Picked this hike from the Washington Trails book, about 9.5 miles roundtrip with a 2700 elevation…read moregain. This was a tough hike, even though I chose it since the book said "moderate" and even looking up some reviews people had said the hike as relatively simple to enjoy a fantastic lake view. We were both pretty dead at the end due to the length and steep inclines. Knees were pretty banged up because of all the rocks. The trail in the beginning wasn't so bad, definitely got my heart pumping because of the elevation, but as you go higher up there were a lot of switchbacks and seemingly no end in sight. We hustled up the mountain pretty quickly though, which was why we were so tired at the end. The view is definitely worth it in the end; recommend bringing a hammock! There's also plenty of sitting area through slabs of rocks. Coming down we encountered: 1) a girl who was crying we believe because of the toughness of the trail, 2) a couple who stopped us to ask how much longer it was to the top (they unfortunately weren't even halfway) which signifies how tough this hike was. Definitely recommend bringing more than enough water or you will definitely be dehydrated (like we were). Otherwise glad we did this and would recommend (you won't regret it but your body will hate you haha).

Pretty but tough, Melakwa Lake gets you with its length and steady elevation gain. The trailhead…read moreis located in Snoqualmie and is part of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness area. Be sure to pick up a Northwest Forest Pass before you head over as the closest visitor center is about a 15 min drive away at Exit 52. If you've scoped out the WTA site already, it'll say that the trailhead has a parking lot for approximately 30ish cars with additional room to park along the side of the road. As the trailhead is shared with the very popular Denny Creek, I'd recommend you head early to snag a spot and to carpool - my friends and I arrived around 9AM and the lot was completely packed. There appears to be two parts to this hike - the family-friendly portion to Denny Creek and then the rocky and long jaunt up to Melakwa Lake. We saw a lot of families on the trail headed to the creek, which makes the perfect picnic spot during low water. If you want to continue on toward Melakwa Lake, head straight over to the other side of the creek where you'll find a tiny sign labeled "Main Trail" posted on a tree. The crowd thinned out after Denny Creek/the water slide (as referred to on WTA) as the hike got a bit tougher and rockier. If you have hiking boots, wear them, as you'll encounter two, long stretches of rocky terrain. The 2,000 ft elevation gain is gradual, but definitely noticeably on the last leg. You'll head up for what feels like forever before the trail starts to dip down again, taking you to the edge of the lake. This hike feels long, so be sure to bring an ample amount of water and snacks to help power on to the end! Once you're at the lake, there's room for you to sit out on the rocks before your journey back down. We even saw a few people swimming in the water - must've been so cold! XD My friends weren't the biggest fans of this hike, mainly because of the length, but I still think it's worth a visit with the right prep. Also, don't forget to bring bug spray! Apparently Melakwa is Chinook for mosquito, haha. :)

Its's not worth the effort *for a day trip*... cant speak for camping. Coming from Tacoma for a 2…read morehr drive with 45 minutes of it being an insanely precarious road and then a 5 mile "hike" which is a walk on a dirt road, not to mention the lottery system and the instructions on how to even visit... I was expecting A LOT more! The pools were small! Thankfully one group was leaving as we arrived so there was only 3 other people hanging out with us. Otherwise, it would have been SO cramped! My husband couldn't even stretch out and hes 6 foot. If you've never experienced nature/spa or are not from WA then I guess you might enjoy this, but I wouldn't do it again. Pros: caretakers are super nice, seems like guests are all going to be friendly and respectful, area is VERY well kept and clean, pools are cool despite being small, temps are great, "hike" is boring but easy! Cons: way too much boring effort to get here (especially for a day trip), pools are very small, last part of road to get to the parking lot is VERY rugged... you NEED a high clearance vehicle and someone who can navigate huge potholes/trees/ debris, etc. "Hike" is boring but easy!

