Taylor River - Otter Falls — Friday, Feb. 20, 2026

Very quiet Friday on the trail, passing just a few other hikers. The road to the Snoqualmie Lake trailhead is now beautifully graded so any car can make it. Trailhead outhouse clean and stocked. The newly graded road continues all the way to the Quartz Creek trail crossing. The trail was almost completely covered with 2-6 inches of grippy, powdery snow the entire way, which actually made for a nicer trip on the usually rocky trail. 

Just past the bridge over Marten Creek is a large trail washout, with a dicey path up and around marked by pink tape. It takes careful footing and holding onto rocks to safely pass this obstacle.

This was my first time on the new spur trail up to Otter Falls. It is beautifully built with a couple switchbacks and wooden steps down towards Lipsy Lake. The lake basin was a snowy wonderland, the lake was frozen over and there was just a small trickle coming down the falls.