Snoqualmie Tunnel - 10 minute walk near Snoqualmie Pass

The Snoqualmie Tunnel on the Iron Horse Trail is located near Hyak off of I-90’s Snoqualmie Pass.  This is an incredibly easy and incredibly fun experience!  Although this is a quick and easy walk, the experience of walking into a pitch black tunnel is so unique this is a must-do experience!  Because it's only 5 minutes from the parking lot to the tunnel's entrance along a flat, gravel path, this adventure is easily accessible for strollers and wheelchairs.  Bicycles are allowed on this popular trail, so this could be a fun destination for adventures comfortable with off-road biking, too.

To start out, we headed west from the parking lot.  We passed a couple of informative signs on either side of the trail and used the bike path to bypass the small gate.

Here is an example of how flat the path is.  Because it was 80 degrees outside, we started out in bright, short-sleeve shirts and a glow-in-the-dark necklace because someone couldn't wait to get to the tunnel until he cracked it aglow.

As we approached the tunnel, we felt cold air slowly flow out of the tunnel.  Before entering, we put on coats.  We also got out our headlamps, flashlights, and Jake put on his vest with reflectors.  Because this tunnel is popular with bicyclists, it is important for hikers to wear bright clothing that cyclists can see easily.  It would be a great idea to hang a reflector or some kind of light on the back of backpacks or jackets, too.

After the obligatory photo, Jake bravely enters the unlit tunnel.

Jake liked checking out these nooks as we saw them in the tunnel.  I'm guessing that they were a sort of emergency shelter for anyone caught in the tunnel when a train came through.

As it darkened, our normally adventurous little guy walked closer and closer to me.  From this point on, he would not stand out of arm's reach.  I did have him wear an emergency whistle, though, just in case we got separated and all of our lights went out, although I was glad that we never needed it.

It got dark quickly!

We added the rest of the glow-in-the-dark necklaces and bracelets and made sure that all flashlights and headlamps were on.

 He's thinking about whether he wants to go further.  I told him we can turn back at any time.  I knew ahead of time that we would not walk the entire length of the tunnel.  It's 2.2 miles long, and since we tend to hike about 2 miles per hour, that would mean 2 hours of walking out and back in the tunnel.  Instead, we planned to just go as far as he wanted.  Here, he decided to try going a little farther.

Although we did end up going father than this, we always kept the entrance within view.

 

The other end of the tunnel, about 2 miles away, is visible as a small dot of light near the upper right.  Jake pretended to have light sabre battles with his glow-stick and we both wished that I had thought to bring his light-up light sabres we picked up at Great Wolf Lodge a while ago.  I highly recommend bringing any light-up light sabres, wands, jewelry, etc.

After about 20 something minutes, Jake was ready to turn around.  In addition to being dark, it was surprisingly cold.  Although it was 80 degrees outside, both of our hands and fingers started becoming uncomfortably chilly.  It was great to see the sunshine again!  This tunnel was such an easy and fun experience I'm sure we will be back.  It remains open May 1st - October 31st every year.  It could be fun to get a group together in costumes and have a spooky Halloween tunnel walk sometime in October.

BEFORE YOU GO
1. Be aware that the tunnel is only open May 1 - October 31st every year. 
2. Plan to have a Discover Pass.  Either plan to purchase a day pass on site at the electric meter in the parking lot ($10 or $11) or else have a yellow annual pass on hand, which must be purchased ahead of time.  A list of vendors is available here: http://www.discoverpass.wa.gov/31/About-the-Pass and includes any REI store.
3. Check out Washington Trails Association page with more info.  Scroll to the bottom of the page and look through trip reports for recent photos and weather conditions: http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/iron-horse-tunnel
4. The inside of the tunnel gets chilly.  When we went, it was an 80 degree day.  Even though we brought light jackets, our fingers started becoming uncomfortably cold within 20 minutes.  Long sleeves, coats, and gloves are recommended even on a hot summer day.
5. It becomes pitch black in the 2 mile long tunnel, with only little pinpoints of light available at either end.  Bring a flashlight for everyone in the party. 
6. Sound travels far and the tunnel is narrow so it is unlikely that anyone would feel lost from a group.  A whistle for kids could be reassuring, although we never needed it.  My adventuresome 5 year-old never wanted to be father from me than about 4 inches.
7. Because it gets dark quickly, glow-in-the-dark sticks, light-up light sabers, light-up wands, light-up bouncy balls, etc. could be fun and help keep the mood party-like rather than scary.
8. The tunnel is popular with bicyclists, who can zip by quickly.  To help them see you, it is a great idea to have a blinking light, reflector, reflector vest, or even a white shirt tied to backpacks, or at least the backpack of the person who tends to be at the back of the party.
9. There are restrooms in the middle of the parking lot with running water. 
10.  Because this is right off of I-90, cell service can be available, although it is not guaranteed.  Download directions and a map to your phone before setting out, just in case.