We heard about this natural hotsprings in its super remote location in North Bend and just had to…read moretry it! It is a preserved miner's hotsprings that is on private land and is completely run by volunteers with the exception of a few individuals who are paid to make reservations and live on the grounds year-round. It is not easy to get reservations here especially with the pandemic. Once they were able to open this summer they started returning calls and we were lucky enough to be able to reserve the hotsprings for a small group of less than 5 people on a Monday. The fee was reasonable at 20 per person and they included detailed directions and instructions on getting to and using this facility. The drive in is no joke, seriously. We live in North Bend and are familiar with that area as we hike many of the trails over there frequently but we did not plan enough time for the 5 mile non paved road. Even thought it's only 5 miles it is VERY rough with lots and lots of potholes and difficult washed out patches that our Xterra made it up but might be difficult for other cars. Once we made it to the Dingford trailhead parking lot we left our car and started the 5 mile hike to the hotsprings. It's a really beautiful walk without much elevation gain through the forest and along the river but it is very rocky so your feet and toes will definitely get a beating. We kept up a good pace with around a 15 min/mile walk so we made it there in about 1.5 hours. We rang the bell and were greeted by the host who was very informative and pleasant. We signed our release forms and headed up to the springs for a beautiful and relaxing 4 hour time slot of enjoying the 3 different (but small) pools and the picnic table for lunch. It is also right at the top of a waterfall so you can sit out and enjoy the view and relax when you get tired of soaking. There is a cave where the hot water emerges that used to be open but is currently closed due to COVID concerns. The pool this hot water spills into is the hottest and really can only hold 2 people and then this pool spills into a larger one where 4 of us sat comfortably. There is also a cold one with river water which made for a great plunge. We really enjoyed our stay and had a great lunch at the picnic tables (no garbage sites so plan to pack in and pack out everything you bring). They also had non flushing porta potties you can use with one at the top by the hotsprings and a couple others at the bottom by the campground which is currently closed due to the pandemic. The campground is usually open year-round though and we are really looking forward to coming up during the fall or spring sometime. The five mile return hike is definitely tough especially with your feet being soft from soaking. I recommend you bring an extra pair of socks and maybe even consider sitting out for the last half hour or so and let your feet dry out before the return hike..my tootsies were pretty blistery when we returned!

The trail has many rolling hills you will climb as you get to the falls. There are neat wooden…read morestairs and wooden platforms from where you can view the lower falls. If you continue to the upper falls you will cross a beautiful wooden bridge. 2.68 miles, 614 elevation gain, 1 hr 9 minutes to complete.

To kick off the New Year, I decided to be active and hike one of my favorite nearby Seattle trails…read more This one has it all: not too easy nor hard (580 foot elevation gain, ~2.5 miles round trip), riverfront views, a humongous 700 year old Douglass Fir, two massive boulders you can climb up, many natural swimming pools, and three viewpoints of a gorgeous cascade. Twin Falls appears to be a single fall but you have to go up to the third upper viewpoint with a bench to see the twin. You can go further and it continues into Ollalie State Park and joins Iron Horse Trail. Go early because it's a popular hike with a medium sized parking lot at the trailhead. Just be sure to remember you WA state Discovery Pass to display on your car. The trail is near Snoqualmie Pass but doesn't have all the snow other nearby trails get causing them to close seasonally.

Since we were in the area we stopped by this park. Only a few people when we arrived and they left…read moreso it was just a peaceful park. We walked around a bit taking in the fresh air and scenery. They have some structures and plants to see. It's a park so it's what you make of it. We just wanted to come by and walk around a bit and it fit the bill.

This park is a hidden gem. I was looking for a park that had mountain views and this spot…read moredefinitely delivers. There is a parking lot, bathrooms, and plenty of nature. I wish there were longer walking paths but it is situated near other trails.

This was neither my favorite waterfall nor hike. I wondered why I hadn't put this one on my list…read morepreviously. My mom found this one and decided she wanted to see the falls over the view from Little Si, so that is where we went on a very rainy weekend afternoon! There were breaks of sunshine, so the hike wasn't completely miserable. However, the many many wet rocks were not fun to maneuver around for a large part of the hike. If you are someone who has knee, foot, or ankle issues at all, I would avoid this hike. My ankle was in pain for several days after doing this hike. The rocks were just awful and really not worth it for this particular waterfall. The little flowers and mushrooms growing all along the path were nice little Easter eggs, and the view of I-90 and the surrounding mountains below from the midpoint were nice bonuses. Parking was plentiful and required a WA state parks pass - luckily now you can go online and pay for one/write the info on a slip of paper to display on your dash. Gone are the days of money in an envelope for the ranger!

Started this hike at the Mt Si parking lot, which wasn't too full around 7:30AM on a Saturday. Hike…read morewas pretty flat, waterfall was quite pretty. A few people on the hike up, tons on the way down.

