I had first heard about Snoqualmie Falls about a year and a half ago. We were on our way for our first visit to Mt Rainier and we had stopped at the Grand View dog park. (Not such a grand view when it's cloudy...which it was!) Anyway, a friendly dog owner was chatting with us and we told her we were new to the area. She asked if we had been to the falls and, when we said no, she said we HAD to go. I immediately got the image of one of those very tall, thin falls like one might see in the amazon or something. Then, last weekend, we were looking for day hikes to take and one popped up in Snoqualmie. We decided to take the hike and then stop by the falls afterwards.
Just before we pulled into the parking area to the trail, we passed by Rattlesnake Lake. Don't worry, we read, no rattlesnakes here. Why the name? Good question! (No, I don't have the answer and I'm very skeptical about the whole thing). Anyway, our hike started in the Iron Horse State Park.
I felt that this was a good omen, since John Wayne is one of my mother's favorite actors of all time! And off we went. First we traveled down a dirt road and then onto a gravel path. We went over a little bridge and were beginning to wonder if our trail actually existed (it was called the Cedar Butte and so far, no signs at all, despite many signs for other trails). I became insistent that we had taken a wrong turn and weren't going to get anywhere, when I saw a little sign on the right leading up into the woods. Cedar Butte. Yay!
Off we went up the narrow and steep path. It only took a moment for me to realize that it was going to be an uphill battle... There aren't many pictures because Rich kindly offered to carry the camera bag and between not wanting to stop and get it out all the time and concentrating on not stopping every three feet because it was steep, I was busy. After what felt like about a mile of steep climb, we were given the choice to take a longer, gentler route, or a shorter, steeper route. We took the long way. After a few moments the camera came out and I began to experiment with some of the settings in the forest.
I liked this trunk so much that I have about 900 pictures of it. You only have to look at one.
The moss hanging on the trees was really pretty too. It made it feel like we were in an enchanted wood. Once we got past this section, we found the intersection where our path met the shorter, steeper path. From there on out, it was switch-backs up the steep, steep hill. I think that went on for another 3/4 mile or so. It went on so long, that I started to feel like I better get a good view (the only reason I'm willing to hike at all, especially up hill) or else the day was not going to end well. Meanwhile, Ruby and Otis were having a ball prancing around on their leashes and sniffing everything. They like the new hiking us too. Ruby is easier to walk because she's smaller and she doesn't get tangled in things like curious Otis does. But, she HAS to be in the front of everyone or else she becomes frantic. So, she and I took the lead and Otis (disappointed, I'm sure, in my slower speed) and Rich brought up the rear. We got a taste of the top where there was a window in the trees out to a lake (Rattlesnake, we think). There are pictures of that from the way down and we must keep things in order so you'll have to wait. FINALLY, we hit the summit of the trail. And I'd say the view was worth the effort.
This tree was a bone of contention. I climbed down a short little path (you can see it on the right) to the tree, which was sticking out the side of the mountain over the cliff. Rich was VERY grumpy with me but I felt pretty safe leaning on the tree. It gave me an unobstructed view of the valley, totally worth it. Granny wouldn't have liked it either and probably not even my mom. BUT, if I hadn't gone down there I also wouldn't have gotten this shot of my hiking buddies!
He's smiling, but he's not happy. It took about forty minutes for him to get happy again. Don't tell him I told you.
The line going across the middle of this shot shows Route 90. To put it in Rich's terms "Can you believe that's the same road that goes past your parents' house?"
After about ten minutes we started off on the hike down. I was so excited to be aiming downward, I forgot how hard it is to hike down when your legs are exhausted from the hike up! We stopped shortly after starting our descent to take a picture of the lake.
This picture doesn't really do the color of the lake justice but you get the idea. It was really a much brighter turquoise.
From the same spot we could see the little bridge we had crossed over right before we started into the woods on our trail. We thought it would be fun to have a shot of the bridge to show how far we'd come. It's hard to see...but it's there!
Rich was fooling with the settings on the camera, so we posed for him (and rested too). Otis, as he often does, found the most delicious stick around and had a snack. Downward and onward we went. It is always funny to me to have to stop and rest on the way down, not because I'm out of breath, but because my legs are shaking and I'll fall if we don't! We took the shorter, steeper section of trail down. Over all it was a 4.5 mile hike, 2.5 up and 2 down. A good length for us practice hikers. Once we hit the bridge we turned around and shot the little window in the trees we had been looking through.
The little dark spot in the middle right underneath the bottom power line is where we had been looking out. It's more impressive in real life! :)
We got back to the car and headed over to the falls. I was expecting another trail walk but we drove through a new-looking town with fancy apartment and condo complexes, all with stunning views of the Cascade range. We continued on and crossed over a bridge. Rich said "Oh, that must be the falls...the water disappears." I was skeptical since we were in such a populated area. Sure enough, we came around the corner to a parking lot, a large restaurant/inn, and a pedestrian bridge over the road to the falls. We left the dogs snoring in the car and headed over. The viewing areas were open and you got to stand shoulder to shoulder with all the other tourists checking things out. Sadly, the park and trails are closed until next March for renovation or something, so this was the best we got. It was an impressive waterfall and we could feel the spray even though we were quite far away. But, we were covered in people (seeing four on the trail earlier in the day was much more our style!) so we took a few shots and headed back to the car.
You can see the inn on the left. My PE teacher told me the following day that he and his family used to have Christmas breakfast there every year. Not a bad view, although I wonder if it was before or after the stockings...
Yeah, not a bad way to spend the day! All in a day's hike in the Pacific Northwest!
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