 
GETTING THERE
The trailhead for the Iron Horse Tunnel is the same parking lot as the Hyak Sledding Hill in the winter.
Address: For GPS, try entering: 15 Keechelus Boat Launch Road, Snoqualmie Pass, WA 98068. This may not be recognized by all GPS systems, but it may get you close.
Link to map: Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/h1com  & Bing Maps: http://binged.it/1xGDejC
Directions:
1. From Seattle/Duvall, take I-90 East and take Exit 54-Hyak.
2. At end of off-ramp, take a RIGHT.
3. In about 20 feet, take IMMEDIATE LEFT.  Look for brown "KEECHELUS TRAILHEAD" sign under a green "Dept. Of Transportation HYAK MAINT. DIV" sign.
4. In about .4 miles, turn RIGHT onto  Keechelus Boat Launch Road.  Look for the brown "IRON HORSE STATE PARK SNOQUALMIE TUNNEL" sign.
5. Take the first RIGHT into the IRON HORSE STATE PARK parking lot.
6. If you need to purchase a 1 Day Discover Pass, find the electronic meter near the restrooms in the middle of the parking lot.
7.  Along the east side of the parking lot, the Iron Horse Trail runs north-south.  Head to the west or north side of the trail, towards the stone & wooden sign and the gate visible in the distance.

With this map, follow the yellow line from Exit 54 to the parking lot.  Follow the orange path from the parking lot to the tunnel's entrance:

Iron Goat Trailheads and Routes near Stevens Pass

The Iron Goat Trail is rich in railroad history and located on National Forest land near Stevens Pass.  While it is possible for seasoned hikers to trek the entire trail in one day, breaking up the trail into smaller adventures by trailhead opens up many possibilities for hikers of all abilities.

Map of Iron Goat Trail from http://irongoat.org:

Simplified map of approximate elevations and distances between trailheads:

The Iron Goat trail has 3 trailheads:
*Wellington Trailhead
*Scenic / Interpretive Trailhead
*Martin Creek Trailhead.

WELLINGTON TRAILHEAD

The Wellington Trailhead is a really fun first hike.  The trail map shows that it is 2.5 miles from the trailhead to the Windy Point Tunnel.  However, there are 4 snow sheds along the way and it feels natural to turn back after any of them.

I didn't tell my 5 year-old about the tunnel, because I didn't want to disappoint him or have him think about how he couldn't do something.  I also didn't want him to push himself to the tunnel at 2.5 miles, only to be exhausted on the way back.  For folks up for a 5 mile hike, the Windy Point Tunnel entrance is a fun destination.  For beginners, walking from the parking lot, through the first and longest snow shed, and back is about 1 mile.  It is easy and flat and the experience of walking through an old snow shed is exciting, especially for littles!

From the parking lot, looking at the trail, we went to the right.  Going to the left leads to an old tunnel entrance.  It sounds like that would be exciting, but they blocked off the trail several years ago so hikers can't get close.  This was the best picture we could get.  It was a bummer to see the tunnel entrance in the distance but not be able to get a good view.  There are much better ways to see tunnels along the Iron Goat Trail so I'd skip this little leg.

From the parking lot, looking at the trail, we went right / west.  After passing some informational signs talking about the history of the old railroad town of Wellington, we saw the first snow shed.  Even though one side is open to daylight, I called it a "tunnel" because it's like the daylight basement of tunnels.  Jake was so excited he broke out our head lamps and insisted on turning them on.

With his headlamp in place, he set off through the tunnel.

Partway through the 1st snow shed, we encountered a little boardwalk out to a platform. It was a nice place to regroup in the sun and have a little change of scenery.

After a quick water break, we continued on our journey.  Along the way, Jake found a big stick.  Carrying a stick always make a hike more fun.

  Soon, we came to the end of the snow shed.

We decided to turn around here and head back.  Because this was a summer weekend, we went to Stevens Pass and took a scenic chairlift ride, which was completely new adventure!  Overall, this hike was great.  It was mainly flat, it had a tunnel-like experience, which provides shade in the summer and shelter in the rain, making this a great year-round hike.



