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Wallace Falls

Gold Bar, Washington

4.6/5
based on 9 reviews

Details

Distance

5.01 miles

Elevation Gain

1404 ft

Route Type

Out-and-Back

Description

Added by The Outbound Collective

Wallace Falls takes you along the Woody Trail, hiking to the Lower, Middle, and Upper Falls. This hike is accessible for both beginners and experienced hikers.

The trailhead is located at the far end of the parking lot, next to the info kiosk and bathrooms. It starts out in a wide-open area that shortly leads to stunning views of Mt. Index and Baring Mountain. The trail turns to the left and you're greeted by a beautiful Wordsworth quote carved into a trail sign that's sure to resonate with lovers of the outdoors.

The trail continues at an even grade along the Wallace River. When you come to a fork in the trail at the half-mile mark, follow the Woody Trail to the right to continue hiking. The left fork offers and wider path and a longer option - one that is also bike-accessible for those looking to get out mountain biking.

Continuing along the river, you'll soon come to the trail's first steeper climb as it leads up to the Lower Falls. These falls are located two miles from the trailhead and have a nice picnic area as well. Continue about another half a mile up the trail and you'll come to the awesome views of the Middle Falls. If the sun is out make sure to watch for rainbows forming in the heavy mist surrounding the falls.

The steepest part of the trail awaits between Middle and Upper Falls, but is well worth the view and the solitude of having left most of the other hikers behind at the lower falls. There's also a great little spot to drop down off the trail in this section - you'll see a path to the right on your way up that leads you to an overlook with an expansive view of the Skykomish River Valley and, far in the distance, the Olympic Mountains. The trail officially ends at the Upper Falls at just 2.5 miles from the parking lot, making for an easy hike during shorter daylight hours or when you're short on time!

Looking for more adventures nearby, check out hike to Wallace Lake.

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Features

Photography
Hiking
Bathrooms
Dog Friendly
Easy Parking
Family Friendly
Forest
Picnic Area
River
Scenic
Waterfall
Wildflowers

Wallace Falls Reviews

Beautiful hike. Arrived around noon on a Sunday and only seen a handful of people on the way up. More people than expected on the way down. Good hike to work up a sweat. Continue past upper falls and follow the blue diamond markers and turn right once you get to the dirt road, you can either go left and continue 2 miles to the lake or right to go to another lookout bride.

Brought my infant in a back and my 4year old. The hike to the lowest falls was gorgeous. Mature, mossy forest. Sound of the river and falls the whole time. The 3.6 miles to and from the lower falls wore the kids out and had some moderate difficulty parts. Love this hike!!!!

The water falls is huge and slants down over different levels. The trail has view points at multiple heights for a variety of views of the waterfall.

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

Hike to Wallace Lake via Greg Ball Trail

Scramble up Mt. Persis

Lake Serene and Bridal Veil Falls

Heybrook Ridge

Sunset Falls

Heybrook Lookout