Wallace Falls: A Three-Tiered Cascade Gem in the Cascade Foothills
If you’re looking for an accessible, rewarding day hike just outside Seattle, Wallace Falls State Park delivers big-time. Tucked along the Wallace River near Gold Bar, this 1,380-acre park is famous for its dramatic three-tiered waterfall, lush old-growth forests, and sweeping valley views. Whether you’re a waterfall chaser, forest bather, or casual hiker, it’s a perfect Pacific Northwest escape. The park’s centerpiece is the majestic Wallace Falls—a stunning three-tiered waterfall that plunges a total of about 265 feet down a moss-draped rock face. You’ll encounter the Lower Falls, Middle Falls (the most iconic and photogenic section with the biggest single drop), and Upper Falls. From the Middle Falls viewpoint, you get panoramic vistas of the Skykomish River Valley stretching toward the distant Olympic Mountains on clear days. The falls roar especially loud in spring and early summer when snowmelt swells the Wallace River. The Geology Behind the Falls Wallace Falls s...