What to know before you go
- 01
Snoqualmie Falls drops 270 feet and draws more than a million and a half visitors a year. It's about 29 miles from downtown Seattle, off I-90 heading east.
- 02
The falls are free to see, every day of the year. The upper park has two observation decks, several viewing areas, a visitor center and picnic tables, and the lights come on over the falls at night.
- 03
There's free parking across the street and paid parking closer in. From the paid lot, the upper viewing platform is about 200 feet away on a wheelchair-accessible path. Keep valuables out of sight in the car.
- 04
The trail to the lower falls takes about fifteen minutes going down, with a 250-foot drop. It's steep: the official site compares the climb back to walking up a 30-story building. It ends at a boardwalk toward the base of the falls, and there's a lower parking lot if you'd rather drive down.
- 05
The Snoqualmie people have long held the falls as a spiritual place. See it at high water and you'll understand why.
- 06
Salish Lodge & Spa sits right on top of the falls, with a restaurant and terrace bar looking out over the water, a lounge, a café and a spa.
- 07
Without a car, take a tour. Tours Northwest runs a roughly three-hour Snoqualmie Falls trip from Seattle all year, and Evergreen Escapes pairs the falls with a few wineries on its 21-and-over day.
Parking, trails and lodge services can change. Check the official Snoqualmie Falls site and the Salish Lodge before you go.