Marietta Falls

MARIETTA FALLS
RATING - 7/10 TYPE OF APPROACH - Bushwhack DIFFICULTY - Medium LOCATION - South Skagit Highway TYPE - Tiered HEIGHT - 125' WIDTH - 15' GPS - N48 30.525 W121 55.156 ELEVATION - 277'	Marietta Falls is one of the best falls in Skagit Valley. O'Toole Creek drops about 125' into a very steeply walled canyon and runs through a series of huge boulders. The 30' tall upper tier that can be reached from the logging road above the falls but it's not worth the trouble unless you're doing something else further up the road. The falls are not too difficult to reach, but do requiring fording the creek once (not easy in high water) and climbing up a fairly steep hill (although someone has put a rope there to aid the climb). As you can see from the pictures below, there's really only one good vantage point, but it's good enough you don't need another one. It is possible to get closer to the falls if you don't mind getting really wet but the views are worse up closer anyway.
DIRECTIONS - Drive along the South Skagit Highway to the point where it crosses over O'Toole Creek. Just west of the creek is a logging road. Turn into it and immediately park at the gate. A small trail leads along the creek for a little ways. When it ends, cross the creek (which will require you getting wet) and climb up the 15' tall hill/cliff on the far side. Someone has graciously left a rope to assist the climb. From there just follow the hillside around to a nice rock with a good view. It is possible to get closer to the falls but you will get wet and in high water it would be very dangerous.
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ADDITIONAL PICTURES (CLICK TO ENLARGE)
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