Whatcom Falls Park

On April 11th we had opportunity to get out and do some hiking and photography with son Edward, who was off school that day.  One of the places we visited was Whatcom Falls Park, a beautiful park in Bellingham along Whatcom Creek and including a fish hatchery, numerous trails and several beautiful waterfalls.

Most of the devastated area, downstream from the falls, is now regrown, but in 1999 there was a gas pipeline that ruptured and sent gas down the creek which subsequently exploded, turning the creek into a river of fire, killing three people and destroying one house: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympic_Pipeline_explosion.

It was very bright and sunny when we arrived and photographs of the falls were difficult, so I've included some older pictures as well that I've not posted before.  We did not stay very long either, since it was getting later in the day and we had done two other hikes and were weary.  So we started for a place to have our evening meal and then home. 

The Lower Falls

The Upper Falls

The Bridge

The Creek and the Woods

The Park

Whatcom Falls Park

The last day of May was a Thursday, a less busy day for both of us, and so my wife and I went to run some errands in Bellingham and went on to one of the parks there.  Whatcom Falls Park is nearly 250 acres and is on the east side of Bellingham, near Whatcom Lake.  It follows the meanderings of Whatcom Creek and includes several falls, one which drops about fifteen feet and which can be viewed from a beautiful old arched stone bridge just below the falls.

We decided to go there since the day was overcast and there was some threat of rain.  It never did rain, but the lack of sunshine made a good day for photographing the falls.  Finished with main falls, we hiked some of the trails and found the Western Spotted Coralroot blooming on the hills above the falls, and also took pictures of an old railroad trestle in the park, as well as the creek.  Had a very pleasant walk, though we did get a bit muddy photographing the orchids.

Finished we headed for a local Bellingham micro-brewery, Boundary Bay, and had a delicious supper there of tapanadas followed by beef stew (my wife) and a pesto salmon sandwich (myself) accompanied by an excellent glass of local bitter.