Wallace Falls State Park

Wallace Falls State Park is a public recreation area that encompasses 1,380 acres (560 ha) along the Wallace River in Snohomish County, Washington. The state park is located on the west side of the Cascade Mountains with an entrance point one mile (1.6 km) northeast of the community of Gold Bar. The park features three waterfalls, three backcountry lakes, old-growth coniferous forests, rushing mountain rivers and streams, and the evidence of its logging history in the ruins of railroad trestles, disused railroad grades, and springboard notches in stumps.[2]

Wallace Falls State Park
The middle falls viewed from the trail
Location in the state of Washington
LocationSnohomish, Washington, United States
Coordinates47°52′14″N 121°39′14″W[1]
Area1,380 acres (5.6 km2)
Elevation955 ft (291 m)[1]
Established1971
OperatorWashington State Parks and Recreation Commission
WebsiteWallace Falls State Park

History

The name "Wallace" is a corruption of the last name of Joe and Sarah Kwayaylsh, members of the Skykomish tribe, who were the first homesteaders in the area. The park originated with the state's purchase of land from the Weyerhaeuser Timber Company in 1971.[3]

Waterfalls

The park has three waterfalls: Upper Wallace Falls, which cannot be viewed in its entirety and drops 240 feet (73 m) in five separate tiers;[4] 367-foot (112 m) Wallace Falls, the highlight of the park, which falls in three sections—the largest of which drops 265 feet (81 m) and can be seen from the Skykomish Valley;[5][6] and Lower Wallace Falls, which drops 212 feet (65 m) in five tiers.[7][8]

Activities and amenities

The park has twelve miles (19 km) of hiking trails and five miles (8.0 km) of biking trails as well as a campground and cabins.[2]

References
  1. "Wallace Falls State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  2. "Wallace Falls State Park". Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission. Retrieved August 21, 2018.
  3. Peter Stekel (2015). Best Hikes Near Seattle. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 62. ISBN 978-1-4930-1435-4. Retrieved August 21, 2018.
  4. "Upper Wallace Falls". Northwest Waterfall Survey. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
  5. "Middle Wallace Falls". Aaron's Waterfall World. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
  6. "Wallace Falls". Northwest Waterfall Survey. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
  7. "Lower Wallace Falls". Aaron's Waterfall World. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
  8. "Lower Wallace Falls". Northwest Waterfall Survey. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
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