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Nestled just a thirty minute drive from the hustle and bustle of Seattle in the beautiful Snoqualmie Mountains is one of Washington State’s most popular attractions, the 270-foot tall, Snoqualmie Falls.

While the falls have always been an amazing sight to see, an explosion of popularity occurred in the early 1990’s when the waterfall was prominently featured in the hit TV series “Twin Peaks”. It now brings in 1.5-million visitors, annually.

No visit to the area would be complete without at least making a quick stop to view it from the upper deck. Whether you spend ten minutes or two hours, coming out is worth the effort.

So whether you're looking for great day trips from Seattle or you want to spend a day away from the city, this guide has you covered. Let’s get into it.

Getting to Snoqualmie Falls

If you’re like most people, you’ll be coming to the falls from Seattle. It’s a fairly straight forward drive from the city to the upper plaza, making it the perfect day trip.

The exact milage will vary depending on where you’re starting from generally, it's a bit more than thirty minutes, one-way, with only a few turns.

From Seattle, the directions are as follows:

• Look for signs pointing you to I-5 South and get on it.

• Follow the signs to the I-90 East turn off and stay on it.

• Take exit #25 toward Snoqualmie Pkwy and turn left on WA-18E

• Turn left on Railroad Ave then stay on Railroad Ave after the traffic circle (3rd exit)

• Shortly after, you’ll see the entrance for the falls on your left.

Parking at Snoqualmie Falls

You’ll have two options for parking and they’re both incredibly easy:

• Option #1 would be the main lot right off the rim. It’s large enough to accommodate many vehicles but since it’s closest to the falls, there’s a fee. It’s $7 for a two hour period and $5 for each additional hour. The fee can be paid at the self-serve kiosks near the Visitor Center (you will need to know your license plate number).

• Option #2 is the larger parking lot across the road that connects to the park via an overhead bridge. This lot can accommodate many more vehicles and is free. It’s also ADA accessible. So if the main lot is full, fret not. Just head across the street.

The recently renovated Visitor Center and Gift Shop are fully open to the public. It includes new exhibits, restrooms and an ice cream shop. Their hours are as follows:

• Monday - Friday: 10am - 4pm

• Saturday & Sunday: 9am - 4pm

Snoqualmie Falls Upper Viewing Deck

If you type “Snoqualmie Falls” into your phone’s GPS, it’ll likely take you the parking lot at the Upper Plaza. It’s the most visited area of the park as it provides that classic view of the falls from the rim.

Here is where you’ll see an exhibit of an old, used turbine. These are used in conjunction with the force of the falls to generate energy for the surrounding area.

We’ll go over this further into the post as it’s the Lower Plaza where you’ll see a grandeur example of this at work.

To the right of the turbine is where you’ll find the beginning of the trail that leads to another viewpoint and to the Lower Plaza below.

This trail is less than half a mile but you will drop you nearly 300 feet. While it’s fairly easy going down, coming back up will be challenging, unless you’re in decent shape.

Before descending the trail, there’s another viewpoint worth checking out. This is called the, “Peregrine Viewpoint”. Named after the birds who inhabit this area. It’s a little further down and it’s a slightly more straight-on view of the falls.

Lower Park Plaza

The Lower Plaza is not as well known. It is here where you’ll get the “down below” view, access to the Snoqualmie River and see the energy producing turbines up close and personal.

You have two options to get the lower plaza from above:

• As stated above, you can hike the roughly half mile trail. It’ll take you straight to it but you will have a jaunt going back up. It’s not advisable if you’re not in decent shape and/or don’t have the proper footwear.

• Your other (much easier) option would be to drive to it. Turn left out of the main lot or right out of the free lot and head down the road for a few miles. You’ll turn left on Fish Hatchery road and follow that until it terminates at the lower plaza parking lot.

You’ll find the trail leading to the lower viewing deck to the right of the visitor center. Before reaching the boardwalk, you’ll see further examples of turbines and other process equipment with literature explaining how they were used.

Past here, you'll head down a series of stairs and onto a scenic boardwalk with the roaring Snoqualmie River on one side and beautiful moss covered trees on the other. This short journey to the deck is worth the visit all its own.

I didn’t check the exact amount of time it took to reach the deck from the parking lot but including stops to check out the turbines and take photos, it probably took me less than 10 minutes.

The deck is fairly small and can comfortably fit a dozen or so people at a time. Keep this in mind if you’re visiting on a particularly busy day.

The view of the falls from the deck is unique compared to the top. In my opinion, it’s superior to the rim view, as you get the river and surrounding greenery creating a magical scene.

Once you’ve gotten your fill of the views and took your pictures, simply turn around and head back the same way you came in.

Best Time to Go

That’s relative to your personal tastes. Most will tell you spring is the best time due to the fresh run-off from the mountains. If your goal is to see Snoqualmie at its fullest, spring would be the time.

I was here in early March (not quite spring). The runoff was decent and there were no crowds to deal with. Weather wise, the warmth of summer would be the way to go, but it’ll be the most crowded.

Late September and October will bring beautiful fall foliage to complement the scenery around the falls. Winter, while easily the least crowded of any season, brings cold weather with possible snow and ice.

My personal recommendation would the months of eMarch or April. Chances of snow and ice are minimal, as are the crowds. The runoff, in my experience, is good but your results may vary. It was a bit chilly during my visit, but the lack of crowds made it worthwhile.

Nearby Attractions

While making the trip from Seattle to Snoqualmie to see the falls is more than worth the effort, it isn’t exactly an all-day outing.

We were able to see the falls and what it had to offer in a couple hours. Since you’re heading out there anyway, may as well see what else Snoqualmie has to offer.

Hiking Trails

There are many hiking trails in the area. The most popular being Rattlesnake Ledge. The trailhead is located about 10 minutes from the falls in Snoqualmie Point Park and while it requires some effort to complete, it’s short and sweet with an epic payoff. Check out AllTrails for more information on that.

Historic Train Museum

Located on the side of the road heading into downtown Snoqualmie is a line of preserved, historic trains, free for public viewing.

There’s an easy, paved trail that runs alongside all of them and makes for an excellent outing for families with small children.

Local Shops & Restaurants

Along the main road that cuts through town you can find many local shops and eateries to dine at. Supporting local businesses, especially now, is a great way to complete the experience. My personal favorite, Caadxi Oaxaca, serves up amazing spicy pork and fish tacos

Lodging

If you’re keen on staying in the area, you have a few options. You have your standard chain options such as Holiday Inn and SpringHill.

If you’re a Marriott Bonvoy member, you have a couple options in nearby Redmond and Bellevue. The best option, however, would be the Salish Lodge and Spa. It overlooks the falls at the rim and is an utterly beautiful property.