Visiting Snoqualmie Falls for the First Time

Hello everyone! As mentioned in my last post, I had a weekend Staycation in Downtown Seattle recently. I got to play tourist and then be a tour guide to a friend. One of the things on my bucket list was to head east on i-90 for a mini-adventure and visit one of Washington’s favorite attractions. So, this post is all about Visiting Snoqualmie Falls for the First Time!

I cannot believe I haven’t been to Snoqualmie Falls. I’ve lived in Seattle for a decade! When my outdoorsy and adventurous friend came to town, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to finally check it off my list.

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Visiting Snoqualmie Falls for the First Time

Snoqualmie Falls made its first public appearance on the cult classic 90s tv show Twin Peaks. I cannot begin to tell you how many people travel out to North Bend to experience “a damn fine coffee” at the actual diner the show was filmed at (which is in North Bend).

Washington State has a ton of subtle (and not so subtle) references to the show. That’s a whole other post, and one I’ll work on soon! Let’s get into why we’re headed to Snoqualmie Falls for the first time!

First things first, how we got there!

If you’re going out to Snoqualmie Falls from Seattle, you need to know it’s about a 40-minute drive but it tends to be about 50 mins to an hour with traffic getting out of the city (especially during rush hour). We followed google maps and it couldn’t have been easier. No loss of signal to worry about or anything. The drive was stunning especially since there’s still snow on the mountain tops.

Parking & hiking

Okay, some people get nervous when I say “hiking”. If you’re from the PNW, like me, I would call this “a walk”. I would not call this a hike.

Depending on where you decide to park and how long you want to stay, you can actually avoid the path altogether by parking at the lot at the top. Since this was our first time, we parked at the free parking lot (the top lot) that’s located across the street from the Salish Lodge & Spa. There is a walking bridge that takes you over the highway. There was plenty of parking on the Friday afternoon we went.

If we were to do it over, we’d park at the Lower Lot simply because we both enjoy being outside and walking around. The Snoqualmie Falls Walking Trail will take you right up to the upper observation deck.

A little history on the falls

Snoqualmie Falls is an approx. 270-foot waterfall located between Snoqualmie and Fall City, WA. Hence the name. 😉

The falls are now owned by the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe and it is considered a spiritual place. Just look at the photos and you can see why! Today, the Snoqualmie Falls Hydroelectric Plant(s) are still working and operated by Puget Sound Energy. In 1899, Plant 1 was the first power plant to ever be built underground. There are currently 2 plants on the property, combined can generate enough power to support 40,000 homes in the area.

That’s a lot of power! Just imagine the force of the waterfall to supply that kind of energy!

What to expect and when to go

Bear in mind, this waterfall gets about 1.5 million visitors a year. Which is impressive but a lot of people. I recommend getting there early or going on a weekday to avoid crowds.

Best High Water Time: Winter to Spring

The other important thing to consider is the time of year and the weather. From November to March, due to the rain, the falls experience high water but getting out there in the snow can be dodgy without the right transportation.

From March to May the falls can also be high water due to Spring and the snow melting from the mountains.

Less Water Times: Spring to Summer

June through September might be anti-climactic for tourists because the waters aren’t rushing over the rocks at as high a velocity as the other seasons. A lot of travelers might be bummed and think it wasn’t worth the trek during these months.

That said, the area will be beautiful on a sunny summer day in Washington State and the small neighboring towns are adorable and worth the visit.

Is it worth it & final thoughts

Personally, I had a great time. My friend and I were just happy to get out, explore, and be surrounded by trees.

The day we went there was still a lot of snow on the mountain tops and along the trail to the lower parking lot and plant 2. We got to take our pictures, had time to ourselves, and took in the sights. There wasn’t much to do other than walk around. Bare that in mind if you’re going with little ones. There is a gift shop but we didn’t feel the need to go in.

If I were to change anything, I would have packed a lunch for us and eaten at one of the picnic tables or on the grassy areas so we could have people-watch and take in the waterfall. It was a really pretty day.

I definitely plan to visit Snoqualmie Falls in the future. As a Seattlite I feel obligated to visit during all four seasons and I’m determined to visit during high water!

Have you ever been? If so, what did you think of the waterfall?

Til next time, friends! 💕