Snoqualmie Falls
Hike to the base of the falls where heaven connects to earth
Quick Facts:
Location: Snoqualmie Valley
Distance: 1.4 miles
Elevation Gain: 280 feet
Contact: Puget Sound Energy
Detailed Information: Urban Trails Eastside (Mountaineers Books)
Green Trails Map: Rattlesnake Mountain/ Mountains to Sound Greenway No. 205S
Notes: dogs permitted on leash. Parking lot on west side of SR 202 (close to gift shop) requires a fee unless you have a disabled parking permit. Parking area on east side of road is free.
Access: From Seattle follow I-90 east to Exit 25. Then head north on the Snoqualmie Parkway and turn left onto SR 202. Drive 0.6 mile to trailhead parking.
Transit: King County Metro Line 629
Good to Know: snow free hiking destination, historic, kid-friendly, dog-friendly, exceptional waterfall
With more than a million and half admirers each year, Snoqualmie Falls is one of the state’s top tourist attractions. Yet, the majority of them hike the trail to the base of the falls. One hundred feet taller than the famed Niagara Falls of New York and Ontario; Snoqualmie is a sight to see, especially after a period of heavy rain. But like Niagara, Snoqualmie was also tapped for electricity production. A resort sits on the rim above it, too—so don’t come here looking for a pristine natural environment. But these waters are truly spectacular. A short and steep trail leads from observatories above the falls to the base of the thundering 268-foot waterfall. Take it leaving the crowds and fully experience the waterfall from top to crashing bottom.
Snoqualmie Falls is saturated with history too, and this beautiful Puget Sound Energy Park contains many interpretive displays. To the Snoqualmie People, these falls are the place where the first man and woman were created by Moon the Transformer. In the 1890s civil engineer Charles Baker constructed an underground power plant (the first completely underground power plant in the world) at the falls (and those transformers are still in use). In 1911 a second power house was constructed.
While a good amount of the river is diverted for power production, the falls are always showy and impressive. After periods of heavy rainfall, they are downright spellbinding and you will get wet watching them from above. Before the last observatory, a soft surface trail diverts right. Take it steeply descending through a mossy, misty mature forest. There are interpretive signs along the way. The path emerges at the lower parking lot. Here you can take a paved path to river’s edge or a boardwalk over the penstocks feeding the second power house. The boardwalk then heads up a tight canyon to the base of the thundering falls. According to the Snoqualmie people, the mists here at the base of the waterfall connect heaven and earth.
For more details on this hike and many other wonderful all-year family friendly destinations in the Snoqualmie River Valley and Western King County, pick up a copy of my Urban Trails Eastside (Mountaineers Books).
