PNWSights
A tall, narrow waterfall cascades in several white tiers down a steep, dark rock gorge, framed by dense evergreen trees on the left and sunlit mossy cliffs on the right. The bright afternoon light catches the cliff face while the stream churns through the tight canyon below.

Gorge Creek Falls

Marblemount, WA

Gorge Creek Falls drops 242 feet into a narrow, moss-covered gorge along the North Cascades Highway. A footbridge directly over the gorge provides a dramatic vantage point. The falls flow year-round, though volume is highest during spring snowmelt.

Photography Guide

Best Time
any
Crowds
Moderate
Shot Types
long-exposuredetailportrait
Best Seasons
springsummer
Practical Tips
The falls are a short walk from a Highway 20 pullout. The bridge can be slippery when wet; use caution.

Is it a good day to go?

7-day outlook

Mild, dry days with light winds are the most comfortable for a visit.

Forecast by Open-Meteo. Verdicts weigh the forecast against the conditions that suit this spot.

Author's Comments

There are waterfalls you have to earn and waterfalls you simply pull over for, and Gorge Creek is firmly the latter. That does not make it less. The footbridge spans the gorge directly, and standing on it in late May, with the snowmelt running hard and the spray rising up through the moss-furred walls, is one of those small, almost incidental encounters that the North Cascades Highway specializes in. The falls drop two hundred and forty feet into a slot so narrow and so green it reads almost tropical. I have stood on that bridge in early morning and again at midday and the light does not matter as much as you would think, because the gorge itself is mostly in shadow and the water is the subject. What matters is volume. Come in spring, when the creek is loud and the mist coats everything. By late summer the flow softens and the falls become a quieter, more delicate thing, which has its own appeal if you are after detail work and longer exposures. A tripod helps. The bridge gives a little under foot traffic, so wait for a gap and brace well. Look down rather than out - the gorge below the falls, with its mossed boulders and the creek threading away toward the Skagit, is the photograph most people miss because they are pointed the other way. Mind your footing. The deck stays wet for most of the season, and the rails are lower than you remember.

Gallery

A tall, narrow waterfall cascades in several white tiers down a steep, dark rock gorge, framed by dense evergreen trees on the left and sunlit mossy cliffs on the right. The bright afternoon light catches the cliff face while the stream churns through the tight canyon below. Photo: Joe Mabel / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
A tall, narrow waterfall plunges through a steep rocky gorge, with white water stepping down into a dark pool-lined channel. Mossy, evergreen-covered walls frame the falls, while bright sunlight streaks across the right cliff face and highlights the green foliage on the left. Photo: Joe Mabel / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
A tall, narrow waterfall threads down a steep, shadowed gorge in multiple white drops, framed by dark rock walls covered in moss and sunlit evergreen trees. The long view emphasizes the canyon’s depth, with bright patches of sunlight catching the right cliffside and the rushing water below. Photo: Joe Mabel / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
A tall, narrow waterfall drops in a series of white ribbons through a steep, dark gorge lined with dense evergreen trees and sunlit rock walls. Bright midday light highlights the mossy cliffs and the deep channel of rushing water below. Photo: Joe Mabel / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
A tall, narrow waterfall drops in a white ribbon through a steep, mossy rock gorge, framed tightly by dense evergreen forest on both sides. The long view emphasizes the vertical cliff walls and lush green North Cascades setting. Photo: Amit Patel from Silicon Valley, CA / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0
A tall, narrow waterfall drops in several white tiers through a steep, mossy rock gorge surrounded by dense evergreen forest. The long view looks straight down into the chasm, with the rushing water framed by dark cliff walls and bright green trees. Photo: Peter Stevens from Seattle / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0
A tall, narrow waterfall plunges through a steep, mossy gorge, with white water threading between dark rock walls and evergreen trees clinging to the edges. The long vertical drop is framed tightly from above, emphasizing the sheer depth of the canyon. Photo: brewbooks from near Seattle, USA / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0
A tall, narrow waterfall drops in a white ribbon through a steep, mossy rock gorge, with churning water funneled between gray cliffs and green evergreens. The vertical composition emphasizes the depth of the canyon and the long cascade below. Photo: Mike Haeg from Mt. Holly, MN, USA / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0
A tall, narrow waterfall drops through a steep, mossy rock gorge surrounded by dense evergreen forest. The bright white water stands out against the dark cliffs and green trees, with the cascade disappearing into the narrow channel below. Photo: Jeff Gunn from Atlanta, USA / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0
A tall, silky white waterfall drops straight through a narrow, dark rock gorge, with bright green moss and small ferns clinging to the wet stone walls. The long exposure softens the water into a smooth ribbon as it plunges into a small turquoise pool at the bottom. Photo: Vineesh Devasia / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0

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