Best Hikes with Dogs II: Big Creek Twin Falls

The hike began with a broad, semi-flat trail, winding through birch trees and following the South Fork Snoqualmie River. This initial part of the trail follows the river closely, and steady pools can be easily accessed by doggies (or humans) wanting to cool off before or after the rest of the hike.

Soon enough, we were winding our way toward bigger trees and bigger views as the trail began to snake its way through lowland old-growth forest, and up to the Twin Falls viewpoint. From this vantage, we could see in the distance, the upper and lower falls, along with a bridge which crosses directly above the upper falls. For those who are out of breath, or if you’re not dressed for hiking and are just seeking a nice place to have lunch, there are a couple wood benches here, both aimed toward Twin Falls.

Onward… After the viewpoint, the trail gets narrower and the terrain more diverse as we head toward our destination. The closer we get to the falls, the more evidence we find that this is not a hardcore trail by any means. It is one meant for amateurs and those simply seeking some beautiful sights, but not wanting to spend all day getting there. There are man-made staircases to aid with the steeper ups and downs, and sturdy bridges crossing the small runoffs leading to the river.

About 1.25 miles in, a wooden walkway leads us off the trail and down a long series of steps to an extraordinary view of the lower falls. This is the big one. Too tall to fit in the camera’s eye, and too cool to take your own eyes off of it, this waterfall sends streams of water down an angled rock face, with a protruding center, making the entire scene appear as strands of white hair over a the face of a monolithic troll. On a busy day, these viewing platforms are quickly packed with visitors, so time is short. Don’t fret however, as there is much more to see further up the trail.

After climbing back up the wooden steps, we continued on to the upper falls. Hovering above these falls is a broad, wooden bridge (seen from the original viewpoint), where we took a dozen pictures, both above and below. If you look to the uphill side of the bridge, you’ll see a series of white-water falls, cascading from one high ledge to another. Looking to the downhill side of the bridge, you can see two sets of falls tumbling to a pool below, where it waits for its next descent.

If you like, continue up the trail a little ways, where you’ll find an open clearing, perfect for a lunch break. Don’t bother going any further however, as this path soon meets up with the Iron Horse Trail (Cross-State Trail) and takes you to a lovely view of I-90 and some high-tension power lines. (Yay!)

On a final note, be sure to check out all the lush greenery blanketing both the trees and the forest floor, as the variety and abundance of fascinating plant life in this area really is quite stunning. Nelson’s book tells us that this area of the cascades is literally a rainforest, as it receives “an annual rainfall average of more than 90 inches – twice that which the Seattle-area receives.” In other words, pack a slicker.

The Twin Falls trail, though somewhat short, does have some significant climbs, so it’s more than your average Sunday stroll. Additionally, because of its proximity to North Bend, the trail can be crowded with families and their pooches. So keep your dogs (and kids) on a leash.

To get there, simply drive I-90 east, hit Exit 34 just past North Bend, turn right (south) onto 468th Ave SE, and left (east) onto 159th to the trailhead.