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Olallie State Park
Renowned for its glorious waterfalls, Olallie State Park is a great place to kick off the hiking season. Moderate trails lead to the popular Twin Falls, the smaller Weeks Falls and other cascading water falls, or past the remains of a massive landslide to Cedar Butte.
Mountain bikers looking for a backcountry experience may ride the 20-mile-long Olallie Trail, which climbs more than 3,000 feet and provides stunning views of the Snoqualmie Valley. Rock climbers will find days of activities in four different cliff areas, on routes with technical ratings of 5.5 to 5.13b.
Long-distance hikers and cyclists can reach the Palouse to Cascades Trail (and an exciting new mountain bike trail) from the Cedar Falls trailhead. Anglers find rewarding fishing on the South Fork of the Snoqualmie River.
This large day-use park is within 45 minutes of Seattle and lies on the western slopes of the Cascade Mountains. The park has several trailheads and offers a quintessential Washington landscape of powerful falls, lush forest, soaring cliffs, sweeping views and a rushing river. If you're looking for a break from the city without the long drive, Olallie is your destination.
Park features
Olallie State Park is a 2,329-acre day-use park east of Seattle. The park offers 6 miles of moderate hiking trails, excellent fishing, interesting cliffs, local rock climbing opportunities and access to the long distance, mixed-use Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail.
Automated pay station: This park is equipped with an automated pay station for visitors to purchase a one-day or annual Discover Pass.
ADA amenities/facilities
- Restroom
- Hiking trail
Use our interactive ADA recreation map to search for other state parks with ADA amenities and facilities.
Picnic & day-use facilities
The park offers a total of 11 picnic tables in two picnic areas at the South Fork Picnic Area. All are available first come, first served.
Activities
Trails
- 0.1 miles of ADA hiking trails
- 8.6 miles of mountain biking/mixed-use trails (The Olallie Trail)
- 6 miles of hiking trails
Water activities & features
- Fishing (freshwater)
Other activities & features
- Bird watching
- Mountain biking
- Rock climbing
- Wildlife viewing
Interpretive opportunities
An interpretive trail at the South Fork Picnic Area passes through a small grove of old-growth trees. Interpretive signage provides visitors with information about the Snoqualmie Wagon Road, the first road to run from Ellensburg to Seattle in the 1800s.
Additional information
- Deception Crags is a popular rock climbing area located on the rocky cliffs next to the Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail (formerly known as the Iron Horse Trail). A short, ¼-mile trail along Change Creek leads from the Deception Crags Trailhead to the climbing area.
- Olallie provides access to the Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail, a rail to trail conversion of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (also known as the "Milwaukee Road") that ceased operations in 1980. The Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail travels from Rattlesnake Lake in North Bend to the Idaho border. Hiking, biking, and horseback riding are popular activities on this trail.
- The river is seasonally open for fishing.
- A recreational license is required for fishing and shellfish harvesting at Washington state parks. For regulations, fishing season information, or to purchase a recreational license, visit the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
- Kayaking only is allowed downstream of Twin Falls.
- Printable park brochure (PDF).
Historical Information
In 1950, Washington State Parks purchased the 160-acre parcel that includes Twin Falls from Puget Sound Power and Light and named the park Twin Falls State Park. The park expanded in 1976, and in 1977, the name was changed to Olallie, the Chinook Jargon word for "salmonberry," because of the abundance of salmonberries in the area. The Old Snoqualmie Wagon Road, completed in 1867 to offer wagon passage between Ellensburg and Seattle, passes through what is now the picnic area. In 1905, the first automobile drove over Snoqualmie Pass, and the old wagon road was gradually replaced by the Sunset Highway.
Park Maps
Cedar Falls Trailhead
The western terminus of Iron Horse State Park, the Cedar Falls Trailhead provides access to the 108-mile John Wayne Pioneer Trail and is the most popular route to the 1.5-mile Cedar Butte Trail in Olallie State Park. This family friendly trail provides a gentle hike to the 1,870-foot summit of Cedar Butte. The trail features views of the Boxley Blowout, a crater left in the hillside where a giant landslide and flood destroyed the downstream town of Edgewick in 1918.
Far Side Trailhead
The Far Side Trailhead provides hikers and rock climbers access to trails and crags in the Middle Fork Natural Resource Conservation Area. Visitors may hike along the 4.25-mile Dirty Harry's Peak Trail to the 4,680-foot summit. From atop Dirty Harry's Peak, visitors may take in views of the Upper Snoqualmie Valley to the west and the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area to the east. Rock climbers have access to six separate climbing areas that range in difficulty from 5.5 to 5.12c.
Homestead Valley Trailhead
The Homestead Valley Trailhead provides access to a variety of outdoor pursuits. Hikers can use the John Wayne Pioneer Trail to access the east end of the Twin Falls Trail. Rock climbers can access the Deception Crags and the Mount Washington climbing areas which offer more than 100 routes that range in difficulty from 5.6 to 5.13b. The trailhead is often used as the end point for mountain bikers riding the John Wayne Pioneer Trail from the Hyak Trailhead through the 2.3-mile Snoqualmie Pass Tunnel and then another 12 miles downhill to Olallie.
South Fork Fishing Access
A small trailhead, the South Fork Fishing Access provides fishermen access to the north riverbank of the Snoqualmie River's South Fork. Rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, and whitefish are the most abundant species of fish found in the South Fork.
South Fork Picnic Area
The South Fork Picnic Area has two separate picnic areas, one next to the Hall Creek Play Field and the other along the riverside of the Snoqualmie River's South Fork and an interpretive trail. Both picnic areas have picnic tables and barbecue grills available at a first-come, first-served basis. The Snoqualmie Wagon Road Interpretive Trail starts near the riverside picnic area and passes through a small grove of old growth trees to Weeks Falls. Interpretive signs tell the story of the Snoqualmie Wagon Road, the first road that ran from Ellensburg to Seattle in the late 1800s. The South Fork Picnic Area is also provides river access for fishermen.
Twin Falls Trailhead
The Twin Falls Trail follows the South Fork of the Snoqualmie River through the rainforest along the western slopes of the Cascade Mountains. The trail is best known for viewpoints of Twin Falls. A little over a mile from the trailhead, a set of stairs descend to a viewpoint of the Lower Falls as they plunge over a 135-foot cliff. Hike another quarter-mile to a bridge that spans the narrow Twin Falls canyon for a view of the Upper Falls. The trail continues another mile where it intersects with the John Wayne Pioneer Trail. The Twin Falls Trailhead is also a popular river access point for fishermen and put-in for kayakers.