Walupt Creek Falls facts for kids

Walupt Creek Falls is a really big waterfall located in Lewis County, Washington, in the United States. It's a bit hidden away, but it's a powerful and impressive sight! This amazing waterfall is part of Walupt Creek, which flows into the Cispus River. It's found high up in the mountains, about 3,500 feet (1,100 m) above sea level.

Discovering Walupt Creek Falls

Walupt Creek Falls is a type of waterfall called a "fan" waterfall. This means the water spreads out as it falls, like a giant fan. The falls drop a huge 221 feet (67 m) down a rocky cliff. Imagine a 20-story building – that's how tall it is!

The waterfall is also very wide. On average, it's about 204 feet (62 m) across. But it can spread out even more, up to 267 feet (81 m) wide! A lot of water flows over it every second. Usually, it's more than 150 cubic feet (4.2 m³) of water. That's like filling a small swimming pool every few seconds!

The water starts its journey with a small 10 feet (3.0 m) drop. Then, it hits a large, bell-shaped rock formation. This is where the magic happens! The water spreads out wide, creating the "fan" shape as it plunges another 200 feet (61 m). The very last part of the waterfall is a gentle slide that flows right into the Cispus River.

Where does all this water come from? Walupt Creek gets its water directly from Walupt Lake. This lake keeps the creek flowing strongly all year round. The area around the creek that collects rainwater, called its drainage basin, is also quite large. This helps to feed the falls.

Upper Walupt Creek Falls

Just a little bit upstream from the main Walupt Creek Falls, you can find another series of smaller waterfalls. These are called the Upper Walupt Creek Falls. They are made up of three separate drops.

These cascades are 24 feet (7.3 m), 8 feet (2.4 m), and 29 feet (8.8 m) high. When you add them all together, the Upper Walupt Creek Falls total 61 feet (19 m) in height. They are a beautiful sight before the main, massive waterfall.