Lower Babcock Creek Falls

RATING - 22.0

VR - 4.0 (Sm/M) HR - 2.0 SR - 14/20

TYPE OF APPROACH - Bushwhack

DIFFICULTY - Fairly Difficult

LOCATION - Newhalem Area

TYPE - Horsetail

HEIGHT - 45'

WIDTH - 15'

DIRECTIONS - Drive east along Highway 20 to Thornton Creek Road (just before Newhalem). In about a mile, turn left onto a gated road with a large pull out (it should be the second road after Thornton Ck Rd). Park and walk up the road for 3/4 of a mile to Babcock Creek. The falls are about 1/2 a mile upstream. The easiest route is just to scramble right up the creek bed.

Lower Babcock Creek Falls drops 45' down a granite cliff face at about a 45 degree angle. The falls can be seen from quite a distance downstream, but look very small until you get right up next to it. I discovered this small waterall while searching for the main falls on Babcock Creek. I have attempted to reach the main falls twice now and haven't make it to the main cataract either time because I couldn't find a way around this lower falls. The upper falls should be much more substantial, dropping hundreds of feet into the canyon from the right side. You can actually just catch little glimpses of the upper falls from around this waterfall if the sun is right, but I think the only real view of Babcock Creek Falls will be had by scrambling up the steep hillside on the left of the canyon and then looking across the canyon. This will probably be extremely difficult and potentially hazardous. It might not even be possible.

Right next door to Lower Babcock Creek Falls is Mazurki Falls which drops about 150' in at least three tiers.