Seattle: Wallace Falls Loop
This mostly forested loop climbs 1,250 feet to three misty waterfalls and dynamite views of the Olympic Mountains.
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Mapped by Kari Bodnarchuk
Start by heading east on a wide trail flanked by salmonberry and blackberry bushes, with views of Mt. Baring, Gunn Peak, and Merchant Peak. Go right at the first y-junction, following Woody Trail beside the Wallace River before crossing a bridge. From the river, tackle the hike’s first steep climb to the Lower Falls at mile 2. Less than half a mile from the Lower Falls are the Middle Falls, where staggering views of the 265-foot cascade and the Skykomish Valley trail away to the distant peaks of the Olympics. Take a short break at the overlook before starting on the hardest part of the day: Half a mile of grueling switchbacks to the Upper Falls and the trail’s end at mile 2.8.