Whatcom Falls

Whatcom Falls is a peaceful, small falls with lots of trails that’s ideal if you’re looking for a quiet escape into nature. The waterfall itself isn’t particularly large or dramatic, but the surrounding trails are well-maintained and perfect for long, leisurely walks. It’s a great place for meditation, reflection, or just unwinding away from the noise of the city. There’s a calm, almost hidden charm to it, but it might not impress those looking for more adventurous hikes or striking scenery. Overall, it’s a nice spot if you’re in the area and want a slow-paced, tranquil experience in the nature.

Awesome spot, great trails to walk, clean and safe. Swimming hole in center is everything. Cool place to enjoy with friends or family. Water level is a little low but it is September. Not a lot of bugs but can get chilly in the canopy of trees

I had a few hours to kill in Bellingham this past weekend, I had heard about this place but never been, so glad I went! Nestled between residential neighborhoods, the park offers great walking trails and peaceful sounds. I'll definitely be back!

Beautiful miss covered bridge amongst the surrounding fall colors and a waterfall. The Bayview Cemetery next to it is quite interesting as well.

Beautiful park nestled in the outskirts of the city. A short walk in from the street and the city life goes away and the beauty of the outdoors envelops you. Great place to walk dogs. Fantastic walk for young and old. Mostly level. Outstanding views.

On of my favourite parks in the city. Dog friendly, equipped with public restrooms and a good mix of sun and shaded spots

Little water falls due to the time of year, but the trails were properly manicured and such a good walk.

This was really cool. I highly recommend you bring a towel and a bathing suit as you will want to get in. This was really cool and I can’t wait to come back! Bring shoes to walk in and a change of clothes

Beautiful park, trails, and scenery ! Kid, stroller, and dog friendly Being wet gear because there's multiple areas where you can get in the water . Definitely going back

Beautiful park with waterfalls and accessible trails to enjoy alone or with family and friends. I loved walking beneath the trees and along the water. It feels like a safe area with lots of people enjoying the outdoors in the summertime.

My friend and I were on a mom's only trip for the weekend. We love hiking and being in nature in general and had heard great things about this place. We arrived on a rainy day, go figure! It was easy to find parking in the small lot. Before embarking on our great trail adventure, we were greeted by a giant totem pole. It's always so impressive to see indigenous art in person. The trail system itself is pretty simple. The hikes were pretty easy to follow and navigate. There were a few other people on the trail that day including a few tourists. Apart from the great reviews, I had no idea what to expect along the trail. And my jaw absolutely dropped when we got close to the bridge and the waterfall. STUNNING. You know those places that are so beautiful that when you take a photo of it it just doesn't capture the gorgeousness of it all? This was it. If you stop by this area, you need to go here!

Stunning! Magical! I visited this park whenI took my first trip to Washington. There are so many places to explore here. The trails are relatively flat, so it's very easy to get around. It's great for anyone! Every path you take leads you to a breathtaking place. From the bright green moss blanketing the trees, to the flowing waterfalls, this is a destination not to be missed.

Really lovely park near Bellingham with easy hiking trails, numerous waterfalls, playgrounds, picnic areas, and even a trout hatchery to explore! It was a great place to stop and stretch our legs on our spring break road trip from Seattle up to Vancouver. The largest waterfall - Whatcom Falls (aka Whirlpool Falls according to Wiki) - is easily accessible via a well maintained, paved, and quite picturesque bridge that puts you right in front of it. An unpaved hiking trail continues on for a few miles past the bridge and was a tad muddy but well maintained. The falls are only about 10 feet tall but beautiful and quite powerful on our visit from all the snowmelt. Apparently it's a very popular swimming hole in the warmer months. We visited in early March and there was still snow on the ground and pretty cold. There's also a large trout hatchery in the park run by Bellingham Technical College. There are info signs and numerous pools fed by the river - very interesting to explore. I'd love to see it during hatching season! It's free to enter. There's lot of paved parking, clean bathrooms, picnic tables, and it's very easy to find from the highway. Definitely worth a stop!

This is always a stellar park to take all ages. 1/5 on exertion and primarily flat. Lots to see with a duck pond and the beautiful falls!

