Families For Franklin Falls

If you follow the main drive past the turn toward the Alpental Ski Area in Washington’s Snoqualmie Pass, you’ll wind down a long road seemingly into the mountain depths. In the summer, this roadside is splattered with fireweed flowers and in the fall, yarrow. Halfway down this drive the road will parallel the trail to Franklin Falls, and even further down, you’ll find the Denny Creek Campground and Franklin Falls Trailhead. You must pay $5/car to go on this hike if you don’t have the Northwest Forest Pass.

While fall might not have been the perfect time to visit a 70-foot waterfall, it was still a wonderful trip. As last week’s hike was mostly about “red,” this week’s hike had more of a yellow tint to it — from the approximately 30+ mile-long yellow road-line I drove alongside on I-90, to the golden sun out and whistling yellow leaves on the trees. This hike is located off exit 47 (or 52 if you take the aforementioned route), and is a mere 2.0 miles, roundtrip. It is the perfect hike for families on the weekend, or for the lone traveler, like me, to unwind during the week.

The rush of Denny Creek running alongside you for the entirety of this hike has a soothing and calming effect. As I was by myself on this hike, I glanced out over the wildly rushing waters, looking over the drop-offs and pooling waters surrounded by walls of colored rock. It was fun and surreal at the same time.

On this hike, I almost tripped a couple times on root-loops sticking out of the ground, as there are many big trees and root systems surrounding the trail. But mostly, the pathways are very well-maintained, and it seems almost a privilege to be able to support trail maintenance when you pay the hiking fee.

There are a few minor descents and ascents in the trail that might tire out the young ones, but nothing they can’t survive! It’s a fun trail, and I’m sure they’ll get a kick out of the rushing creek and also the gigantic tree that one will see about halfway up the trail on the right. It would take about 8-10 “me’s” stretched out in wingspan to surround this mammoth, reminiscent of the giant trees in Washington’s Olympic National Park, which rank among the top 5 in the American Forest National Register.

Eventually, you’ll notice a hum that can no longer be mistaken as the rush of a creek, no matter how many rapids you’ve seen! You begin to approach the roaring sound of Franklin Falls, and notice also a bridge towering above where cars traveling along I-90 cross over. It’s a cool sight and I’m sure kids (of all ages) will appreciate it!

The path down to the Falls is a bit slippery when wet, as it is made of stone steps which can get wet from rain and also waterfall spray; hence, why this is a good trip to make during a hot summer day!

I’d recommend Franklin Falls to any family looking to get out in nature and see a few great natural wonders during the day. Perhaps plan a camping trip to Denny Creek and spend a few days enjoying the natural splendor of the Snoqualmie Pass. If you are a family, then Franklin and Denny Creek Falls (which is another great hike) are great day excursions! Denny Creek is a 4-mile hike roundtrip featuring 2 waterfalls, and a granite-slab rockslide that can be just the thing after a hot hike on a summer day. If you are a two-some, there is a longer, beautiful hike to Malakwa Lake past the Falls that is worth every step! Happy planning!