United States · Whatcom County
Colonial Creek Falls
Colonial Creek Falls is the tallest waterfall in the continental United States. In a horizontal traverse of more than 4,200 feet , it falls 2,568 feet vertically in 13 distinct drops, with an average incline of 65 degrees.
Facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia, compiled September 2026; season and access are our estimate, not a visit report. How we build these pages.
Colonial Creek Falls drops 788 metres (2,585 ft) across a face roughly 15 metres wide, inside North Cascades National Park. It is a plunge-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Whatcom County, United States. Access to the main viewpoint is rated moderate.
Summary adapted from the Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA 4.0).
As a plunge waterfall, water leaves the rock entirely and falls free through the air.
What you can do here
A walk-in-and-look waterfall
No commercial adventures run at Colonial Creek Falls itself — the experience is the approach and the view. Guided day trips from Whatcom County are the easiest way to combine it with the area around it.
Also good forHikingPhotography
When to go
Snowmelt-driven: April to June is the big-water window, and some falls almost disappear by late summer.
Getting there
- Base town Whatcom County, United States
- Country United States
- Region Whatcom County, United States, North America
- Access Moderate — a real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail
How it compares
Most similar
Puʻukaʻoku Falls
United States
Height840 mWidth—
Also a plunge waterfall, of similar height and in the United States too
Largest curtain
Victoria Falls
Zimbabwe · Zambia
Height108 mWidth1,708 m
Largest single sheet of falling water
Tallest on earth
Angel Falls
Venezuela
Height979 mWidth—
Widest on earth
Khone Phapheng Falls
Laos
Height21 mWidth10,783 m
Measured across the whole multi-channel system
Angel Falls is 1.2× taller than Colonial Creek Falls. It drops 7.3× further than Victoria Falls (108 m), but Victoria's curtain is 114× wider. Khone Phapheng Falls is 719× wider. Tallest · widest lists.
On the map
48.6702, -121.14
Quick answers
Where is Colonial Creek Falls?
Colonial Creek Falls is in United States (Whatcom County), inside North Cascades National Park. The nearest base is Whatcom County, United States. Its coordinates are 48.6702, -121.1400.
How tall is Colonial Creek Falls?
Colonial Creek Falls drops 788 metres (2,585 feet), across a face about 15 metres wide. It is a plunge-type waterfall.
When is the best time to visit Colonial Creek Falls?
Peak flow is April to June. Snowmelt-driven: April to June is the big-water window, and some falls almost disappear by late summer.
What can you do at Colonial Creek Falls?
Beyond the viewpoints: hiking and photography. Access to the main viewpoint is rated moderate — a real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail.
How do you get to Colonial Creek Falls?
The usual base is Whatcom County, United States. A real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail from there.
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