Snoqualmie Falls WASHINGTON
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Snoqualmie Falls in high water, spray rising toward Salish Lodge on the clifftop

Snoqualmie Falls attractions and nearby sights

Snoqualmie Falls in high water below Salish Lodge, November 2017. Photo: Kpsudeep · Source · CC BY-SA 4.0

Snoqualmie Falls is the centerpiece, but the park, the lodge on the cliff, a century-old power plant and the railroad town a mile upriver turn a stop into a day. Here is how the sights fit together.

Updated · Independent visitor guide

Snoqualmie Falls dropping into a mist-filled gorge beneath Salish Lodge, forested cliffs and a blue skyAttractionUpper observation deck

The upper park is where nearly everyone sees Snoqualmie Falls first: a short, paved walk from the parking lots to railed viewpoints that look across the gorge at the full 268-foot drop.

Salish Lodge on the cliff above the falls under a pink sunset skyAttractionSalish Lodge & Spa

Salish Lodge & Spa stands on the cliff at the very top of Snoqualmie Falls. It is a hotel and spa, but its restaurant, lounge, café and shop welcome day visitors too.

The pale concrete Plant 2 powerhouse beside the rocky Snoqualmie RiverAttractionHydroelectric museum & power plants

Snoqualmie Falls has made electricity since 1899. Puget Sound Energy’s museum, the trail past Plant 2 and displays around the park explain how a waterfall became one of the first hydroelectric plants in the West.

The red Victorian Snoqualmie Depot with its corner tower, Mount Si rising behindAttractionNorthwest Railway Museum

The Northwest Railway Museum runs vintage trains on the line that brought the first tourists to Snoqualmie Falls, and its 1890 depot is one of the prettiest buildings in the valley.

Flower baskets and storefronts along a sunny sidewalk in historic Downtown SnoqualmieAttractionDowntown Snoqualmie

Downtown Snoqualmie is a small railroad town about a mile upriver from the falls, with a historic depot, trains on display and a few blocks of places to eat along Railroad Avenue.

Lower Twin Falls dropping through a forested canyon on the South Fork Snoqualmie RiverAttractionTwin Falls

Twin Falls is a 135-foot waterfall on the South Fork Snoqualmie River in Olallie State Park, reached by a forest walk of about 2.5 miles round trip. It is 20 minutes east of Snoqualmie Falls and far quieter.

The view from Rattlesnake Ledge over blue Rattlesnake Lake and forested hillsAttractionRattlesnake Ledge & Lake

Rattlesnake Ledge is one of the most popular hikes in Washington: a steady 2-mile climb from Rattlesnake Lake to a rock ledge high above the water, with views across the upper Snoqualmie Valley.

Mount Si and a line of trees reflected in a still pond under a clear skyAttractionMount Si & Little Si

Mount Si is the rock wall that looms over North Bend and the backdrop to half the photographs in the valley. Its trail is a classic Seattle-area workout; Little Si, in front of it, is a shorter climb with big views.

Snoqualmie Falls sights compared
PlaceCostHoursAllow
Upper observation deckFreeSunrise to sunset30 minutes
Trail to the lower viewpointFreeSunrise to sunset1–1½ hours round trip
Salish LodgeFree to visit; meals extraLounge 10 a.m.–9 p.m.1 hour for a meal
Hydroelectric museumNo admission listedWed–Sun 10 a.m.–5 p.m., in season30–60 minutes
Snoqualmie DepotFreeDaily 10 a.m.–5 p.m.30 minutes
Excursion trainAbout $28 adultsWeekends, April–October2 hours
Twin FallsDiscover Pass to parkDay use1½–2 hours

The falls park, upper and lower

Puget Sound Energy owns and runs Snoqualmie Falls Park, which has two levels. The upper park, beside the parking lots on SR 202, has paved paths, the observation deck and a string of overlooks, restrooms, picnic tables and a gift shop. A gravel trail drops about 250 feet through forest to the lower park, where a riverside boardwalk ends at a viewpoint near the base of the falls. Both levels are free to visit; only some of the parking costs money.

The lodge, the power plants and the museum

Salish Lodge & Spa stands at the top of the falls, with a restaurant, lounge and café open to day visitors. Two power plants still make electricity here: Plant 1, finished in 1899 and built entirely inside the rock, and Plant 2, a 1910 powerhouse you pass on the trail. PSE’s Snoqualmie Falls Hydroelectric Museum tells their story with historic machinery and photographs.

Downtown Snoqualmie and the railway

About a mile upriver, downtown Snoqualmie grew up around the railroad. Its 1890 depot is home to the Northwest Railway Museum, which runs excursion trains from spring through fall, out to the end of the line near the top of the falls. Railroad Avenue has a brewery, restaurants and old rail cars parked beside the road.

Waterfalls and summits nearby

The valley is the doorway to some of the busiest trails near Seattle. Twin Falls and Rattlesnake Ledge are each about 20 minutes away, and Mount Si towers over North Bend. Our hiking guide sorts them by difficulty, and the itineraries combine them with the falls.

Sources & current information

Check the responsible provider for current access, schedules, prices and availability.

Keep planning your visit

The narrow crest of the falls with the low diversion dam and the lodge upstreamPlan your visitMap & layout

Snoqualmie Falls Park has two levels joined by a short, steep trail. This map shows the viewpoints, lots, trail and lodge so you can decide where to park and walk.

Snoqualmie Falls framed by yellow autumn leaves on the cliffsItineraryDay trip from Seattle

A full day out from Seattle that puts Snoqualmie Falls first, ahead of the crowds, then fills the afternoon with trains, a hike or the valley towns.

Cars parked below the covered pedestrian bridge at Snoqualmie Falls, with autumn trees behindPlan your visitParking

Parking at Snoqualmie Falls is free if you use the large lot across the highway. A small paid lot sits next to the falls, and a separate lot serves the lower park.