Snowshoeing to Franklin Falls

We had just purchased snowshoes, and this looked like the perfect time and place to use them. We’d hiked to Franklin Falls in the summer and it was beautiful. I was excited to see what it was like in the winter.

The wintertime trailhead to Franklin Falls is near the summit of Snoqualmie Pass. This was a clear beautiful day, and the roads were free of snow and ice. We made excellent time driving to the summit. Getting there early made it easier to find a parking spot close to the trailhead.  There’s parking at the summit, but you may end up with a long walk just getting to the trail.

The snow on the trail was packed down pretty good. We only needed our snowshoes occasionally when we needed to step off the trail to allow others to pass. And there were indeed lots of other people. Since the hike is only 2 miles total – round trip – with spectacular scenery it’s easy to see why.

The hike to Franklin Falls was like walking in a winter wonderland. Evergreens were poking out of snow-covered hills, their branches heavy with snow. We passed a flowing stream and enjoyed views of the mountain peaks as we went. And then we came to Franklin Falls. It was surrounded by icicles and blue ice even as it was still flowing.

There were lots of people enjoying the view like we were. We even witnessed a marriage proposal taking place! (They already had a photographer, so my services weren’t needed). It took a lot of patients to get the shot I wanted. It gave us a good excuse to stay a little longer and enjoy the view.

This is a great hike for someone new to snowshoeing. Short, relatively flat, great views along the way, and a big payoff at the end. 

On to the next adventure!