If you want to stir up a good debate, just mention Franklin Falls to a local experienced hiker and they will tell you how much they hate Franklin Falls. Hate it? Yes, not all but many of them loathe it. I have yet to figure out why, especially after our hike today, but they do. From the multiple winter pictures of Franklin Falls posted to Washington and Pacific Northwest hiking pages that provoke long winded rants about the crowds, popularity and ease of this hike, it seems to have become the one hike that the “elitists” love to make fun of and anyone who hikes it.
That’s what made me want to hike it…
So this morning the girls and I set out for our first hike with just the three of us and I we headed for the Franklin Falls trailhead. We set out before 8am to hopefully get to the trailhead before the crowds appeared. Luckily it was a weekday, which usually means less people, but it is summer time and that always draws the crowds no matter what day of the week it is. When we arrived, the lot was fairly empty.
- Only three cars in the nice large trailhead lot! It pays to get to the trails early.
The trail itself begins just down from the lot, after walking a small path that covers what was once part of the old wagon road over Snoqualmie Pass. For those who love a bit of history, there are several information boards to read regarding the history of the old road. The parking lot where the actual trail begins is for ADA parking only but does have two pit toilets! Just remember to bring some extra TP during the busy months!
The trail is gorgeous and very well maintained by the forest service. As I stated before it’s a very popular trail, even in the winter, so its been given a lot of TLC. The trail skirts Denny Creek and its beautiful blue-green waters the whole way up to the falls, starting nearly level with the creek and eventually following above it as it cuts through small ravines. The trail is mostly uphill, but has a very gentle grade. Easy even for a novice to hiking. The tread is fairly easy to walk and doesn’t have many obstacles. For anyone who has hiked in the Cascades, you know that this is rare being that the trails here are notorious for their rocky and root covered tread. Its just the geology and topography of the area! Basically, its great for anyone looking to get out and enjoy the outdoors on their own, with kids or with folks of various age and fitness levels. My girls did fabulous and with zero complaints!
The only difficult portion would be the last small section down to the base of the falls. It does require walking down a smaller rock ledge, but as long as you take your time and watch your step, you should be fine. I deal with a fear of heights and a habit of being less than graceful and I had no problem getting up and down it. Once down, you will be at the base of Franklin Falls and enjoying what you came for. You will get the sounds of the road still while you are here, as I-90 is above you to the left but to me its worth it.
After a fairly easy hike, we enjoyed the view of the falls from its base and found some rocks and dead logs to sit on as we enjoyed a snack. As anticipated the area near the base of the falls is a good 10 to 15 degrees cooler and makes for a very refreshing and wet break, if you cant find a spot back from the spray. Even in the summer a sweatshirt or long sleeved shirt might be good to have with you, just in case!
Because we arrived early, we had the falls to ourselves for a good 20 minutes or so and enjoyed the peace before the groups of people started to show up. We had a nice quiet snack, some exploring and the girls had the chance to take their “we made it” victory picture. It was so fun seeing them so proud of themselves. Hey, it might be an easy walk for most adults but as a kid, even a mile can seem long. My oldest also gets anxious and worries a lot about things like falling, getting lose and getting hurt, so this is a big deal for her. My hope is that getting out to hike allows her to feel more at ease with herself and give her more confidence. The huge smile she had on her face as we made it to the base of the falls was priceless and spoke volumes. What are small victories for some, are big victories to others.
The walk back to the trailhead was easy as most of it is downhill. The sun was shining on the creek more as we hit early afternoon showing just how clear and beautiful the water in Denny Creek is. We walked down to the creeks edge and took in as much of the scenery as we could. We sat a bit and wished that some of the cabins along the creek were ours. Then, before we were ready for it to end, we were back to the trailhead and heading back to our car.
In the end our total hike took about two and a half hours, with stops for pictures, snacks and exploring. After leaving at 8am and hitting a bit of traffic we made it to the parking lot by 9:30am and hit the trail by 10am after the walk from the lot and stops at the pit toilets. We were back at the car and on the road by 12:45pm. Perfect day with our kiddos and I cannot wait to hit the trails again with them. I wonder what will be next for us? Until then… Happy Hiking!
XOXO, Jocelyn
Franklin Falls Trail Stats
Difficulty: Easy
Length: 2.0 miles Round Trip, Out and Back
Elevation Gain: 400 ft
Rating: 5 out of 5
Pavement to Trail 