- Not to be confused with Snoqualmie Pass, a mountain pass 25 miles to the east.
Snoqualmie is a city in the Puget Sound region of Washington state. This former railroad junction and logging company town lies just above Snoqualmie Falls.
Understand
[edit]The area that is now Snoqualmie has been continuously occupied by members of the Snoqualmie Tribe. The first American settlers arrived in 1858. After a lumber mill was built in 1872, Snoqualmie quickly developed into one of the first logging towns in Washington. When railroads came to the Puget Sound region, Snoqualmie became an important stop, as the junction where a westbound train would turn towards either of the competing ports of Seattle or Tacoma. The first power plant at Snoqualmie Falls was built in the late 1890s, and a small company town grew up to support it. The city of Snoqualmie incorporated in 1903.
Get in
[edit]By car
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State Route 202 (WA-202) passes through the center of town, connecting to North Bend and Fall City.
Interstate 90 (I-90) passes one mile south of town.
- From Seattle, Bellevue and the west, take Exit 25 Snoqualmie Parkway or Exit 27 North Bend Way
- From Snoqualmie Pass and the east, take Exit 31 WA-202 North Bend.
State Route 18 (WA-18) becomes Snoqualmie Parkway north of the I-90 interchange. It connects to I-5 (exit 142A) in Federal Way, through Auburn, Covington, and Maple Valley in southeastern King County.
By bus
[edit]- King County Metro, ☏ +1 206-553-3000. Operates bus, streetcar, and monorail routes in King County. Communities within the county served by this operator's routes include Auburn, Bellevue, Bothell, Burien, Federal Way, Issaquah, Kent, Kirkland, Mercer Island, North Bend, Redmond, Renton, SeaTac, Seattle, Shoreline, Tukwila, Vashon Island, White Center, and Woodinville.
Get around
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See
[edit]- 1 Northwest Railway Museum, 38625 SE King St, ☏ +1 425-888-3030 ext 7202. Old rail depot with a large collection of locomotives, as well as a 5-mile heritage railroad offering rides on weekends.
- Twin Peaks filming locations. Many scenes from the David Lynch television series Twin Peaks were shot in and around Snoqualmie. The Salish Lodge and Spa corresponds to the Great Northern Hotel of the series, the Reinig Bridge corresponds to the Ronette Bridge and the DirtFish Rally School corresponds to the sheriff's office.
Snoqualmie Falls
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The 270 ft (82 m) 2 Snoqualmie Falls 
is the most dramatic waterfall within easy reach of Seattle. More than 1.5 million visitors come to the falls every year. There are two viewing areas, surrounded by parks and connected by a short but steep hiking trail.
At times, the river is high enough to flow across the entire precipice, which creates an almost blinding spray. High water occurs following a period of heavy rains or snow followed by warm rainy weather. This can occur during the rainy season which lasts from November through March. During high water, the falls take on a curtain form.
The land and surrounding concessions are owned by the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe. The falls is central to their culture, beliefs, and spirituality, "the place where First Woman and First Man were created by Moon the Transformer" and "where prayers were carried up to the Creator by great mists that rise from the powerful flow."
The Snoqualmie Falls Hydroelectric Plant, operated by Puget Sound Energy, is comprised of two power houses. Plant 1 was built in 1899 at the base of the falls embedded in the rock, the world's first completely underground power plant. Plant 2 was built in 1910 a short distance downstream of the falls.
- 3 Upper Observation Decks, 6501 Railroad Ave SE (Paid parking next to site, free parking across the street), ☏ +1 425-326-2563. Dawn-dusk. Several clifftop viewpoints of the waterfall and lodge. Closest deck is 200 ft (61 m) from parking via a wheelchair accessible walkway. Free.
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- 4 Lower Boardwalk, 37479 SE Fish Hatchery Rd, Fall City (Free parking lot), ☏ +1 425-326-2563. Dawn-dusk. The boardwalk passes by a wetland and Power Plant 2 to a viewpoint near the waterfall pool. There is also a path for river access further downstream. Free.
- Snoqualmie Falls Trail. 0.7 mi (1.1 km) each way, 374 ft (114 m) elevation. A connector trail for the upper and lower viewing areas, with detailed interpretive signage for local plant and ecosystem information.
- 5 Hydroelectric Museum and Park, SE 69th Pl (opposite side of falls from Salish Lodge), ☏ +1 425-831-4445. Memorial Day to Labor Day, W-Su 10AM-5PM. This hydroelectric power plant, built in 1899, is the first hydroelectric power plant in the world built entirely underground. Exhibits are housed inside a historic carpenter shop and train depot.
Do
[edit]- 1 Mount Si Golf Course, 9010 Boalch Ave SE, ☏ +1 425-391-4926, [email protected]. 18-hole municipal golf course.
- 2 Snoqualmie Casino, 37500 SE North Bend Way, ☏ +1 425-888-1234, [email protected].
Events
[edit]- Snoqualmie Days (formerly Railroad Days), [email protected]. 3rd weekend of Aug. This annual festival features a parade, outdoor performances, historical train excursions and a logger competition.
Buy
[edit]Eat
[edit]Drink
[edit]Sleep
[edit]- 1 Salish Lodge & Spa, 6501 Railroad Ave, ☏ +1 425-888-2556, [email protected]. This luxury hotel offers rooms with a fireplace, a large bed, an office area and a large shower.
- 2 Snoqualmie Inn by Hotel America, 35228 Snoqualmie Pkwy, ☏ +1 425-363-3888.
More lodging options are available in nearby North Bend.
Go next
[edit]Snoqualmie is on the Mountains to Sound Greenway, connecting to some of the best outdoor recreation in Washington.
| Routes through Snoqualmie |
| Federal Way ← Auburn ← | W  E
|
→ END |