Hike of the Week: Twin Falls
Twin Falls
Enjoy this impressive “du-wet”
Hike of the Week
by Craig Romano
produced by Michael Fagin
December 10, 2004
Quick Facts
Location: Snoqualmie Valley, Mountains to Sound Greenway
Land Agency: Twin Falls Natural Area, Ollalie State Park
Roundtrip: 3.5 miles
Cumulative Elevation gain: 700 feet
Access: From Seattle head east on I-90. Take exit 34. Follow Edgewick Road south to SE 159th Street. Proceed to trailhead.
Notes: Washington State Parks Pass required, dogs need to be leashed
Green Trails Map: Snoqualmie Pass Gateway Peaks, WA No. 206S or as part of the “Tiger, Cougar, Squak & Rattlesnake Mountains and Mt. Si” Map Pack.
There’s no shortage of waterfalls in the Cascades, a mountain range named for them. Water seems to tumble down from just about every ledge, ridge and slope in these mountains (the western ones at least). And perhaps due to their ubiquity, a good number of these cataracts carry less-than-imaginative names. For instance, how many “Twin Falls” grace this rain-saturated landscape? Other than describing quantity-and perhaps duplicity-the name “Twin” hardly captures the pulse of these falls? Are they intense or serene? Plummeting-bubbling? Surrealistic-riveting? Sacred to First Peoples? Revered by early explorers?
But maybe such a non-imaginative name is for the better-for after you hike to the Twin Falls of Ollalie State Park-you may find that no one or two words can describe them. But no matter what you do call them, they’re sure to invoke a sense of awe and admiration. There’s no better time to visit these falls than now. For here along the Cascade Front, nearly 100 inches of rain falls each year-most of it during winter-and a lot of it gets funneled into the South Fork of the Snoqualmie River to tumble over the Twin Falls.
Begin your hike in a dank and saturated forest. The trail is lined with maples wrapped in moss, and cedars dripping with moisture. A few giant Doug Firs and a couple of Sitka Spruce (rare this far inland) flank the trail as well. Follow the roaring river-admire the sheer force of its flow.
The trail works its way up a rib then drops closer to the falls. Despite being close to I-90, you won’t hear the traffic-the crashing water drowns it out. The first falls are reached within a mile. The second falls are a ½ mile beyond. It’s a 454-foot drop for the river with over 75,000 gallons of thunderous water falling per second. Tremble at the roar-taste the spray-the falls will captivate you. And it won’t take you very long to realize that there’s more to a place named “Twin Falls” than a pair of cascades.
Enjoy this impressive “du-wet”
Hike of the Week
by Craig Romano
produced by Michael Fagin
December 10, 2004
Quick Facts
Location: Snoqualmie Valley, Mountains to Sound Greenway
Land Agency: Twin Falls Natural Area, Ollalie State Park
Roundtrip: 3.5 miles
Cumulative Elevation gain: 700 feet
Access: From Seattle head east on I-90. Take exit 34. Follow Edgewick Road south to SE 159th Street. Proceed to trailhead.
Notes: Washington State Parks Pass required, dogs need to be leashed
Green Trails Map: Snoqualmie Pass Gateway Peaks, WA No. 206S or as part of the “Tiger, Cougar, Squak & Rattlesnake Mountains and Mt. Si” Map Pack.
There’s no shortage of waterfalls in the Cascades, a mountain range named for them. Water seems to tumble down from just about every ledge, ridge and slope in these mountains (the western ones at least). And perhaps due to their ubiquity, a good number of these cataracts carry less-than-imaginative names. For instance, how many “Twin Falls” grace this rain-saturated landscape? Other than describing quantity-and perhaps duplicity-the name “Twin” hardly captures the pulse of these falls? Are they intense or serene? Plummeting-bubbling? Surrealistic-riveting? Sacred to First Peoples? Revered by early explorers?
But maybe such a non-imaginative name is for the better-for after you hike to the Twin Falls of Ollalie State Park-you may find that no one or two words can describe them. But no matter what you do call them, they’re sure to invoke a sense of awe and admiration. There’s no better time to visit these falls than now. For here along the Cascade Front, nearly 100 inches of rain falls each year-most of it during winter-and a lot of it gets funneled into the South Fork of the Snoqualmie River to tumble over the Twin Falls.
Begin your hike in a dank and saturated forest. The trail is lined with maples wrapped in moss, and cedars dripping with moisture. A few giant Doug Firs and a couple of Sitka Spruce (rare this far inland) flank the trail as well. Follow the roaring river-admire the sheer force of its flow.
The trail works its way up a rib then drops closer to the falls. Despite being close to I-90, you won’t hear the traffic-the crashing water drowns it out. The first falls are reached within a mile. The second falls are a ½ mile beyond. It’s a 454-foot drop for the river with over 75,000 gallons of thunderous water falling per second. Tremble at the roar-taste the spray-the falls will captivate you. And it won’t take you very long to realize that there’s more to a place named “Twin Falls” than a pair of cascades.
