Granite Falls is a two-drop, 40-foot cascade on the South Fork Stilliguamish River in Snohomish County, Washington, just north of the town of the same name.
The falls
The river spreads into a gradual cascade with a 300-foot run and a tallest single drop of 25 feet across two steps. The site has been surveyed in person, and an independent resurvey lists the same 40-foot total and 25-foot tallest drop.
Getting there
A signed turnout for the Granite Falls Fishway sits beside the Mountain Loop Highway about a mile north of town, with a short path down from the turnout to the fish ladder, the falls' viewing point. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife documentation covers the department's inspection and maintenance work on the fishway. No 2026 fee, hours, permit or accessible-route information has been published.
When to go
November through May typically brings the best flow.
On site
The fish ladder itself serves as the viewing platform. Floodwater burst through its grating in 2006. A man was found unresponsive near the fish ladder on July 6, 2024, and died; the report on the incident calls it the second death there that year.
History and name
The name comes from granite in the gorge, first applied during construction of the Everett and Monte Cristo Railroad; the town later took its name from the falls. The fishway itself dates to 1956.
Nearby
Lower Canyon Creek Falls is under a mile away. Waterfall 3 mi NE of Granite Falls is about 1.6 miles away, King Lake Falls about 4.2 miles, and Upper Kings Lake Falls about 4.5 miles.
Distances are straight-line.