Overview
Snoqualmie is a city in King County of Washington state, just above the scenic Snoqualmie Falls. Moreso than other cities in the region, it has preserved ties to its varied past, as a Native American community, a logging company town and a busy rail depot along one of the region's first railways.
10 sights · 3 things to do · 2 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Snoqualmie
Northwest Railway Museum
A railroad museum with a collection of historic depots along a 5.5 mi heritage railway that offers locomotive rides on weekends. The railway was built in 1889 by the Seattle, Lake Shore and Eastern Railway (SLS&E) in…
Snoqualmie Casino
Railway History Campus
The museum's collection includes a variety of railway cars and locomotives that document the growth of the railway network in Washington from the 1880s through the 1990s.
Snoqualmie Depot
Built in 1890, this uniquely designed depot chiefly served as the gateway to this early recreation area, but also to transport local products to the markets of Seattle. Its atypical design was the result of this need for…
North Bend Depot
Centennial Log Pavilion
Get a sense of how productive the timber harvesting used to be with this old-growth Douglas fir log beneath a preserved Weyerhaeuser Mill building. A tree-lined walking path links the pavilion through the park to the Rai…
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: May–Sep. Summer highs reach about 78°F; winter lows dip to about 35°F. Wettest: Nov and Jan. (climate data from nearby Kent)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- BFI King County International Airport - Boeing Field, Seattle — 22 mi away. Directions
- SEA Seattle–Tacoma International Airport, Seattle — 23 mi away (major hub). Directions
State Route 202 (WA-202) passes through the center of town, connecting to North Bend and Fall City.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 3-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Railway History Campus, Mount Si Golf Course, North Bend Depot
- Afternoon Northwest Railway Museum, Snoqualmie Days
Day 2
- Morning Snoqualmie Depot, Centennial Log Pavilion
- Afternoon Snoqualmie Casino, Twin Peaks filming locations
Day 3
- Morning Upper Observation Decks, Lower Boardwalk
- Afternoon Hydroelectric Museum and Park, Snoqualmie Falls Trail
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
The area that is now Snoqualmie has been continuously occupied by members of the Snoqualmie Tribe. The first American settlers arrived in 1858. After a lumber mill was built in 1872, Snoqualmie quickly developed into one of the first logging towns in Washington. When the first transcontinental railroad link to the Puget Sound was announced in 1885, a competing line was quickly built from Seattle as far as Snoqualmie, before further extension across Snoqualmie Pass was abandoned. Instead, the railroad turned Snoqualmie Falls into a destination.
The first power plant at Snoqualmie Falls was built in the late 1890s, and a small company town grew up to support it. The city of Snoqualmie incorporated in 1903.
Get in
By car
State Route 202 (WA-202) passes through the center of town, connecting to North Bend and Fall City.
Interstate 90 (I-90) passes one mile south of town.
- From Seattle, Bellevue and the west, take Exit 25 Snoqualmie Parkway or Exit 27 North Bend Way
- From Snoqualmie Pass and the east, take Exit 31 WA-202 North Bend.
State Route 18 (WA-18) becomes Snoqualmie Parkway north of the I-90 interchange. It connects to I-5 (exit 142A) in Federal Way, through Auburn, Covington, and Maple Valley in southeastern King County.
By bus
Go King County Metro
Runs bus, streetcar and monorail routes within King County. Serves Auburn, Bellevue, Bothell, Burien, Federal Way, Issaquah, Kent, Kirkland, Mercer Island, North Bend, Redmond, Renton, SeaTac, Seattle, Shoreline, Tukwila, Vashon Island, White Center, and Woodinville.
See
See Northwest Railway Museum (Snoqualmie Valley Railroad)
A railroad museum with a collection of historic depots along a 5.5 mi heritage railway that offers locomotive rides on weekends. The railway was built in 1889 by the Seattle, Lake Shore and Eastern Railway (SLS&E) in an attempt to build over Snoqualmie Pass, in response to the Northern Pacific selecting Tacoma instead of Seattle as their western terminus.
See Railway History Campus
The museum's collection includes a variety of railway cars and locomotives that document the growth of the railway network in Washington from the 1880s through the 1990s.
See Snoqualmie Depot
Built in 1890, this uniquely designed depot chiefly served as the gateway to this early recreation area, but also to transport local products to the markets of Seattle. Its atypical design was the result of this need for a rural combined freight-passenger depot, with lavish decorations to reflect the holiday spirit of vacationers from Seattle. Today, in addition to serving the heritage line, it also houses exhibits on early settler life and construction of the railway, as well as a gift shop.
See North Bend Depot
See Twin Peaks filming locations
Many scenes from the David Lynch television series Twin Peaks were shot in and around Snoqualmie. The Salish Lodge and Spa corresponds to the Great Northern Hotel of the series, the Reinig Bridge corresponds to the Ronette Bridge and the DirtFish Rally School corresponds to the sheriff's office. And, obviously, Snoqualmie Falls is seen in the opening credits of the show. The Double R Diner corresponds to Twede's Cafe in nearby North Bend.
Snoqualmie Falls
The 270 ft '''Snoqualmie Falls''' is the most dramatic waterfall within easy reach of Seattle. More than 1.5 million visitors come to the falls every year. There are two viewing areas, surrounded by parks and connected by a short but steep hiking trail.
At times, the river is high enough to flow across the entire precipice, which creates an almost blinding spray. High water occurs following a period of heavy rains or snow followed by warm rainy weather. This can occur during the rainy season which lasts from November through March. During high water, the falls take on a curtain form.
The land and surrounding concessions are owned by the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe. The falls is central to their culture, beliefs, and spirituality, "the place where First Woman and First Man were created by Moon the Transformer" and "where prayers were carried up to the Creator by great mists that rise from the powerful flow."
The Snoqualmie Falls Hydroelectric Plant, operated by Puget Sound Energy, is comprised of two power houses. Plant 1 was built in 1899 at the base of the falls embedded in the rock, the world's first completely underground power plant. Plant 2 was built in 1910 a short distance downstream of the falls.
See Snoqualmie Falls Trail
0.7 mi each way, 374 ft elevation. A connector trail for the upper and lower viewing areas, with detailed interpretive signage for local plant and ecosystem information.
Do
Events
Sleep
More lodging options are available in nearby North Bend.
Go next
Snoqualmie is on the Mountains to Sound Greenway, connecting to some of the best outdoor recreation in Washington.
Nearby
North Bend
City / town · 15 listings · 3 mi away
Issaquah
City / town · 20 listings · 10 mi away
Snoqualmie Valley
Rural area · 9 listings · 11 mi away
Redmond
City / town · 31 listings · 17 mi away
Renton
City / town · 47 listings · 17 mi away
Bellevue
City / town · 62 listings · 18 mi away
Mercer Island
City / town · 11 listings · 19 mi away
Kirkland
City / town · 20 listings · 20 mi away
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