Came here on Memorial Day Monday, didn't quite see the fork off of Iron Horse Trail so ended up…read moredoing Olallie and came on Cedar Butte on the way back. Got to the parking lot around 7AM, not many cars but saw many people on the way down from Cedar Butte. The view at the top of Cedar Butte was just okay, there was a small clearing between trees to see the view but otherwise can't really see anything.

Such a hidden gem! I agree with the previous reviews, it was quite hard to find/navigate. There is…read moreabsolutely no signage for "Cedar Butte" but we were able to figure it out by asking people where they were coming from. That is the only reason for 4 stars, plus the bugs. I was surprised it was so buggy for a hot summer day in the 70's. It's in the middle of the forest though. The hike took us only 2 hours to complete, with a few stops and a small pup who hates to walk. It was very easy up until the trail leading into the forest. That was a bit more moderate, except it was easy since it was only for about 30-40 minutes of incline. The viewpoint is small, and only one group can have an optimal view with social distancing. However the trail is definitely a hidden gem and has less traffic. Overall I think it was a beautiful, easy and quick hike! I wanted to share some helpful directions to help navigate: Parking - The Rattlesnake ledge lot leading up to it is packed, but luckily this has a bit more space. Plug "47.43246, -121.76654" into your GPS and it'll take you directly to the Cedar Butte lot. When I had input "Cedar Butte Trailhead" into my GPS originally it took me elsewhere. After you park and head to the trailhead you'll see a sign for Iron horse trail. Head that way by taking that first right. You'll come to a clearing with a dirt road, look straight and you'll see a narrow path to follow. It'll bring you to another clearing of a dirty road then make a left. Walk until you see a waterfall/river and cross that bridge. Quickly after make your first right up the narrow path. Eventually you'll come to a fork, take a left. Then you'll eventually see signage for the summit. Follow that and you'll be there in the next 10 minutes!

What a beautiful lake! Makes for one of the best camping sites in our opinion. The day we visited,…read morethe water was right up to the shore, about 10 feet away from the park benches. It was a typical Washington cloudy day but the turquoise blue color of the water just looked more moody & beautiful under the grey backdrop. Very beautiful views from this lake and is a must visit for all young families. There is no hike involved to reach the lake, Parking is just beside the lakeside. We did not camp here. The weather in May can still be a little cool to camp overnight but we would be back later in the summer to camp here. There is no dedicated children playground here but there are semi -closed spaces that can work as boundaries for young kids playing. The public restroom was very dirty, I couldn't use it. My spouse did use the honey bucket that was outside the public restrooms but it was not very clean as well.

One of our favorite spots in nature. Not a far drive from Snoqualmie Falls, and it has good ample…read moreof parking. We enjoy to come hang out at the lake with the gorgeous views & cool water. I do advise to bring chairs, beach mat or a thick towel if want to lay by the lake since it is quite rocky. There is grass area & trees for more comfort. We've hiked once or so at this trail, and it's really enjoyable. On busy days though, the bathroom with a flushable can get dirty & most likely wont get cleaned till the next day. I notice they do provide port-a-pottys in addition to the restroom.

What a beautiful and popular hike! Parking can be a beast so go early or later in the day if you…read moredon't want to have to hike from a remote spot far away from the start of the actual hike. I took my teen with me and we conquered it in about 7 hours round trip. We used the "new" trail up and back because I didn't want to hear my kid complaining about the brutal elevation gains on the old trail. We lucked out and had a clear, beautiful, sunny view. This won't always be the case and depending on the time of year you may not see much of anything at the top so plan accordingly and be mindful of the weather. We left a sticker and a heart shaped rock we found along the way in the mailbox before we hiked back. It's a fairly challenging hike if you are t in excellent shape- but it's doable if you use the new trail. Pack plenty of water and snacks and something to leave in the mailbox.

Mailbox is a niche hike that's pretty well known around here but not for the views. One of the…read morehardest single day hikes in Washington, it's usually foggy up there but even when it's not, the view isn't all too exciting compared to other trails, well except for the mailbox. As a moderate hiker (once a month or so) in 2018, I was able to push through in 5 hours round trip. Four years later, I tackled Mailbox with only one hike beforehand in the previous 6 months and it took about 5 hours and 40 minutes. Went through the old trail and it's steep to the point where you'll likely feel your calves burning the whole way due to the flexion of your foot. As you enter the trailhead, the first Mailbox sign will be the new trail which is longer but overall easier because it's not a full incline hike. Go further and you'll find the old trail. Once you clear the forest, you'll see tons of boulders and rocks. Hopeful it's the end, you also won't see much in yet and you've still got a chunk of rock climbing left. Completing the hike will probably net you nearly a days worth of calories so you can feast afterwards. Pack some electrolytes, they're saviors. Our party of three hiked this on a collective 4 hours of sleep and some Gatorade was super helpful alongside caffeine. My quads started cramping near the boulders and it made this hike one of the worst I've experienced, but we managed to push through. With my experience, I highly recommend electrolytes because I had some Gatorade and a banana already yet was still dying. Push through to brag to your friends.

