Wallace Falls State Park — Saturday, Oct. 19, 2013

Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West

We sought a fall color hike that was not too rough. Wallace Falls seemed to fit the bill nicely. The day was foggy, and that meant a nearly empty parking lot at Wallace Falls State Park at 10:15 am. We got started by 10:30 am on a trail that was not heavily trafficked by Wallace Falls standards. We noticed spider webs with dewdrops starting out, as well as a fair amount of fall color. The trail was in good condition, and the falls were active. As we ascended above the middle falls, we climbed above the cloudline and had nice views of the valley below. This was a nice hike for mushrooms, and there were even a few European black slugs (Arion ater). A few wildflowers were blooming, mostly Geranium robertianum. We heard or saw bushtits, American dippers, and Steller's Jays. On the way back, we saw more hikers, including two classes of children. When we returned to the parking lot at 1:30, cars were hungrily circling, looking for spaces. I did not include any pictures of the falls in this report--there are spectacular fall photos from others, so read the other reports for this hike.