Sweet Creek Falls

Your visit at a glance

Waterfall height

Not recorded

Location

Pend Oreille County, Washington

Access status

Short trails from a highway rest area to the base and an observation area

The walk

Short trails from the rest area parking lot; no distance is given

Ground & access

Packed gravel and paved paths to the base and the observation area; upper paths are steep and poorly maintained.

Washington Trails Association: Sweet Creek Falls Interpretive Trail

Sweet Creek Falls drops about 65 feet in three steps on Sweet Creek beside SR 31 between Ione and Metaline in Pend Oreille County. WTA describes the site as a small county park at the Sweet Creek rest area with two trailheads. From the south end of the parking lot, the lower trail crosses a footbridge, turns right and leads downhill on packed gravel to a clear pool at the base of the falls. From the north end, a paved then gravel trail leads to a fork: the left fork goes to a well-built observation area with views of the upper and lower falls, and the right fork climbs steeply on a poorly maintained path past the upper falls. Beyond the observation area, the path along a set of railings is not well maintained and suits only sure-footed walkers. Return the same way.