Enjoy Snoqualmie Falls
Snoqualmie Falls is a 268 ft waterfall on the Snoqualmie River. It is one of Washington's most popular scenic attractions. More than 1.5 million visitors come to the Falls every year, where there is a two acre park, an observation deck, and a gift shop.
At times the river is high enough to flow across the entire precipice, which creates an almost blinding spray. High water occurs following a period of heavy rains or snow followed by warm rainy weather. This can occur during the rainy season which lasts from November through March. During high water, the falls take on a curtain form.
For the Snoqualmie Tribe, who have lived for centuries in the Snoqualmie Valley, Snoqualmie Falls is central to their culture, beliefs, and spirituality. A traditional burial site, to the Snoqualmie, the falls are "the place where First Woman and First Man were created by Moon the Transformer" and "where prayers were carried up to the Creator by great mists that rise from the powerful flow." The mists rising from the base of the waterfall are said to serve to connect Heaven and Earth.
The historic 89 room Salish Lodge & Spa overlooks Snoqualmie Falls. It has a dining room that is recommended for its lodging, spa, and multi-course country breakfast.
The top of the waterfall is less than 100 yards from the parking lot, which has a gift shop, espresso stand, and bathrooms. The main views are from the side of the falls, with a fence separating visitors from the edge of a cliff. This area has picnic tables and benches, and a small grassy meadow called the Centennial Green, where weddings are performed through the summer. Here, the river trail descends 300 feet in half a mile passing though temperate rain forest and places to step off the trail and rest or enjoy the scenery. At the bottom you can enjoy a very nice view of the falls.
Here's what you'll see:
About 30 miles outside of Seattle is one of the most impressive Seattle attractions – Snoqualmie Falls. These falls are actually taller than Niagara Falls, and are fantastically beautiful any time of year, and there is no charge to view the Falls. This is really a don't-miss attraction:
You will definitely need a car to go up to Snoqualmie Falls, but it is a nice drive out on I-90 in the foothills of the Cascade mountains. There is plenty of free parking. You can find a spot in the original parking lot next to the park, or just park in the much bigger parking lot across the street from the falls that has a nice pedestrian overpass that takes you to the park and observation platforms. The observation platforms literally hang over the side of a cliff, giving you an excellent view of the falls and great picture taking opportunities.
If you really want to be adventurous, take the trail down to the river and the base of the falls. Be careful, though - the trail is steep. Going down is not much of a problem, but remember that what goes down, must come up, and the trail is fairly rigorous on the return trip. At the rivers edge you will get another great view of the falls, and in the summer months you can swim in the river. The water is definitely cold, though, so be prepared!
Whether you stay at the top or hike down to the river, bring along a nice picnic lunch to enjoy the park. There are plenty of picnic tables for you to sit at while you enjoy the view.
If you want to spend more time at the falls, you can stay at the Salish Lodge that overlooks the falls. This is a nice hotel that caters to romantic escapes with a spa. They also serve a really nice multi-course breakfast that is popular with both tourists and locals. While the lodge is very picturesque and looks beautiful alongside the falls, the actual rooms do not provide any view of the falls itself.