Winter Hiking in Seattle: Trails, Gear & Safety

Trip Planning 9 min read · September 30, 2026

In Seattle, winter isn't something you hike in all at once. It's a snow line that moves up and down the I-90 corridor all season. On the same January Saturday it can be raining on the mossy switchbacks near Issaquah, sleeting at North Bend, and dumping heavy wet snow at Snoqualmie Pass, where the slopes above some popular summer trails are serious avalanche terrain. The trick to winter hiking in Seattle is knowing where that line is today and choosing a trail on the right side of it. This guide covers all eight of our Seattle-area trail guides, from Poo Poo Point and Twin Falls at the low end to Franklin Falls and Snow Lake at the pass. It sorts them into trails that stay open all winter, trails where traction comes out, and trails that need avalanche skills or should wait for summer. It also covers the wet-snow gear questions that are specific to the Cascades.

Follow the snow line up I-90

Think of the corridor as a staircase. Poo Poo Point starts from the valley floor on Issaquah-Hobart Road. Twin Falls is off Exit 34, and Little Si, Mount Si and Rattlesnake Ledge all start around North Bend. Franklin Falls is off Exit 47, and Snow Lake starts at Alpental, right at Snoqualmie Pass. Wallace Falls sits on its own on US-2 above Gold Bar, but it behaves like the low trails. Little Si tops out around 1,576 feet, which our guide says usually keeps it clear and walkable all winter. Mount Si, which climbs 3,150 feet from a trailhead near Little Si, often needs traction above the halfway point when the trailhead is bare. By the time you reach Exit 47, you're in snow country. Before you drive, check the Washington State Department of Transportation's Snoqualmie Pass page for road conditions and any traction or chain requirements, and read the Northwest Avalanche Center's Snoqualmie Pass forecast if your plan goes anywhere near the pass. Those two pages tell you more about where the snow line is today than the forecast for Seattle does.

Rain on snow changes everything

A western Washington storm often starts cold and then warms up, so rain falls on fresh snow. That adds weight to the snowpack and can trigger wet avalanches, and when it freezes again overnight it leaves a hard crust and icy trail. On the low trails, the same weather means fast, cold creeks, deep mud and slick roots. Check the avalanche forecast after any warm, wet storm.

📊 By the Numbers

Seattle Winter Hiking Facts

Two people were caught, buried and killed by an avalanche at Snow Lake Divide on February 25, 2018. NWAC concluded they were in or below the final switchbacks of the Snow Lake trail.— Northwest Avalanche Center
When the Denny Creek Road gate is closed, hikers park at the Asahel Curtis Sno-Park and travel about 3.5 miles each way to Franklin Falls.— Washington Trails Association
Sno-Park permits come as one-day or seasonal permits, sold from November 1 through April 30, and some lots also require a special groomed trails permit.— Washington State Parks
The Lower Falls Viewpoint on the Twin Falls Trail in Olallie State Park is closed because of structural damage from a storm.— Washington State Parks

Below the snow line: four trails that stay open

These are Seattle's dependable winter trails, and several of them are at their best in the rain. Twin Falls, in Olallie State Park off Exit 34, is about 2.6 miles round trip with 587 feet of gain along the South Fork Snoqualmie. Our guide says it's arguably at its best in winter, with high water, few crowds and glowing moss. There's ice on the stairs and platforms during cold snaps. Wallace Falls, about an hour from Seattle up US-2, is 5.6 miles round trip with 1,300 feet of gain to the upper viewpoint, and winter storms push huge volumes of water through the gorge. Pack traction, because the stairs between the middle and upper viewpoints ice up. Little Si is 4 miles with 1,174 feet of gain through mossy second growth below basalt climbing walls. Poo Poo Point, on Tiger Mountain, is the hard one: 3.8 miles and 1,750 feet on the Chirico Trail, with no parking pass needed. Expect deep mud on all four from October through May, and wear real boots and carry poles. Twin Falls, Wallace Falls and Little Si all need a Discover Pass.

Twin Falls: one viewpoint is closed

Washington State Parks closed the Lower Falls Viewpoint on the Twin Falls Trail on March 16, 2026, because of storm damage, and the Olallie State Park page still listed it as closed when we checked. That closure doesn't affect the rest of the trail, including the bridge above the falls, which our guide calls the better view of the two. Check the park page before you go, and stay off the riverbank, where the gorge is steep and the water is fast.

Where the spikes come out: Rattlesnake Ledge and Mount Si

These two are hikeable in winter, but each has one place where winter changes the risk. Rattlesnake Ledge is 4 miles round trip with 1,160 feet of gain on well-built switchbacks from Rattlesnake Lake, and it needs no parking pass. Our guide says winter is entirely hikeable, but the upper trail can hold ice, and the ledge itself is an unfenced cliff that has killed people. When it's frozen, treat the ledge as off-limits. Enjoy the view from well back on solid ground, or skip the final viewpoint. Mount Si is 8 miles with 3,150 feet of steady climbing on good tread. In winter, snow builds up on the upper trail and microspikes are often needed above the halfway point. Make the boulder field below the Haystack your summit. Our guide describes the Haystack as an exposed class 3 scramble that has killed people, and it shouldn't be attempted when it's wet or icy, which describes most winter days. Also watch the time. A winter climb of Si can take as long as the short daylight allows, so carry a headlamp and plan to be heading down early in the afternoon.

