There are multiple places in Washington State where a very respectable and sometimes spectacular waterfall is nearly eclipsed by an even bigger one nearby. It just so happens that there is one of these situations in Kitsap County. It turns out, "Tin Mine Falls" has a much smaller sibling.
During the wet times of the year (fall/winter/spring), small ponds and rain runoff give rise to a quaint little brook along the mountainside between Tin Mine Creek and a smaller tributary to the west. This tiny stream, nearly imperceptible on topographic maps and imagery, babbles through the forest, running generally northeast, straight towards Tin Mine Creek's canyon. Just downstream of "Tin Mine Falls," the brook intersects the near-vertical basalt canyon wall of and promptly dives over it. The resulting 40+ foot ribbon-like waterfall is startlingly beautiful, and would be commanding the attention of everything around it if it wasn't dwarfed by its colossal neighbor.
The lower section of "Claire Falls" as it's namesake looks on. Photo by Micah K.
It is likely that this fall runs dry by July or August, but when it is flowing, it is a beautiful sight indeed, and so I have it included in my survey. After I first saw it in January 2015, I was trying to think of a name for it for months. One day a good friend of mine visited, and I took her to see "Tin Mine Falls." While she enjoyed "Tin Mine Falls" immensely, she also took an extreme liking to this little ephemeral fall. Because of this, I decided to name the fall after her.
When I first investigated Wright Creek on the western outskirts of Bremerton and surveyed "Wright Creek Falls," I immediately realized that the creek probably had more to offer as it bounced its way down to Sinclair Inlet. I have since visited "Wright Creek Falls" multiple times, and each time got me more and more frustrated at the difficult access downstream of the falls, which appeared to have steep slopes and thick brush. I finally decided that the best way to survey downstream was going to be walking down the stream itself.
I was really hoping that the search would be relatively straight forward, just walk down the creek until I hit a cascade or waterfall. I should have known better. For the next three hours I was in the creek as often as I was out of it. Being out of the creek involved fighting foot-for-foot through Devil's Club, Salmonberry, Swordfern, Salal, and Evergreen Huckleberry. Being in the creek resulted in teeth chattering temperatures, slippery rocks, and hidden pools in the creek which at some points almost sent me up to my waist.
A small unnamed cascade on Wright Creek. Photo by Micah K.
After passing a few small rapids and interesting little cascades, shin deep in the chilly water, my frustration was mounting. I finally came to a sharp bend in the creek, and as I stepped around it I was immediately met with the thundering roar of crashing water.
"Wright Creek Cascades," Photo by Micah Kipple.
Unfortunately there is a serious foreshortening of the cascades in this photo so they appear smaller than they are in actuality.
1,100 feet downstream of "Wright Creek Falls," Wright Creek narrows and rockets through a small basalt gorge, this gorge is occupied by "Wright Creek Cascades." The cascades begin immediately after the creek is dammed up behind a small logjam. Composed of three main drops, the cascades total about ten feet in height. Below the cascade the creek appears to calm down, with only one more section of rapids before continuing down towards the Inlet.
Heins Creek in the southeastern portion of the Ueland Tree Farm has already revealed a major waterfall: "Heins Creek Falls", which crashes over 50 feet just before entering Heins Lake. But I have long suspected the creek has more in store as it winds its way down from the Blue Hills.
Some of the reddish basaltic bedrock in the streamed. Photo by Micah K.
Just under a half mile upstream of "Heins Creek Falls," Heins Creek encounters another layer of basalt bedrock. While the resulting cascades are not nearly as spectacular as its larger cousin downstream, they're still respectable, set in a beautiful green setting and bouncing off of colorful rocks. Here the creek trips over a long series of drops over the course of about 100 feet, similar to the layout of "Gold Creek Cascades" on the other side of the Hills. The total height of this cascade is about 25 feet, well above the ten foot requirement for my survey. It should be noted that this point in the creek may experience times of very low flow during summer months.
The uppermost section of "Heins Creek Cascades," Photo by Micah Kipple.