Great hike! 11 miles RT if you go to both the front and back sides of Otter Falls. Elevation gain…read moreis completely minimal and dogs are allowed - it says they must be on leash but all except two dogs I saw were actually on leash. The trail is so flat a wheelchair could make it except for the numerous creek crossings that were a little dicey depending on your footwear. Note that there is some washout leading up to the trailhead so unless you have a tall truck you will need to Park about a 1/2 mile away and climb over the rubble. Most of the road leading up to the trailhead has already been patched so our little car made it without issue. I wore my trainers since this hike was rated as easy. My feet were definitely sore later in the evening. Anytime you plan to walk 11 miles there will likely be some pain somewhere in your foot so don't be deterred! Had I worn my hiking boots I probably wouldn't have the soreness in my ankles but hiking boots are definitely not required for this hike. I have the kind of knees that will sometimes hurt on the way down from hikes with large elevation gains but because this one is so minimal I was able to jog from the trailhead back to the car after the entire hike. This trail was not heavily trafficked and provided a wonderful excursion for the day. We started the hike at 11:15am and arrived at Otter Falls around 1pm for lunch and relaxation. There's not much to sit on unless you want to sit where the falls are on steep granite. Again my trainers were not grippy enough to hang up there for long. Hike boots would be great for this part. We lounged around at the falls, continued on to the backside to see the view from the footbridge, and got down about 4:30pm. Note that this hike was a little buggy (annoying flies and other buzzes in your ears but I didn't need mosquito spray.)

This is a pretty easy trail for beginning hikers or ones that want to hike, but have to give…read morecertain parts of their body time to heal and / or not be too strenuous on. Another great point about this trail is that it is dog friendly. Throughout the trail there are small inclines, but no switch backs and the inclines are no more than walking up hills in Seattle. Close to the beginning of the trail there is a choice to go towards Quartz Creek (to the left) or Snoqualmie Lake. You want to go straight ahead to Snoqualmie Lake. There are certain parts of the trail that you can stop at and turn back with still feeling that you have had a sufficient hike. The first point would be Marten Creek, which has a wooden bridge over it and a waterfall to your left. At this point, you have hiked in about 3 miles. Another couple miles up is where you will encounter Big Creek Falls. Which is amazing. The trail does continue on, but Big Creek Falls is usually where most people stop. One point, a little after Marten Creek, it looks like the trail ends. If you go to the right, you can tell that it will lead you right back to the trail. To the left is a pile of rocks. You will want to climb up (not much of a climb or hard to do) through those rocks to continue on. After you reach the top of them, you will see the trail again. Throughout the trail there are a few smaller creeks that you will have to walk over, but no more than a foot wide. Round trip is about 10 miles, if you go to Big Creek Falls, and definitely worth all the miles you walk. Elevation gain is about 700 feet. Directions: Head out I-90, to North Bend take exit 34 Edgewick Road, turn left under I-90, go past the Texaco gas station and turn right on Middle Fork Snoqualmie River Road (FR 56), drive the gravel road 12+ miles, just after crossing the Taylor River bridge there is a fork in the road stay left on the Taylor River Road (FR 5630), continue to the gate and park in the lot.

Nice trail, came on a Saturday at 8am and was able to find parking in the main lot easily. Got…read morepretty crowded on the trail after 10am. Seeing lots of dog poop bags near the trailheads very disappointing to see, pick up after yourselves and leave no trace!!

This is my Go-To trail to take anyone visiting! Best bite-sized PNW hike…read more It is 12/10 on the reward-to-effort ratio. It's just hard enough to feel like a challenge (in a good way) but not too hard that it's not fun anymore for a non-hiker. The summit is stunning - you can see the lake and a blanket of beautiful evergreens from the top. Plenty of parking and places to picnic at the base too. The only con - it can get REALLY crowded as it is a popular hike, but hey make some new friends and see some cute dogs ^__^