Olallie State Park
Another episode of Around the Puget Sound. This time Emily, Caleb, Wilson & I headed out to Olallie State Park and hiked to the “Twin Falls” from the Twin Falls Trailhead. The hike starts parallel the river with an access point early on. Continue on the well maintained trail with views of old growth woods through the lower “swampy” area. Cross a short bridge and stay on the main trail, you’ll arrive at another river access just off the trail. In this pool area, boulders separate the main current from the shallows. The pool is full of little fish, and you might spot toad like we did. Climb away from the river, through the woods, to a large rock at the base of a decent sized hill.
Up the hill are a series of switchbacks. Here’s where your workout really begins. When you come to pair of benches you’ve completed the first hill and are rewarded with a partial view of the Lower Falls. The trail begins to ascend the second hill, switchbacking gradually to another summit, and then a set of descending steps lead to the best view of the Lower Falls you can get. You’re nearly to the falls, but first you’ll navigate a final set of stairs down to the Big Bridge. From the bridge you’ll have great views up and down the valley, including the two cascades upstream. (Yes, that makes three separate waterfalls that are collectively known as “Twin Falls.”) A few more stairs and another steep slope will get you to the upper overlook for a better view of the Upper Falls. The trail continues on, but if your goal is to reach the falls… this is where you head back the way you came. I highly recommend bringing water & maybe granola bar to snack on the way.
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