Really loved visiting Whatcom Falls Park. Plenty of hiking/walking trails, paved paths, really lovely falls, and it is hard to believe it's in the middle of Bellingham.

We came here with another family to hang out and it was a great experience! The park has two entrances, but we had read ahead to enter at the lower one. There was a large parking lot, but you may still need to park far away as it is long and deep. There are two playgrounds, which was great for us as it covered all ages between the two. And there are not far from each other, so just a short walk. The best part of the park though is the bang for the buck to see the waterfall. It is a three minute walk on a paved path to a bridge overlooking the falls. The water was not that strong when we were there this summer, so we had to walk far back to get to the swimming hole. It was an easy walk though and there are great photo opps. We saw people biking through here and there is also a fish hatchery. There is something for everyone at this park.

When visiting Bellingham, we love to walk through this park. Excellent trails and beautiful nature. It was so interesting to come upon the salmon hatchery and watch the spawning salmon "hop" upstream! Great place for some exercise, natural beauty, and to breathe deeply and relax.

We went here for a hike on a beautiful day. The park is in a suburb of Bellingham. We saw two main trails, one that follows the river and the other that is wider and has been improved. We did the natural trail along the river. You come to a pool where you can swim. If you go a bit farther, it takes you to the main water fall. When we were there, the fall was not running very fast. It is faster in the rainy season. I was impressed that the public toilet was very clean and well-kept. You don't see that very often. Overall, we enjoyed the walk and the beautiful scenery.

Gorgeous park that makes you feel like you're a million miles away!!! Walked in the pouring rain and have ZERO regrets. Stunning!!! Waterfalls and redwoods and moss...amazing!

Absolutely beautiful!!! I didn't hike very much today as I was with my elderly parents but what we did walk the trails were easy to manage with 360 views. The Pacific Northwest is truly one of the most beautiful places I have seen. Enjoy this park you won't regret it.

A nice walking park with more than one way to enter. It looks like parking is minimal although we had no trouble finding a spot. We parked in the small lot off St. Clair (this park links to other parks). It's more or less in town, but you get into the trees and forget there are houses nearby. There's the sound of the water rushing, the trails are well marked and not difficult, there are interesting stopping points and the bridge near the falls is very picturesque. Dog friendly.

This was a nice peaceful park! There are three parking lots at this park: one on the northern part of park and two on the southeastern part. There are a few trails (waterline trail and railroad trail) that span the length of the park and also a couple off-leash permitted dog areas. The good thing about this place is that if you park in the southeastern part of the park, you won't need to walk too far to see the stone bridge and the waterfalls. I'm all for low effort leading to great views! It was very nice with peaceful sounds of the water. There are restrooms, a playground, tennis courts, and a picnic area that you can also reserve for private gatherings.

A very beautiful park with an beautiful view! When we came I thought it would be more of a hike hike place but it's actually a well paved park with tons of parking for convenience. The falls is pretty close and you can cross their bridges which make for really nice photo opportunities.

Beautiful place . There is a watering hole about 5 minutes from the main bridge. It's a great place for a leisure stroll AND you can bring your doggies

A nice park and set of trails with a creek running through the middle. Some gentle waterfalls provide instant relaxation. There are flat obstruction free trails as well as easy but more winding options. A small kid playground by the entry/parking lot is a nice bonus. This feels like more of a suburban park with homes visible next to the trail at times, so you don't quite get totally lost in nature, but it's still a good outdoor option.

Absolutely gorgeous falls! We happened upon these while in Bellingham for the day...did a Google search on things to see in the area. We were so happy we did! The falls are a short walk from the parking area. The hiking paths around the falls are either paved or gravel, which makes for easy walking. There's a playground and restrooms available as well. We saw at least three different entrances and parking lots while driving around the park, so if you don't want to have to walk too far, make sure you park at the right one. You can hear the falls from the parking lot of the one closest. Overall a wonderful experience. The falls were flowing beautifully during our visit...made for gorgeous photos! Would highly recommend!

Beautiful waterfalls! If you are like me, not a fan of trailing walking/hiking, you will enjoy this park. The walk to see the falls is very short and convenient from the parking lot. I say no more than 5 mins. The falls are beautiful. Your doggy friend will enjoy the nice trails too. There are plenty of parkings spaces and a restroom by the parking lot.

