Agathot Falls

RATING - 20.0

VR - 2.0 (Sm) HR - 5.0 SR - 10/20

TYPE OF APPROACH - Trail

DIFFICULTY - Medium

LOCATION - Swift Creek Trail

TYPE - Horsetail

HEIGHT - 109'

WIDTH - 10'

GPS - N48 49' 40.59", W121 40' 0.95"

ELEVATION - 3581'

DIRECTIONS - Drive to the Lake Anne Trailhead near the end of Mt. Baker Highway. Head down the trail and take the Swift Creek Trail at about 2.5 miles. The trail travels through beautiful meadows for about 1 mile until it crosses this creek (first "major" creek). Just after crossing the creek the top of the falls will come into view. Be careful if you try to get closer as there's just a cliff facing the falls.

Agathot Falls is the only one of the waterfalls in the Swift Creek area that can be viewed clearly and up close with any ease. The trail crosses the stream just above the falls. As the creek reaches the cliff, it horsetails 109' in a pretty waterfall, starting out with a shallow slope and ending nearly vertically. A better view can be had with a little off-trailing. Just before the creek crossing is a little meadow. Leave the trail there and scramble downhill to a good view (see below).

Agathot is a Nooksack word meaning "swift waters" so I thought the name was fitting for a tributary of Swift Creek. Agathot Creek is fairly small but maintains its flow for the entire time the trail is snow-free and probably all year long.