Snoqualmie Falls

Old Jul 11th, 2008, 10:42 AM
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Snoqualmie Falls

Someone recommended seeing Snoqualmie Falls when visiting the Seattle area. Is it worth going to? How far is the drive from Seattle to the falls? I only have 8 days and I'd also like to see the San Juan Islands and Victoria.
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Old Jul 11th, 2008, 10:50 AM
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It's about a 45 minute drive each way. It's a nice half day trip if you have time.
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Old Jul 11th, 2008, 11:11 AM
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we have gone straight from the airport when arriving in daytime to have a meal at their lovely restaurant there overlooking the falls.
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Old Jul 11th, 2008, 11:21 AM
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I think it's a nice enough day trip from Seattle. The drive is barely an hour. But if you are short on time overall for your trip, I don't think it's a 7th wonder of the world or anything
;-)
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Old Jul 11th, 2008, 11:26 AM
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Good way to put it, suze.

Snoqualmie Falls is impressive enough if you've never been to Niagra or Iguazu Falls.

The drive back and forth on I-90 isn't very interesting.

In my opinion, meals at the lodge are way over-priced. Also, few tables have a view of the falls.

The San Juan Islands and Victoria,BC, have much more to offer.
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Old Jul 11th, 2008, 11:27 AM
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Where are the falls in relation to the airport? I like the idea of seeing them after arriving and having lunch there. Can you swim there?
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Old Jul 11th, 2008, 11:32 AM
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The falls are NE of the airport and E of Seattle--about the same distance from SeaTac as from Seattle.

I've never heard of anybody swimming there. Maybe you will be the first.
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Old Jul 11th, 2008, 11:53 AM
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"Maybe you will be the first." Hey, Happytrails, if the OP does and the PI runs a picture of it, I want to know.

floridagetawaygal, you really don't want to swim in Puget Sound, Hood Canal, etc. It's freeeeeezing.

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Old Jul 11th, 2008, 11:59 AM
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Salish Lodge is the restaurant next to the falls. It is superb. Having breakfast prior to visiting the falls is an option as well. I have always combined the trip with a meal at the Lodge.

The trip from the airport is definitely an hour.

You don't mention when you are going. If it's soon, the falls is beautiful in the summer. If it's in the winter, you should drive on to Snoqualmie pass and boyond a bit. Every sight toward the pass is a winter wonderland postcard.
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Old Jul 11th, 2008, 12:16 PM
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No, I haven't ever seen anyone swimming there. It's a very rough and rugged area. Not exactly welcoming to jump on in!

If you don't want to pop for the price of breakfast or lunch in the restaurant (it is not cheap) there's a pretty nice gift shop with snack/coffee bar where you can get a nibble and sit outside.

You can see the Falls either just from the top on the observation platforms, or you can walk down a kind of rugged dirt trail to a lower viewing area. It takes about 15 mins. and you'd want to have on decent shoes.
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Old Jul 11th, 2008, 12:18 PM
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I remember walking up to the falls impressed by the power of falling water. If you haven't been to a large waterfall, worth a visit.

Can't help with driving - it was a bus tour, we stopped there on the way to the Mt Rainier.
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Old Jul 11th, 2008, 01:48 PM
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Saw it again last week and had a late lunch at Salish Lodge overlooking the falls in The Attic Room, which is the smaller upstairs dining room. (The food was good, but a little overpriced.) Even though I've seen Niagra, and had seen Snoqualmie about 10 years ago, I think it's still impressive if you like waterfalls. After lunch when we walked onto the observation platform, you could feel it shaking slightly from the sheer power of the falls. Occasionally, a cloud of mist would billow up a good distance from the bottom of the falls to the deck.

One of my colleagues said that her mother told a story about seeing years ago a hiker couple skinny dipping in the river below the falls, but we didn't see anyone in the water. It's rough and I imagine it's extremely cold most any time of the year. (But we did see two hikers climb out on a rock to get ridiculously and dangerously close to the edge of the falls.) In sum, I think it's well worth taking a couple of hours to see, especially if you can tie it in with arriving or departing at the Seattle airport.
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Old Jul 11th, 2008, 02:47 PM
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Well, I know for a fact the OP won't be the first! I've taken a dip or two at the bottom -- although I always had something on -- never skinny dipping! We didn't swim right at the bottom because that can be pretty dangerous. We also had to crawl over the railing that has the sign that says not to go any farther. Obviously not my smartest move . . . but I was young and dumb! So, it is possible -- but not very smart.

By the way, I think it's worth a trip. It's not a long drive and I think the falls are beautiful.
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Old Jul 11th, 2008, 04:22 PM
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One thing to note is that by the end of the summer (say, mid-August) virtually all of the melt water in the mountains has come and gone, so the flow over the falls is reduced significantly. This year it will probably be later than average, as we had a very snowy winter and a late thaw.

You can get to the falls in less than an hour from the airport. I-405 north to SR 900 (Sunset Blvd., Renton/Issaquah Road) to I-90, then 15 min. east to the Snoqualmie turnoff.

After seeing the falls, if time permits, it's a very pleasant drive past the falls north on SR 202 to the junction of SR 203, then north on SR 203 through the Snoqualmie Valley - Fall City, Carnation (home of the dairy) and ultimately Duvall, where you can turn west and get back to Seattle via Redmond.
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Old Jul 12th, 2008, 09:59 AM
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Thank you for all your information. I wasn't planning on skinny dipping because I'm a Florida whimp when it comes to temperature. I do, however, have a crazy husband and son who will probably attempt to get a little wet.
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