Beautiful park with extensive well groomed walking/running paths. We even saw people fishing here. A bit of information on Washington state fish hatcheries.

Amazing! Winter, Spring, Summer and fall this park has so much to offer. Whether it is during a good rain or trees providing shade and beauty during a hot summer day-exploring, hiking and taking in the beauty ranks high on my list of how I want to spend my day. There are many trails and the park is so big that you can always find a quiet place to enjoy. Trails are good for all ages and Whatcom falls is beautiful. Love it here! Hope you get a chance to visit.

I adored Whatcom Falls Park! My friend and I went hiking here and spent a couple of hours in the park. The falls themselves are conveniently located right by a parking lot entrance (one of many trail entrances, we'd later find... but I believe this one to be the main entrance). You hear the sound of the rushing water as you walk toward the gorgeous, moss covered bridge. This spot had such a peaceful, romantic feel to it. I could've spent a long time there. We took the trail to the left and did a long trek around that end of the park. The path was fairly easy to follow, though there are a few turn off points that can confuse you if you don't have a map on your phone. Luckily, we did! At one point on this part of the trail, I found what I think was a box of drugs under a bench that a chipmunk was scurrying away from... but I saw no shady characters and felt totally safe on the trail during my time there in the afternoon. My guess is that after dark some of the out of the way corners are taken advantage of. Just something I noted, but it didn't detract from my overall love of this park at all. After we finished that side of the trail, we took a break at the park bathroom -- which was actually pretty nice! -- and then took the right side of the trail. That led us to a pond area that was quite lovely. We spent a few minutes on a park bench there before making our way back out via the bridge over the falls. I'd go back to this park in a heartbeat! It's a beautiful spot for a hike, a picnic, a romantic outdoor date, or a fun family outing with the kids!

Big acreage for being in city limits. Has an off leash dog park to boot. Just gets super crowded during summer months.

If you're in Bellingham, Whatcom Falls Park is a must visit on a nice day. This is my first time in Bellingham and caught a lucky break with beautiful weather while wandering this park. Parking was plentiful on a summer Monday, not sure how it might be on a weekday. Other than hiking, there is a dirt bike riding path, basketball courts, and a fishing pond for kids, except I didn't see any kids there so I don't know if there are fishes in the pond. The hike is quite pleasant. Not sure how much I saw, but there are lots of optional trails to see several waterfalls. Be sure to wear comfy shoes with traction. You can walk on some rocks on the shallow waterways. Some of the trees are particularly beautiful with gorgeous roots. The trails had good signs and easily looped back to the front; I didn't feel like I would get lost.

This is pretty much the whole reason I came to Bellingham. I saw this in a picture and said "that's where I want to go". And go I did. This is such a beautiful park with a great trail and a beautiful waterfall. If you want to be in nature, this is the place. You don't even have to work very hard to see the waterfall, if you just want to pop in and out. But I do recommend you stay a while. This is a great spot for reflecting, for sure. Be warned that there are not a lot of benches along the trails. There's a great one right in front of the waterfall, but you're out of luck if someone is already there.

Fun nature walk with water falls, shade and lots of space. Lots of things to do with the entire family.

My friend and I drove up to Vancouver for the day from Seattle and stopped here to stretch our legs. We were not disappointed! It was a beautiful rushing waterfall with greenery everywhere. The waterfall was easily accessible and there was plenty of parking. It was truly breathtaking, highly recommend!

What an incredible park, especially in the winter when it snows! Great off leash area and everyone is so friendly. I highly recommend this beautiful park and you can rack up some mileage if you do the whole thing more than once.

Such a gorgeous place. Sooo worth the drive. Within 4 mins of walking you'll come to this beautiful stone bridge, covered in moss, over locking a waterfall. Turn to your right and you'll find more waterfalls and swimming pools that the whole family can enjoy. Turn left and you'll be met with an amazing hike, coveted in moss, ferns and maple trees, we hugged the river and followed it as far down as we could. I absolutely can't wait to come back!

