Switchback Falls is a 52-foot waterfall in King County, Washington, in the North Cascades region. It lies about 7 miles northeast of Tanner and roughly 22.6 miles east of Sammamish as the crow flies.
At 52 feet it is on the modest side for Washington, where the typical waterfall with a recorded height stands around 82 feet; it ranks 608th of 941. The tallest single drop is 43 feet. By form it is a tiered waterfall, falling in several distinct steps one after another, combined with a cascade character. It falls in 2 drops.
The North Cascades are a wilderness of jagged peaks, glaciers and deep, forested valleys of western hemlock, silver fir and Douglas fir, with some of the heaviest snowfall in the country. Meltwater from glaciers and snowfields pours down thousands of feet of cliffs in countless cascades and horsetail falls.
King County holds 236 recorded waterfalls, and several are close by. Gossamer Falls, a 102-foot veiling horsetail waterfall, is under a mile away. Vortex Falls, a 160-foot segmented horsetail waterfall, is under a mile away. Big Blowout Falls, a 107-foot tiered horsetail waterfall, is under a mile away.
Switchback Falls is located at 47.5337° N, 121.6230° W. The listing is based on the World Waterfall Database, one of the sources compiled by the U.S. Geological Survey in its inventory of waterfalls and rapids of the conterminous United States. The exact position has not yet been verified on aerial imagery, so treat the map pin as approximate. Details on trails, parking and access have not been documented for this waterfall yet.