Whatcom Falls Park Guide: Waterfalls, Easy Trails & Family Fun
Looking for an easy Seattle day trip with kid-approved waterfalls, shaded forest trails, and plenty of room to roam? Whatcom Falls Park in Bellingham checks all those boxes (and then some).
We’ve explored this park in the sunny days of summer and even braved its trails in winter. Whether we’re splashing in swimming holes, marveling at the 100-year-old train trestle, or just letting the kids run wild on the playgrounds, it’s become one of our family’s favorite daytrip from Seattle.
In this guide, I’ll show you the easiest way to see the park’s waterfalls, the best kid-friendly activities, and how to make the most of your visit whether you have an hour or an entire afternoon.
Whatcom Falls Park Map
Whatcom Falls Park – Step by step Guide
The guide is broken down into 4 steps – Whatcom Falls, Whirlpool Falls, Kids Activities, Other Trails in Whatcom Falls Park
1. Whatcom Falls [15-20 mins]
The main attraction i.e. Whatcom Falls which is the largest waterfall in the park is situated within 5 mins of walking distance from the east side parking lot / trailhead (see Stone Bridge in the map above for location of Whatcom Falls). This makes it a quick and an easy visit for people of all ages and abilities.
The trail leads you to a stone bridge from where you can enjoy fantastic views of the 20ft falls. The falls on one side of the bridge and Whatcom creek flowing on the other side of the bridge make for great photo-ops.
After crossing the bridge, you will find yourself at a junction with many trails going in all directions. Take a right and as you walk on the trail for 5 mins, you will come across another small waterfall which is ~3-5 feet (see pic below). In summer months, this small waterfall makes for a popular swimming hole with locals jumping off of the falls into the pool below (see video below).
From the smaller waterfall, we traced our steps back to the junction near the bridge and continued on the trail hugging Whatcom creek to the third waterfall of the park – Whirlpool Falls.
If you are on a longer roadtrip, then just stopping by to see this first stop of Whatcom Falls would be enough.
2. Whirlpool Falls [45 mins to 1 hour]
2.1 Lower Gorge Trail to Whirlpool Falls [20 mins] – Once back at the junction near the bridge, take the trail that follows Whatcom Creek called the Lower Gorge Trail. You will know you are on the right path if you are slowly losing elevation and you can see Whatcom Creek flowing to your left. The walk through the forest with the constant sound of flowing water is very soothing.
This will be your start to a short, easy, kid-friendly loop trail to Whirlpool Falls. This trail (see pink path on the map picture above) would be ~0.5-0.75 miles RT. Whirlpool Falls are denoted with a pink triangle in the middle of the park in the map pic above.
After the first ~0.2 miles, you will come to a junction where you will see a bridge over the creek that will connect you to the Waterline trail – don’t take that route. Instead continue straight and you will see a fence on the side of the trail that will lead you to Whirlpool Falls.
2.2 At Whirlpool Falls [15 mins] – Whirlpool Falls are ~8-10 feet and plunge into a deep pool. It is a popular summer swimming hole. To get a clear view of the falls, you will need to take a short but steep trail down. From the trail above, you can just see the edge where the waterfall begins and hear the falls but cannot see them fully.
2.3 Back to parking lot via Main trail [15 mins] – From the fence above Whirpool Falls, you will see stairs going upwards and see some signs for direction (see pic below) which will bring you on the Main trail. Waking east on the Main trail will bring you back to stone bridge and parking lot.
3. Kids Activities – Playground, Fish Hatchery, Pump Tracks, etc [30 mins-1 hour]
If you are traveling with kids, then the amenities below will keep them busy for another hour.
3.1 Fish Hatchery – There is a fish hatchery that you can easily access from the lower parking lot. Kids can spend some time at the fish hatchery where they can see trout which are raised here. There are informational boards that will give you a detailed breakdown of hatchery activities around the year – from incubation of eggs to rearing to transportation of stock.
3.2 Playground – There are play structures that kids can enjoy, a tot lot at the lower parking and a bigger play structure at the upper parking lot. Kids will notice these before anything else, so its best to get their park wiggles out before heading to the hike and waterfalls.
3.3 Whatcom Falls Pump Track – This is a small pump track, but our kid loves biking and trying these pump tracks. So we carried the bike for our kiddo to spend some time doing the rounds here.
3.4 Sports Courts – There are basketball and tennis courts. We don’t necessarily travel 2 hours just to play sports at far off fields. But if you are visiting as a group and plan to picnic at the park, then these activities will keep kids busy and entertained.
4. Trails in Whatcom Falls Park
There are ~5 miles of trails to explore at Whatcom Falls Park, so you can choose your adventure depending on your interest and time at hand. Other trail options to consider include –
4.1 Fish Hatchery to Bloedel Donovan Park (0.6 miles) – This is a great trail to add on to your initial loop without any overlap. You will explore the northern part of the park on this trail. Once you are back at the parking lot, you can walk up north from fish hatchery towards Bloedel Donovan Park.
On your way, you will pass by Derby Pond, which is open for fishing for kids under 14 years of age and the 100-year old Railroad Trestle where trains carrying timber chugged once upon a time.
The end-reward of Bloedel Donovan Park, a lakeside park on Whatcom Lake with playground, swim area, boat launch, picnic area will keep kids happy. If I had to pick one more trail, this is the one I’d try.