Such a beautiful place. I love that you can quickly access its pièce de résistance right away. As soon as you park and get out of the car you can clearly hear the falls. Within a few yards away is the gorgeous waterfall with its majestic bridge that spans across the waterfall that leads you to a few very walkable trails. We went on New Years Day and found the park relatively busy with families and small children. So worth the stop!

Usually come during the summer but now I especially love going after a few days of rain when the falls are particularly rapid. This park is a local treasure with many intersecting trails. A great place to bring out of town friends, enjoy a picnic & stroll on a warm day. Check out the beautiful patterns on the cut stones on the bridge.

Beautiful falls and park. Dogs welcome. Easy walk on the trail and plenty of parking. Places for kids to play on equipment and clean bathrooms too. We loved it and will return.

Whatcom falls holds a special place in my heart... many great memories here over the years. Perfect park in the middle of Bellingham, great trails for strollers and dogs that are easily walkable. Falls are beautiful anytime of year, winter time be careful because the trails get slippery and cold and the falls are loud and powerful this time of year. Summertime, still cold but the park gets a certain smell which I can only describe as magical as the forest comes into bloom. The trails are full this time of year and there's always high schoolers jumping off the main part into the water for a thrill. I prefer to wander towards the pixie falls and find a nice little cove to swim and float around in. Though that part of the park has become rather crowded as well. Definitely recommend for a trip to Bellingham, a nice little playground for kids to play and family picnics at both the lower and upper parts of the park. It's easy to spend a whole day here!

Drove here from Mukilteo where we were staying to spend a day in Bellingham and this was our first stop. I wasn't aware that there were two parking lots; Waze app sent me to the second parking lot, which was a lot smaller and there was a suspicious-looking, creepy dude walking around looking at all the cars that made me nervous. We stayed in the car until he walked out of view. It was a rainy day when we visited, but it wasn't heavy enough to prevent us from exploring this beautiful park. We walked over the main bridge to gawk at the small waterfall, then made our way to the many trails that looped around the park. The ground was muddy as it was raining, but we made sure to avoid the puddles and the steeper sections of the trail. There were a few people hiking, walking their dogs, trail running and one guy fishing. The trails do not have signs, so we asked a nice lady walking on the trail which way to go. The trails essentially make one big loop, so you can't get lost anyway, unless you take off on the smaller side-trails, and even then, not sure if you could get lost as they eventually seem to end and you have to come back the same way (I've not tested this out, so don't take my word for it). The rest rooms in the second parking lot were closed and taped off but there were some other restrooms by the first (larger) parking lot. There was a line of 4 people waiting to use the toilets, which was adequately clean, and not a porta-potty. We spent about an hour here and got to see the salmon hatchery as well. Overall a nice park to bring the kids and admission was free.

Amazing! This park is huge and beautiful! So many trails and so much beauty! We walked for hours and didn't even see all of it. Saw a lot of it, but not all. Some trails were smooth, some a little rugged and lots of little trails that broke off and headed to the river. I'm attaching my pictures because I can't emphasize enough just how gorgeous this park is. We'll be back and maybe we'll actually get to see the rest of it.

I was just visiting Bellingham and wanted a scenic walking path. This area did not disappoint. It was very green and very scenic. The streams and small ponds were great. Plenty of different paths to take.

Came with friends to this beautiful place. Easy trails to do with kids, there's even a leash free area if you want to bring your four-legged family member. Worth coming back to, the place was beautiful, clean, and had bathrooms! There are picnic tables and 2 playgrounds for the kids. Can even grill in the nice summers days if you wish. Great place for bike trails, and there's even a dirt jumps for the real adventurous ones.

This is such an amazing park! You can easily walk to Whatcom Falls, which is only about 100-200 feet from where you park. It such a huge perk that you don't have to walk a long way to get to Whatcom Falls and it's a waterfall that everyone can easily get to. There is plenty of parking and lots of different trails that you can take. You are surrounded by nature and beauty from the trees to the waterfalls. The park is well kept and really clean. I was pleasantly surprised by how clean the bathrooms were. There is lots of space and they have tennis courts, a picnic area, hiking trails, waterfalls, bridges, and a play area for kids. This is a great place to go and walk your dog, a nice place to go hiking with a friend, have a picnic with a loved one, or have family time. It really has something for everyone!

