Kitsap Waterfall Survey: "Wright Creek Falls"

Wright Creek is a small creek sandwiched between the Blue Hills and the western outskirts of Bremerton. Its headwaters begin in a small series of spring-fed wetlands on peak 730's eastern slope. A few hundred feet after exiting these wetlands, the stream drops into a small canyon just southwest of Bremerton's #3 reservoir. At the head of this canyon is a ten-foot-high basalt headwall covered with a thick layer of green mosses. Wright Creek plunges over this headwall into a shallow plunge pool in the form of a small, but startlingly pretty twelve-foot horsetail waterfall. Upon exiting the pool, the creek steps down several small basalt ledges, before heading into the thick growth of the canyon.

"Wright Creek Falls" during moderate flow.

 About 100 feet to the northeast of "Wright Creek Falls" is a tributary of Wright Creek with its own name; Charlston Creek, which drains a separate set of marshes to the north. Charlston Creek encounters the same basalt outcrop as Wright Creek and careens down a set of bouncing cascades 15 feet high. Only the top few feet of the cascades can be seen because the rest disappears under an impressive logjam that crosses the tributary. The logjam is so compact that soil has formed on the top and forest undergrowth is flourishing, creating a natural tunnel. Because of this feature, I have tentatively named the cascade, "Tunnel Cascade."

The upper portion of "Tunnel Cascade" on Wright Creek's Tributary. Photo by Micah K.

I know of another waterfall or cascade on Wright Creek reportedly large enough that it blocks all fish passage upstream, but unfortunately this fall is likely on private property. However, Wright Creek does have another feature downstream of "Wright Creek Falls," Which is discussed here