4.2 St.Clair to Stone Bridge (0.5 miles) – If you are starting from the St.Clair side, you can start your visit at St.Clair Park. And then and take the trail to Stone Bridge for Whatcom Falls, by way of Whirlpool Falls.
4.3 Waterline Trail – If you have a dog, then Waterline Trail is a good option as you can leave dogs off-leash.
4.4 Stone Bridge to Railroad trail (0.4 miles) – this trail will take you to the Whatcom Lagoon.
Getting To Whatcom Falls Park
Whatcom Falls Park Directions
On northbound I-5, take exit 246 and then follow the map directions through local roads to reach Whatcom Falls Park. From Seattle, it is ~1hr 20 mins drive in total. (Address – 1401 Electric Ave, Bellingham, WA 98229)
If you don’t mind an additional 10 mins of drive time, then consider taking Exit 240 and driving through the scenic Lake Whatcom Blvd which hugs Lake Whatcom for ~4 miles just before you reach Whatcom Falls Park.
Whatcom Falls Park Parking
Parking is free. There are several walk-in entrances. For those driving, there are 5 parking lots to access the park. See map below, sourced from here
- West side of park – At 1925 Woburn Street
- North side of park – At 2015 St.Clair St. (near St.Clair Park) and 2114 Electric Ave (near Bloedel Donovan Park)
- South/East side of park – 1700 Silver Beach Road (lower lot) and Sunset Ln off Electric Ave (upper lot).
Except the west parking lot, all others have play areas for kids. The south/east side lots have sports fields (tennis, basketball) and bike track.
We have always entered from the south/east side lot as it is the closest to the falls. The two south/east side parking lots are very close to each other and are connected via a 2-min walking trail, so park at either of the locations and you won’t go wrong.
Tips For Visiting Whatcom Falls Park
Estimated Activity Time
On a day trip from Seattle, and assuming you do the #1 to #3 in the list above, I’d plan to spend 1 to 2 hours at Whatcom Falls Park.
Add to that your drive time. From Seattle, you can expect ~1.5 hour one-way to drive to the trailhead, so a total of 3 hours of round trip driving.
Best time to visit – Year round – Summer, fall, winter and spring.
Kid And Family Trip Report
- Infants (upto 1 year) – Whatcom Falls Park trail are very stroller friendly trails. And easy enough for parents to carry their infants in a carrier too.
- Toddlers (1-3 years) and above – These trails are great for early walkers to get out in the nature in a safe environment. Parents too can enjoy without having to stress out too much.
- Pre-school (3-5 years) and above – Can do this trail independently.
- Families – The trails and the location is great for families with older parents or varied age groups and mobility. It is this perfect family outing that pleases everyone.
Amenities
- Restrooms – Available at the park.
- Cellular network – Available.
Food
- Food options within walking distance of Whatcom Falls Park – The only options in walking distance are Da Vinci’s Classic Subs and Lafeen’s Donuts and Ice Cream shop near the east entrance.
- Bellingham downtown – Plenty of options to consider near Bellingham downtown or quick service restaurants within driving distance in the vicinity.
- Picnic in the park – If you plan to have lunch upon arrival at the park, it would be best to pick up food on the way and enjoy it at one of the many picnic tables at the park.
Stay
If you are looking to spend more time in the area, then Bellingham will have hotel options in all price range.
Whatcom Falls Park Trip Planning
Summer vs. Winter day trip itinerary
- Lake Whatcom – If you are visiting in the summertime, then consider visiting Bloedel Donovan Park at Whatcom Lake after Whatcom falls. The extensive water time will be a great addition to your itinerary. It is an awesome spot anytime of the year, but more so in summer.
- Waterfront walkways – If you are visiting in the colder months, then after Whatcom Falls, head to the parks with waterfront walkways such as Zuanich Point Park, Boulevard Park and Bellingham Walkway. This will give families water-free activities and some great views along the way.
Longer daytrip itinerary
If you are up for a longer day trip, then you can visit Whatcom Falls Park in the first half of the day followed by Chuckanut Drive for second half of the day. Chuckanut Drive is a ~21-mile long scenic drive on SR11 with many hikes, beaches, restaurants and stunning views.
Pit-stop on a longer road trip
If you are on a longer road trip from Seattle to Vancouver BC, then Whatcom Falls is a good pit stop to break the drive. It is ~1.5 mile / 5 min drive from I-5.
Final Thoughts
Whatcom gets its name from a native word which means “noisy water”. Whatcom creek which is ~4 miles long originates from Lake Whatcom and drains into Bellingham Bay. Whatcom Falls Park is centered around the upper portion of this beautiful noisy Whatcom creek.
Whatcom Creek holds 5 waterfalls in total, of which we cover 3 in this guide. The two I don’t cover are – 1) lower falls which are located downstream near Marine Heritage Park before the creek flows into the bay and 2) middle falls which are located in the restricted area of the park that is not accessible. This area was engulfed in a deadly pipeline explosion in 1999 and is under recovery and regeneration.
If you like easy hikes to waterfalls for your family, then you will like Murhut Falls and Rocky Brook Falls in Hood Canal; and Deception Falls on Highway 2.
