Black Slate Falls

drops over slate rock near an old slate quarry

Black Slate Falls is a series of short, stepping drops scattered along the Slate River for about a half mile. Near the old town of Arvon, this waterfall flows down from the old slate quarries northwards towards Huron Bay.

The lowermost drops are the tallest and are within easy viewing distance of a wooden bridge for a logging road. Upstream the falls lessen in height, resembling long, shallow stairs, before suddenly increasing in height and variety at the upper drops. Hiking along the river may be difficult with no established trail but is quite rewarding.

Directions

Turn off of Skanee Road onto Arvon Road and drive 3.4 miles. Turn left and park near the wooden logging bridge. Walk to bridge and follow river upstream about a half mile to view all falls. The old slate quarries are west of the upper drops to provide a side destination and alternate return route along Arvon Road.

Photographs

Visits

Seen in March, June and October.

March 7, 2009 the taller drops completely cloaked in deep snow
There wasn't much running water. A few small open drops lay here and there, but most of the taller ones were completely cloaked in deep snow. I made sure to mark what looked like the main ones on my GPS. When I returned to the bridge I noticed a two-track that seemed to follow the eastern side of the river, an overgrown logging road that I had never seen during my warmer visits last year.
October 11, 2008
When we reached Slate River we heard the sound of falling water crashing through the trees, and I pulled off at a small parking spot, wondering if there were more waterfalls this far upstream. The small drops of Black Slate Falls continue upstream, almost a mile and a half around a few bends, to where we had parked today. They were pretty, if small, and we climbed the flat slabs of slate that reached across the river downstream; the river wound and dropped around the slabs, forming dozens of tiny stepping chutes.
June 27, 2008 a steady cold drizzle
For some reason I thought that Black Slate Falls would be further downstream; I made it back to the road and stood on the bridge, and upstream was a sign for Black Slate Falls. Duh. This waterfall was more broken up into different drops, plunges separated by clear pools, so I just meandered up the river taking photos of different areas until the river mellowed out. The largest drops are visible from the bridge, although they are much nicer to view from the riverbank.