Growing up in Washington, you hear about certain places. They’re practically ingrained in the state’s DNA: Pike Place Market, Mount Rainier, and of course, Snoqualmie Falls. I’d seen countless postcards, photos, and signs on the highway, but I’d never actually been there. I decided that we needed to include this as part of the Seattle weekend with the family to rectify the situation.

I had heard it can be crazy busy, but we timed it right. I would think a Friday would be busy, but the rain had chased the crowds away and we arrived to a nearly empty parking lot. It was still a little drizzly, but this is Seattle after all, so who would expect much else.

We got a few photos from the overlook and then made the trip to the base of the falls. The trail was well-maintained, with a mix of paved sections, gravel paths, and dirt. Kids enjoyed the giant slugs we found along the way.

Reaching the lower viewpoint was a completely different experience. The power of the water was much more up close and personal. We even had the lower platform to ourselves for a few minutes and got some good picts.

The trip back up was much more of a workout, but not bad and much worth it. Very happy that I was able to finally have my time at the falls and could share it with some of the crew.