BEFORE YOU GO 1. Check out recent trip reports at the bottom of the WTA page:

Iron Goat - Martin Creek & Scenic/Interpretive Trailheads:
http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/iron-goat-trail
Print out this map: http://irongoat.org/images/IGT2007.pdf

 2.  There is a pit toilet (like a permanent sani-can) on site, but it would be a good idea to bring some  TP to keep in the car, just in case there is none. There is no running water so bring hand sanitizer.
3. Bring snacks and water.
4. Since this is right off of Highway 2 and near Stevens Pass, weak cell service is likely.  However, it is never really guaranteed in National Forest land.  Print out directions and a map ahead of time, just in case.
5. A National Forest Recreation Pass is required for this trailhead.

GETTING THERE
1. Bing Maps: http://binged.it/1UxVDHP.  Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/yWpYv
2. There is no official address for the trail head, but it is easy to find.  Enter the address for the Skykomish Ranger Station into GPS: 74920 Ne Stevens Pass Hwy, Skykomish, WA 98288.  This is near milepost 50 on Highway 2.  If someone wants to meet a real Forest Ranger, feel free to stop and say "hi."  The Forest Rangers often have little things to give away to kids like a balloon or a sticker.  Sometimes they run out, so don't promise anything ahead of time.  They also have free maps as well as stuffed animals and books for sale.  Check this website for hours: http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/mbs/about-forest/offices/?cid=fsbdev7_001655








-----
  There are several maps out there, and this is the best one I found: http://www.irongoat.org/maps.html.

After stopping at the Skykomish Ranger Station and talking to a Ranger about the best route, we started at the Wellington Trailhead (requires a forest service pass) because the Ranger said that there was both a tunnel to see and a snowshed. First of all, we missed the turnout. It is right before Stevens Pass and looks like a service road for Stevens Pass. Once we got to the Stevens Pass parking lot, I knew I had missed it so I turned around and found it right away. Because cell service is spotty, I was glad that I had printed out road maps & trail maps ahead of time to get myself back on track.

From the trailhead, we walked toward the tunnel. However, the path up to the tunnel has been closed for several years and is not only roped off, but the path leading up to the tunnel is overgrown to prevent folks from getting too close. My 5 year-old barely saw part of the tunnel structure from afar and wasn't too impressed. We walked back to the parking lot and started out the other direction, toward the snow shed. He really loved this. It's kind of like a tunnel, where there is a roof and one wall. However, the other side is open with concrete pillars for support. To him, it was a "pillar tunnel" and he loved it. We could have walked about 2.5 miles or so down to the Windy Point tunnel, but after walking the length of the 1st snowshed, we decided to turn around.

Next, we drove to the Iron Goat Interpretive Site because the Ranger mentioned there's a train car kids can climb on (outside only.) We spent a few minutes there. If the party is up for a 700' elevation climb, this is the quickest way to the Windy Point tunnel, which according to photos is cool. My friend and her 5 year-old made it up there and had a great time. I believe that no pass is required at this lot

Next, we decided to check out the Martin Creek trailhead. From the parking lot, we started out heading south on the paved trail that connects to the Interpretive Site. However, we took our first left up the connector trail to the upper trail. From there, we went south and found the 1st tunnel. We didn't go inside, but we did get pretty close to the outside - close enough that we could peek in. It was a cool sight! From there, we turned around and came back to the parking lot.

Before leaving the Martin Creek trailhead, we found a Kelly Creek trailhead on the NW part of the parking lot. We ventured to the tressle site, only to find out that it had been removed in 1929. That trail was a bit of a bust. From there, we decided we had explored enough for the day and headed home.

Of the 3 trailheads & trails we explored, the concrete snow shed at the Wellington trailhead was the easiest fun, although the Martin Creek trailhead was cool for leading us to an old decrepit tunnel. 

Deception Falls Interpretive Trail - Easy Hike near Stevens Pass

When we knew we didn't have time for a long hike, we decided to check out the .5 mile trail at Deception Falls near Stevens Pass.  This hike had it all for a family: short distance, rivers and streams to see, little rocks for throwing into streams, big rocks for climbing on, a safe path for little explorers, several smaller waterfalls, and one medium-sized waterfall to see.