Microspikes, snowshoes and Cascade concrete

Snow in the western Cascades is usually wet and heavy, and locals call it Cascade concrete. In the foothills, microspikes handle packed snow and ice better than snowshoes, which tend to ball up and slide on a wet crust. Snowshoes help in deep fresh snow at the pass. Since rain and wet snow soak through everything, waterproof boots, gaiters, a real rain shell and a spare insulating layer in a dry bag matter more than extra warmth.

✓ Save This Checklist

Seattle Winter Hike Checklist

Check WSDOT's Snoqualmie Pass page for road conditions and traction requirements.
Read the NWAC Snoqualmie Pass forecast for any trip at or near the pass.
Choose a low trail like Twin Falls, Wallace Falls, Little Si or Poo Poo Point when snow is low.
Bring the right paper: a Discover Pass for the state parks and a Sno-Park permit for winter lots at the pass.
Pack microspikes for icy stairs, ledges and the upper part of Mount Si.
Wear waterproof boots and gaiters, and carry a rain shell and a spare layer in a dry bag.
Stay back from Rattlesnake Ledge when it's frozen, and skip the Haystack on Mount Si.
Turn around before the Franklin Falls basin unless avalanche danger is clearly low.
Leave Snow Lake until summer unless you're avalanche-trained and equipped.
Carry a headlamp, because winter daylight is short.

Exit 47: Franklin Falls, with conditions

Franklin Falls is the classic beginner snowshoe from Seattle, and our guide describes the falls partly frozen into blue ice at the end. It's beautiful and very crowded. But the winter version is different from the 2-mile summer walk. Washington State Parks lists a Franklin Falls Sno-Park, and the Washington Trails Association says that depending on the season the Sno-Park may not operate and the gate on Denny Creek Road may be closed. When it is, you park at the Asahel Curtis Sno-Park and walk or snowshoe about 3.5 miles each way along Denny Creek Road and the trail to the falls. The bigger issue is at the end. WTA notes that the waterfall basin sits at the bottom of an avalanche chute, says avalanche danger near the falls is considerable, and strongly discourages entering that area. Our guide also notes avalanche hazard on the slopes above the final approach. So enjoy the road walk and the forest, read the Northwest Avalanche Center's Snoqualmie Pass forecast before you go, and on anything but a clearly low-danger day, turn around before the basin rather than walking down under the slope.

Sno-Park permits, not just passes

In summer the Franklin Falls trailhead needs a Northwest Forest Pass. In winter, WTA says a Sno-Park permit is required to park. Washington State Parks sells one-day and seasonal Sno-Park permits online from November 1 to April 30, and some Sno-Parks also need a special groomed trails permit. Check which permit your lot needs before you leave Seattle.

Seattle Winter Hiking Mistakes

Treating Snow Lake as a winter snowshoe because it's popular in summer.

NWAC calls the slopes on, above and next to the summer trail prime avalanche terrain, and two people died there in 2018 even though both wore beacons.

Walking into the Franklin Falls basin for a photo of the ice.

WTA says the basin sits at the bottom of an avalanche chute and strongly discourages entering it in winter. Check NWAC and enjoy the view from the approach.

Bringing only a Discover Pass to the pass.

Winter lots at Snoqualmie Pass need a Sno-Park permit, and some also need a groomed trails permit. The Discover Pass covers state parks like Twin Falls and Wallace Falls.

Dressing for cold instead of wet.

Cascade winter weather is often just above freezing with rain or wet snow. Waterproof layers and a dry spare layer keep you warmer than one heavy jacket that gets soaked.

Snow Lake: avalanche terrain from the first big snow

Snow Lake is one of the most popular summer hikes in the state, and in winter it's one of the most dangerous. Our guide puts the realistic season at mid-July through October, and even then, hard snowfields on the traverse below the saddle have caused serious accidents. In winter, the Washington Trails Association says multiple avalanche chutes cross the trail. On February 25, 2018, two teenagers, one on skis and one on snowshoes, were caught, buried and killed by an avalanche at Snow Lake Divide in the Alpental Valley. Both were wearing avalanche beacons. In its report, the Northwest Avalanche Center concluded they were caught while in or below the final switchbacks of the Snow Lake trail. It called the slopes on, above and next to the summer trail prime avalanche terrain, and said that continued, almost daily winter use of the summer trail, especially during periods of elevated danger, was alarming. That report should settle the question. Snow Lake in winter belongs only to people with avalanche training, rescue gear, partners, and a forecast that supports the trip. For everyone else, it's a September hike.

Stepping up from Franklin Falls

If snowy terrain at the pass appeals to you, take an avalanche awareness course, learn to read the NWAC forecast and its avalanche problem types, and practise with a beacon, shovel and probe. Then find partners who do the same. Until then, the low trails along I-90 give you plenty of winter hiking without the avalanche exposure.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I hike near Seattle in winter without snow?

Twin Falls, Wallace Falls, Little Si and Poo Poo Point usually stay below the snow line and are open all winter, though cold snaps can ice their stairs and upper sections. Expect mud and rain. Twin Falls' Lower Falls Viewpoint is closed, so check the Olallie State Park page.

Is Franklin Falls safe in winter?

The approach is a popular beginner snowshoe, but the falls basin sits at the bottom of an avalanche chute, and WTA strongly discourages entering it. Read the NWAC Snoqualmie Pass forecast, bring a Sno-Park permit, expect a longer walk if the Denny Creek Road gate is closed, and turn around before the basin.

Can you snowshoe to Snow Lake in winter?

Only if you have avalanche training, a beacon, shovel and probe, partners with the same, and a forecast that supports it. NWAC calls the slopes around the summer trail prime avalanche terrain, and two people were killed there in 2018. Most Seattle hikers should save Snow Lake for late summer or early fall.