Bottom Line:
Beautiful hike along the south forth of the Snoqualmie River to Twin Falls canyon, which ends in a 3-tier waterfall with a bridge over the precipice of the lower falls. First flowers and butterflies of the season! Giant cedars, and big-leaf maples draped deep in what seemed like feet of moss and ferns. The dappled light, the brilliant green and yellow of fresh spring growth, and the emerald waters of the Snoqualmie made for quite the scene. Easy, but oh so beautiful. It never gets old. NOTE: The lower falls viewing platform is closed due to tree damage, and the trail itself is closed above the upper falls due to a large landslide. CAUTION: The river is swift and very cold.
Stats:
- Distance: ~4 miles RT (with river exploration)
- Vertical: 650 ft
- Duration: 2 hours
- Road/Parking: Large lot, but nearly full on a warm Thursday afternoon. Discover Pass required. Toilets. CAUTION: This trailhead has seen break-ins in the past, and even a car-jacking a few years ago. The overflow lot is a distance away down the hill from the access road; illegally parked cars are subject to tow on the access road.
- Weather: A mix of sun and cloud, ~55F, no wind; even though the snowline was only 1200 ft up the slope, it felt very warm!
- Trail: Trail is in good condition, with areas of mud and running water, and about 1/2-dozen down trees to step over/under. It was busy today, but there are many spots to detour down to the river's edge for some solitude. The trail in general is in need of some TLC, with washout areas, and the two closures noted above. The freeway is close, but there is only one short section where one can hear (but not see) the traffic. The fern understory remains lush - the winter was not cold enough for a die-off. Lots of flowing water, including over and around the trail. The trail will totally transform once the maples leaf out. The trail is of the up-and-down variety, with an excellent viewpoint up the canyon early on.
- Takeaway: Short, sweet and really beautiful. This is probably the first hike this year where it felt like a full-on spring day, with warm sunshine and new growth popping up everywhere. The naked big-leaf maples help with the views of the surrounding mountains, which were snow-covered today, a surreal juxtaposition with this lush rain forest. It would be fun to wade up the canyon to the lower falls if the water ever drops low enough in the summer!
Higher resolution pics available at the Instagram link
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