It's not every day you get to behold such beauty. But on the days like this, it just makes us all appreciate the intense perfection that is the nature all around us. Right after you park, you get to see Whatcom Falls right down the short, easy pathway. Going to the left from the bridge and following the path that runs along the creek, you can see Whirlpool Falls which is absolutely stunning. There are obviously many hikes and trails here, but we only had a short time, so it was great to be able to be here and see all this beauty in such a short time!

Turned out to be a nice day on our drive over. With time to spare we decided to take a walk and soak in the weather. We find this place on Yelp. The address is not correct it's actually at a light before map quest tells you to turn left and arrive in the middle of a block. Lots of scenery and playground for the little guys. Restroom and many of different trails. Pet friendly as the even offer a dog off leash area. We somehow walked 8 miles and up a steep grassy hill! Great adventure

The best park for family walks and I use to take my doggo here to play and explore. I made core memories here for a life time.

In every season this is the best park for walking, running or biking in nature. If you've never Ben here, bring your camera for the view from the falls bridge.

Came here with a group of friends. Its not very big. The fall is not a massive one. There are people swimming here and there are areas for picnic as well. The parking lot is very close to the fall so you can just park and walk for 5 mins. The place is beautiful.

Loved this park! Several additional trails if you have more time to spend. From main parking to waterfall not much of a hike. I seen from where I parked large tennis court, skate park, 2 play ground areas, 2 outdoor covered shelters and a bonus waterfall (just past main waterfall) on Bloedel Donovan Park trail. I seen several dogs, kids and seemed wheelchair accessible. Easy walk, access and location. Very clean, maintained and everyone out and about was saying good morning always makes it better :)

I love this park! There is something here for the whole family to have fun and enjoy! Tennis courts, play area for little ones, fish hatchery, picnic area, bathrooms, and walking trails with waterfalls, offering lots of photo opportunities. This is a great place to bring friends and family to spend the day or just to take in some fresh air and stroll through the woods.

What a gorgeous park this is! I am a real sucker when it comes to waterfalls and somewhere along the line I got wind that Bellingham had this park with some great waterfalls! They are by no means humongous like the one around Snoqualmie but they are very beautiful in this park! The trails here are probably beautiful all year round but since Autumn is my favorite time of year the timing in coming here couldn't have been more perfect. I'm sure though in the spring and summer it is very pleasant here as well! We didn't walk through the entire park. It is fairly large and there was a bit of a chill in the airwhen we were here but we hit all of the main features to the park. Like the waterfalls. In addition to those there is a fish hatchery here where you can go up to the screened out pools and peer in at the Rainbow Trout. There is also a really nice pond here that brings in lots of water fowl. I would love to come back... we were here right after a snow storm so things were pretty wet but I'd love to explore the park more on a more drier day.

While I was adventuring in the far north of Whatcom County, I happened to fall upon this park, pun totally intended. I'm certain the pun police will find me some day, until then puns for all! You get a pun and you get a pun. Okay... This place is kind of hidden away but worth the drive to Bellingham. There is a place for tennis, kids to play, a space for skate boarders and plenty of trails for hikers or casual walkers from kids to seniors. I came here for the water falls in autumn. Lesson number one, if you're looking to take photos of the falls come in the rainy season. End of summer doesn't work out as most of the falls are sort of limited or drying up. Aim for late fall or early spring, and come at sunrise or sunset. This way if you're aiming for long exposure, then you won't have to deal with over exposure to a lot of light glimmers. Did I mention there's a big pond with ducks in it? Well if I didn't, then now you know about it. This is definitely a family friendly place. The restrooms here are well kept up and surprisingly close to what you may find in a mall setting. I was very shocked by that. I can't wait to come back to this place. Also, down the street are other parks, gardens and a beach.

This is a park for nature lovers. It has a flat easy trail near the corner of Alabama opposite Bloedel park. It has ponds and several side diversion trails.

Love this park! Rarely any sketchy people here and the playgrounds are awesome my two year old loves it here. Lots of places to explore as well.