Snoqualmie Falls

Drop everything

Is it plungeworthy?

268feet tall

A dam on Snoqualmie River.

Scale59/60

Documentation15/20

Character14/20

The details

Type: Dam
Watercourse: Snoqualmie River
Coordinates: 47.54171, -121.83809

Get directions →

About Snoqualmie Falls

Snoqualmie Falls is a 268-foot dam in Washington, on Snoqualmie River.

Fed largely by snowmelt, it runs hardest in late spring and early summer and can thin to a trickle by late season.

Plungeworthy rates Snoqualmie Falls 8.8/10 — drop everything. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.

What you'll find

A 268-foot curtain over basalt on the Snoqualmie River — sacred to the Snoqualmie Tribe, lit at night, and drawing about a million and a half visitors a year. The upper plaza sits directly across the gorge from Salish Lodge; a steeper trail drops to a river-level deck beneath the falls.

Getting there

Trailhead: Snoqualmie Falls Park plaza, off WA-202
Parking: Paid main lot ($7 first two hours); free lot across the road via pedestrian bridge
Road: Paved
Hike: 1.5 mi round trip, 300 ft of climb (easy)
Heads up: The upper viewpoint is a flat 200-foot, wheelchair-accessible walk. The lower deck adds a steep descent and climb back.

When to go

Any day of the year — biggest after fall rains and spring melt, and the hydro plant keeps some flow moving even in dry stretches. It is never uncrowded; early mornings and rainy weekdays are as quiet as it gets.

Rules & fees

Fee / pass: Free to visit; only the main lot charges
Dogs: Leashed
Hours: Dawn to dusk; the falls are lit after dark
Warnings: Stay behind the railings — wet rock and river levels that change with power generation.

Researched from Snoqualmie Falls — official · WTA — Snoqualmie Falls. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Snoqualmie Falls recently? Post a conditions report below.

Where it is

Before you go

The pin marks the feature, not a trailhead or a legal route in. Some sit on private land or need a real hike, and conditions change with season and rain. Check local access, don't trespass, and never enter water — hot or cold — where it isn't safe.