Franklin Falls Hiking Guide
Franklin Falls is a two-mile round trip along the South Fork Snoqualmie to a seventy-foot waterfall that drops into a rocky amphitheatre you can walk right into. The trail follows part of the old wagon and highway route over Snoqualmie Pass, gains only about 400 feet, and works for almost anyone — which is why it is one of the most popular family hikes in the Cascades and, in winter, one of the busiest snowshoe routes.
Permit: Northwest Forest Pass or interagency pass required at the Franklin Falls trailhead (Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest)
The Walk
The trail parallels the river through second-growth forest on gentle, well-maintained tread with a few rooty and rocky sections. The final approach descends to the falls basin over rock steps that get slick with spray, and that short stretch is the only part requiring care. Children handle it fine with an adult nearby. Round trip takes most people around an hour and a half including time at the falls.
Standing at the Base
The amphitheatre lets you get remarkably close to the falls, close enough to be soaked in spray during high water. That proximity is the whole appeal and also the hazard — the rocks are slick, the water is snowmelt-cold, and the pool is not a swimming hole. Every year people are injured slipping on the wet rock while positioning for photographs.
Winter Snowshoeing
Once snow covers the road and trail, Franklin Falls becomes a classic beginner snowshoe with the falls partly frozen into blue ice at the end. It is genuinely beautiful and genuinely crowded. In winter the access road closes and the approach lengthens considerably from the gate — check current conditions, and note that avalanche hazard exists on the slopes above the final approach in some conditions.
Pass and Parking
The trailhead requires a Northwest Forest Pass or interagency pass and sits off exit 47 on I-90, reached via a short stretch of forest road. The lot is small for the demand and fills very early in summer. Roadside parking is restricted. There are vault toilets. As with Snow Lake, this is federal land and the Discover Pass does not apply here.
Dogs and the Old Highway
Leashed dogs are welcome and the gentle grade suits them. Part of the route traces the original wagon road and later highway over the pass, and interpretive detail about that history is scattered along the way — you are walking a corridor that people have used to cross the Cascades for well over a century, which adds something to an otherwise straightforward waterfall walk.
Hiking tips for Franklin Falls
- Take care on the wet rock steps at the base; that short stretch is where nearly all the injuries on this trail happen.
- Bring a Northwest Forest Pass rather than a Discover Pass — this is federal land and the state pass does not apply.
- Try it as a beginner snowshoe in winter, but check the access road closure and current avalanche conditions first.
- Arrive early in summer; the small lot fills fast and roadside parking is restricted along the forest road.
- Expect to get wet during high water — the amphitheatre puts you close enough to be soaked in spray.
Nearby trails to explore
- Snow Lake
- Twin Falls
- Wallace Falls
Hike this trail with TrailMates
Franklin Falls is the easiest way to get a Seattle group into the Cascades together. Use TrailMates to find family-friendly outings and beginner snowshoe trips at Snoqualmie Pass. Download the TrailMates app to find one.