Ladder Creek Falls is a 108-foot tiered horsetail waterfall on Ladder Creek in Whatcom County, Washington, tucked into a narrow gorge behind Seattle City Light's Gorge Powerhouse in Newhalem. A short garden trail climbs beside it, and the falls are lit in color every night of the year.
The falls
The World Waterfall Database, which re-surveyed the falls in person, measures three tiers of 34, 28 and 46 feet in a slot canyon cut by the creek. The canyon walls partly hide every tier; the lowest is the easiest to see, from a viewpoint near the stairs. Ladder Creek is fed by a glacier and flows all year, though the hydroelectric project diverts part of the water above the falls.
Getting there
Newhalem sits on the North Cascades Highway (State Route 20). Park in the gravel lot by the river at the east end of Main Street, opposite the powerhouse, and cross the Skagit River on the pedestrian suspension bridge to the right of the building. The loop is 0.4 to 0.5 mile round trip with about 100 steps to the top and up to 200 feet of gain. No pass or permit is needed, and restrooms are at the Skagit Information Center on Main Street. Seasonal closures of the highway don't affect access.
When to go
The gardens stay open year-round. The lights run from dusk until 11 p.m. daily, so an evening visit shows the falls in shifting colors; bringing a headlamp is helpful even though the path is lit.
On site
The trail winds through gardens and woods on staircases with handrails, with a bench and a bridge for viewing. Visitors can't get close to the water itself. Leashed dogs are allowed. On the way back, the Gorge Powerhouse is open to explore.
History and name
The suspension bridge first went up in 1920 and has been rebuilt twice. While the Skagit hydroelectric project was being built in the 1930s and '40s, the project's developer, J.D. Ross, lit the falls and played music from speakers in the trees every Friday night for visitors from Seattle. The light show was restored in 2011 with energy-efficient spotlights.
Nearby
Newhalem Creek Falls is about 1.2 miles away, and Gorge Creek Falls and Bouck Falls are each about 2.2 miles.
Distances are straight-line.