Trail Report: Twin Falls

Trailhead Location:

47567 SE 159th St, North Bend, WA

Trail Stats:

2.7 miles round trip, 500 feet of elevation gain

Directions:

From Seattle, take I-90 East to Exit 34. Turn right (south) at the end of the off ramp on to 468th Ave SE. Go 1/2 mile down the road until you see a metal bridge. Right before the bridge is a street on your left (SE 159th St). Take this street. The trail starts at the end of the street. Note that parking is not allowed on one side of the road.

Trail:

Twin falls is extremely easy as far as the trails in Washington go. With a total of 500ft of elevation gain, this trail is suited for almost every age of hiker. The trail itself is extremely well marked and there are even benches along the way. Steps are provided for steeper sections of the trail. If you’re just starting out hiking or are looking for a place to take your young child, consider twin falls. Note that while dogs are allowed on the trail if they’re on leash, most people seem to ignore this and allow their dogs off leash.

Like Little Si, this is an extremely popular trail in the Seattle area. Do not hike here expecting a quiet walk in the park. There will be entire Boy Scout troops along with many families. As you would expect, the parking lot fills up early.

The trail itself starts by the sign at the end of SE 159th St. Head left on the trail to begin. The hike starts with a walk along the river and through the woods. There are numerous side spurs off the main trail that head down to the river for a view upstream. This continues for approximately .6 miles until you start to gain a bit of altitude. The first switchback starts you up a ridge with a bench at the top. During the winter this provides a view of the waterfall you’re hiking towards.

Continue down the other side of the ridge and the climb will begin again. After another series of switchbacks you will find yourself at a fork in the trail (1.2 miles into the hike). A series of steps head right that take you to a spectacular overlook of the lower section of the falls. If you’re not afraid of heights, I’d highly recommend you take the extra time to head down this section.

Otherwise, continue up the trail. Approximately .1 miles later you will come to a bridge with views higher up the falls. Continue another .2 miles up the trail for a final viewpoint over the highest section of the falls. Turn around here and hike out the way you came.