From the parking lot, there are 3 ways to explore the area:
1. Quickest - At the east end of the lot, there is a flight of about 30 stairs that go down to the main falls.  This is the quickest way to reach the main falls.
2. Easiest - At the west end of the lot, there is a .2 mile stroller-friendly and ADA / wheelchair-friendly paved path.  This loops through the trees and over to a viewing platform for the main falls.  Out to the falls and back along the same path takes about .4 miles.
3. Most complete - The 3rd option is taking the .5 mile "Nature Trail Loop" or the "Deception Falls Interpretive Trail."  From the west end of the lot, start out on the paved wheelchair-friendly path.  In a minute or two, take the stairs next to the sign for "LOOP TRAIL."  While this trail isn't always flat enough for a stroller, it is such a fun and interesting trail that even the littlest hiker will love it.  It is short enough to be doable for people of any fitness levels to be able to do it, and benches scattered throughout the trail give plenty of rest opportunities for anyone who wants to take a break.  Take time to read the interpretive signs, look for bugs, play with sticks, or toss rocks in a stream and kids will have a blast!

We started off by finding the paved path over on the picnic side of the parking lot.  Jake also found a stick.  For some reason, finding a hiking stick always seems to make hikes more fun.

Within a couple of minutes, we saw a sign saying that Lower Falls were straight ahead on the paved path and the Loop Trail was down the stairs to the left.  We went down the stairs.

At the bottom of the stairs, we found a log to climb on.  As we reached the little stream, we found a tiny waterfall behind a mossy grotto.  The pool beneath the waterfall was an aqua-tinted crystal clear pool.  I love living in the Pacific Northwest.

 

Past the grotto, we crossed the first bridge on the west side of the loop.  

We also found an old fallen tree that doubles as a pretend pirate ship.

Beyond the first bridge, we walked up a little hill and found the Tye River.  We left the loop and walked down a little path to check it out.  It is turquoise, clear, and beautiful.

We returned to the main loop and came to the hardest part of the trail.  Although the trail is generally pretty flat, we did have to huff a bit up the stairs.  The rest of the trail was smooth sailing, though.

Fortunately, near the top of the stairs there is another little leg out to the Tye River.  At the overlook, there is a bench that's handy for recovering from the stairs.  For someone with too much energy, it's also a good jumping spot.

 

Signs along the way talked about the ecosystem.

 

Near the end of the trail, we crossed a second bridge.  Jake loved running back and forth over the bridge made out of logs.

 



This was our view from the last bridge past the log bridge.  The furnace known as "Summer 2015" has left so many rivers and streams extremely low, or in this case, totally dry.  Normally water flows over the rocks.

Past the last bridge, we found our way back to the paved ADA / wheelchair-friendly trail.  We turned left and found Deception Falls under Highway 2. 

While the stairs that go directly to the falls under Highway 2 is the quickest path, I highly recommend taking the time to explore the Nature Trail route.  We saw fewer people and it was much more of a hands-on experience.

BEFORE YOU GO
1. Check out recent trip reports at the bottom of the WTA page:
Deception Falls National Recreation Area (NRA)
http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/deception-falls-nra
2.  There is a pit toilet (like a permanent sani-can) on site, but it would be a good idea to bring some  TP to keep in the car, just in case there is none. There is no running water so bring hand sanitizer.
3. Bring snacks and water.  While the loop is only .5 miles, kids have the most fun when they get to set the pace.  Although a fit adult can walk a half a mile in 15 minutes, plan on spending at least an hour on site so kids can explore whatever catches their interest.  There are several benches along the way which make for ideal snack stops for anyone needing a little rest or encouragement.
4. Since this is right off of Highway 2 and near Stevens Pass, weak cell service is likely.  However, it is never really guaranteed in National Forest land.  Print out directions and a map ahead of time, just in case.
5. Don't worry about looking up permit information.  There is no permit of any kind required for this lot.

GETTING THERE
1. Bing Maps: http://binged.it/1UxVDHP.  Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/yWpYv
2. There is no official address for the trail head, but it is easy to find.  Enter the address for the Skykomish Ranger Station into GPS: 74920 Ne Stevens Pass Hwy, Skykomish, WA 98288.  This is near milepost 50 on Highway 2.  If someone wants to meet a real Forest Ranger, feel free to stop and say "hi."  The Forest Rangers often have little things to give away to kids like a balloon or a sticker.  Sometimes they run out, so don't promise anything ahead of time.  They also have free maps as well as stuffed animals and books for sale.  Check this website for hours: http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/mbs/about-forest/offices/?cid=fsbdev7_001655
3.  If you don't need to stop at the ranger station, continue past the ranger station.  In about 6 miles (and about 6 minutes), look for milepost 56.  Just past milepost 56 is a white and brown sign that says "DECEPTION FALLS LEFT 1/2 MILE."  About a half a mile past the sign, look for a paved driveway on the left side of the street.  There is a brown and yellow sign that says "DECEPTION FALLS - MT. BAKER SNOQUALMIE NATIONAL FOREST."