One Washington hike has nine named waterfalls, and almost nobody sees more than three
Wallace Falls State Park counts nine named waterfalls tumbling down the Wallace River outside Gold Bar. The trail that made this park famous only shows you three of them, and that’s still more waterfall than most Washington hikes manage in twice the distance.
It’s about an hour from Seattle, which is exactly why the lot fills up fast on a summer weekend. Get here early, or don’t be surprised if you’re circling for a spot by mid-morning.
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The Woody Trail does the work here. You duck under a set of power lines that ruin exactly one photo op, then the trail settles into old-growth hush along the Wallace River, and the parking lot chaos feels like it happened somewhere else entirely.
About a half-mile in, watch for Small Falls — an unnamed side stream dropping into the river that doesn’t even get its own trail sign. It’s a preview of the eight falls you won’t officially stop for.
Roughly two miles in, Lower Falls shows up first, worth a stop but not the finish line. Keep climbing and Middle Falls arrives next with the trail’s real payoff: the Skykomish River valley spread out below, the Olympic Mountains lined up on the horizon behind it.
Middle Falls is where I’d tell most people to call it. The push to Upper Falls is a sweaty half-mile of switchbacks, and the falls up there are real, but the view you already earned was the good one.
Round trip to Upper Falls runs about 5.2 miles with roughly 1,469 feet of climbing — moderate on paper, though the elevation loads up fast between Middle and Upper. Budget three to three and a half hours if you’re going the distance.
You’ll need a Discover Pass to park here, $10 for the day or $30 for the year. Dogs are welcome on leash, and the park enforces that rule for a real reason: unleashed dogs have gone over these falls.
Want more than an afternoon out of it? The park keeps two walk-in tent sites on a first-come basis year-round, plus five cabins with electricity, bunk beds, and covered porches if you’d rather skip testing your rain gear.
Nine waterfalls, one trailhead, no excuse if you’re anywhere near Everett or Seattle. Are you stopping at the Middle Falls overlook, or are you the type who pushes to Upper no matter what?
Trip tips: grab a rental car to get out here, lock in your hotel before the good rooms are gone, or skip both and book a camper van instead.
Rules and fees change — always confirm current requirements before you go.
