Lying within easy reach of Seattle, Wallace Falls State Park is nothing if not popular. On the edge of the Cascades, it offers visitors lovely views of a series of cascading waterfalls.

I paid it a visit on a Sunday in late March. Was it worth my while?

Spoiler: yes.

Now mind you, I got to the park rather deliberately late on a Sunday afternoon in March, and the parking lot was still very close to full. Only a few spots were open, but most visitors were on their way out of the park, which meant that I mostly had to contend with families and leash-less dogs going the opposite direction from me.

The entrance to the park is home to quite a lot of buzzing, high-powered electrical lines, which though useful, detract from the natural landscape.

Trail Information
Name	Wallace Falls Loop (Short Version)
Type	point-to-point
Location	Wallace Falls State Park
State	WA
Country	USA
Miles	6
Check out the trails index for information on more trails!

From the parking lot, there are two main trails, both of which meet and head towards the falls. One (“Old Railroad Grade”) is longer, but consists of flatter, easier terrain. It’s basically a gravel road, and is open to things like mountain bikes.

The other, “the Woody Trail” involves more elevation changes, but is shorter. Eventually, they meet reconnect near where “the Woody Trail” leads to overlooks for the Lower, Middle, and Upper Wallace Falls.

I hiked up via the Woody Trail and returned via the Railroad Grade in the hopes of a change of scenery. I would just stick to the Woody Trail if I was going to do this hike again, because that area is much more scenic, if also more popular.

Anyhoo, that’s enough blabbering.

If you come here, this is what you get to see:

It was a sunny day, which made photographing the waterfalls a little challenging. The white of the rushing water was easily washed out, while the surrounding hillsides were in shadows. I’ve done my best to leave these looking naturalistic, but adjusted so that the details are visible.

Overall, I’d say this is definitely worth a day hike, and the other areas in the park might be worth exploring, but I certainly wouldn’t want to hang out near the parking lot with its buzzy, buzzy wires.