Whatcom Falls Park, Waterfall park in Bellingham, Washington, United States

Whatcom Falls Park spans 241 acres of forest where four distinct waterfalls cascade along a creek system. The park connects Lake Whatcom to Bellingham Bay and contains sports fields, picnic grounds, and hiking paths throughout.

On June 10, 1999, the Olympic pipeline ruptured in the park, leaking 237,000 US gallons of gasoline into Whatcom Creek. The fuel ignited, burning forest land and killing a young man and two boys. Swimming at Whirlpool Falls was banned for years afterward; when warning signs and fences were destroyed, the city removed the remaining barriers.

The trout hatchery on the grounds is run jointly by Bellingham Technical College and the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, supporting local fish populations. You can watch the work of raising native species during your visit.

The park covers 241 acres on Whatcom Creek between Lake Whatcom and Bellingham Bay, with several miles of walking trails. Whirlpool Falls, about ten feet high with 30-foot cliffs beside it, is reached along the Whirlpool Loop Trail. Middle Falls, near the western edge, has no trail and is closed to the public after the 1999 pipeline explosion.

Whirlpool Falls features a natural bowl-shaped pool surrounded by sheer rock walls that visitors use for swimming and water activities during summer. This formation developed over centuries through the constant force of falling water wearing away the stone.