Summertime in Seattle means loads of tourists and locals acting like one, and why not? It is THE best season to explore the city, with fewer rainy days and more sunny ones. It is also the best time to hike and explore nature attractions.
This weekend we did something similar. We headed to Snoqualmie Falls, located 28.7 miles away from Seattle, one of the top attractions near Seattle and very popular among tourists. Blessed by flora and fauna, the waterfall is a perfect place for a nature retreat. The fall drops beautifully from a height of 268 feet and is the fifth tallest waterfall in Washington State. Moreover, the waterfall gained its international fan following after getting featured in the cult TV series Twin Peaks.
History of Snoqualmie
Snoqualmie is called “sah-KOH-koh” or “Sdob-dwahibbluh” in Salish, which translates to “moon”. According to a legend, the waterfall is where the first woman and man were created by “Moon, The Transformer”. Therefore, the natives call themselves children of the moon. The mist is said to carry prayers to the Creator in heaven, creating a connection between Heaven and Earth. You can read more about this here.
Reaching Snoqualmie Falls from Seattle without a car
Travelling in the States without a car can be tricky and involves a lot of research, but worry not! We’ve done the necessary research for you and found a “tried and tested” route to the falls.
Leg 1: 554 Express from S Jackson St & Maynard Ave S (Seattle) –> Issaquah Transit Center Bay 6
Leg 2: Bus no. 208 from Issaquah Transit Center Bay 4 –> Railroad Ave SE & Snoqualmie Pkwy –> 10 minutes walk
Tip: Keep OneBusAway App handy to check bus schedules and plan your transit time accordingly, as the 208 bus service is not frequent. While getting back, you can either take the same route or book an Uber to Northbend downtown and take the Trailhead direct (summer bus service) to Capitol Hill or Downtown Seattle.
Our day in a nutshell
We started at 12:35 pm from Capitol Hill and reached the Snoqualmie Falls Park around 2:00 pm. Abhishek and I decided to do the easy half-a-mile hike to the lower falls. But before that, we stopped by the three viewpoints near the upper parking to get a good view of the majestic waterfall.
The water was thick as a jelly flowing down the hill, creating a cloud of mist. It was truly a refreshing sight. I’ve been to this fall before during winter. But unfortunately, it was a foggy day, and we weren’t able to see the waterfall properly. You can watch the below video of our previous visit.
The hike was easy and short. We passed through a lush forest with gigantic trees, birds and plant species. We highly recommend doing this hike. However, if you’re not a hiking enthusiast or visiting with your parents, you can simply drive to the lower falls.
Being a Twin Peak fan, Abhishek wanted to try the famous Cherry pie and a Damn fine cup of coffee at Twede’s Cafe. Therefore, we headed back to Northbend downtown. Though the Cherry Pie was decent but travelling this far to have these was not worth an effort. To satisfy our foodie hearts and stomachs we went to a Mexican restaurant named Rio Bravo and had a plate full of Enchiladas and Chilaquiles. It is one of the best Mexican food I’ve had in the PNW and is worth a visit!
We’ll be coming back to Northbend for more hikes. The plan is to start with the two medium ones, Little Si and Mount Tenerife. Followed by the hard one, Mount Si. *Literally sweating just thinking about it 🥵* Keep following this space to get the latest updates on our new posts and videos. You can also follow us on Instagram for BTS, daily life updates and more.
Wish us luck! And happy summer to all.
Know before you go:
- The waterfall has four viewpoints, 3 of which are close to the upper parking, and the 4th one is near the lower parking.
- The hike to the lower falls is half-a-mile and fairly steep. If you are visiting this place with your parents, I recommend parking your cars in the lower parking.
10 Comments
What a fabulous place! I have to admit that I never watched Twin Peaks for some reason, but that opening is beautiful. All your photos are wonderful to see and thanks for the information about the falls, too.
Hey! Thanks for stopping by my blog and I’m glad you liked the article and the photos 🙂 Even I haven’t watched the entire series but it was a great experience to visit all the locations.
Such a lovely waterfall. Nature is always so amazing.
Thanks for sharing your link at My Corner of the World this week!
I totally agree with you 🙂 Thanks for stopping by <3
That waterfall is amazing!
Love the photos.
Happy Sunday!
Hey! Thank you so much. The waterfall is beautiful indeed 🙂
Whutta place that is. And brilliant photography as well. I really like your photography.
Means a lot 🙂
Snoqualmie Falls looks gorgeous and I love the legend associated with it. The falls has appeared in my pre-trip homwork but we didn’t make it there. Maybe next time when I’m that side to see to see North Cascades. The PNW is so so beautiful! 🙂
Lovely pictures, Meenakshi. 🙂
Yes so visit the falls, you’ll love it! and glad you liked the pictures 🙂