Walk a short paved trail from the parking lot to the historic stone bridge that spans Whatcom Creek. Hear the roar and feel the spray of the crashing waterfall on your left — this is Whatcom Falls, just 100 yards from the parking lot and shrouded in a mossy green forest. The falls will be at their fullest during the spring snowmelt or after a big rain. Look down — the sandstone bridge under your feet hails from the Great Depression, a project of the Works Progress Administration. 

For more falling water, continue just beyond the bridge to a trail intersection. First, head right (north) to get a view above the main falls. Large sandstone boulders make for a great vantage point, but keep kids close and don’t wade into the creek here. As you continue on the trail, you’ll pass a small, 2-foot unnamed fall along the way, but keep walking. At 0.2 miles, when the creek is full, you’ll get a nice view of the 13-foot segmented plunge falls known as Upper Whatcom Falls.

Backtrack the way you came to the intersection by the stone bridge, and continue the other way (south) as the trail follows the lovely gorge downstream, staying within earshot of the turbulent creek. At 0.3 miles you’ll get to the stout but sweet Whirlpool Falls, a plunging punchbowl falls that drops into a locally loved swimming hole on hot days. Turn around to return to the parking lot, or keep exploring the trails of this park for a longer hike.

Distance: 1.5 miles round-trip, 50 feet elevation gain

Info: Check current conditions and trip reports at the WTA website.

Directions: Whatcom Falls Parks is 86 miles north of Seattle. Drive I-5 north up to Bellingham (Exit 253). Head east on Lakeway Drive for 1.5 miles, then make a left at Silver Beach Road, the entrance to Whatcom Falls Park. The main parking lot and trailhead is about half a mile into the park.

Next stop: Twin Falls