The Wallace Falls State Park is a 4735 acres (19.2 km²) camping park with shoreline on the Wallace River

Wallace River

The Wallace River is a medium sized river in Washington, United States. It is a tributary of the Skykomish River and joins near Sultan, just upstream from the mouth of the Sultan River. The Wallace River is long. Its drainage basin is in area.- Course :...

, Wallace Lake, Jay Lake, Shaw Lake and the Skykomish River

Skykomish River

The Skykomish River is a Washington river which drains the west side of the Cascade Mountains in the southeast section of Snohomish County and the northeast corner of King County. The river starts with the confluence of the North Fork Skykomish River and South Fork Skykomish River approximately one...

. Big Eddy State Park is part of Wallace Falls State Park. Big Eddy is not located at Wallace Falls but is about 5 miles (8 km) on highway 2 outside the town of Gold Bar. Fishing and river rafting is located at Big Eddy on the Skykomish River. Wallace Falls State Park also is the land managers for the top of Mount Pilchuck. Mount Pilchuck has a historic fire lookout tower on top of the 5000 ft (1,524 m) peak.

Location

Located on the west side of the Cascade Mountains, 2 miles (3.2 km) northeast of Gold Bar, Washington

Gold Bar, Washington

Gold Bar is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. The population was 2,075 at the 2010 census.-History:Gold Bar started as a prospectors camp in 1889, named by a miner who found traces of gold on a river gravel bar...

 on the Wallace River.

Features

The park features viewing of three sets of falls along the Wallace River. Also in the park are old-growth coniferous forests, fast-moving rivers and streams, and three back-country lakes. Cougars have been sighted several times near Wallace Falls, and peregrine falcons inhabit the rock cliffs of the nearby Index Town Wall.

The Falls

There are three falls within the park. The first is Upper Wallace Falls, which can't be viewed in entirety, dropping 240 feet (73.2 m) in five separate tiers. Shortly below it is the highlight of the park, 367 feet (111.9 m) Wallace Falls which falls in three sections - the largest of which drops 265 feet (80.8 m) and can be seen from the Skykomish Valley. The falls viewpoint is often crowded with people wanting to view the falls. Downstream is Lower Wallace Falls, dropping 212 feet (64.6 m) in five tiers.

Camping

The park has seven walk-in tent sites and one restroom. There are no showers. The camping sites are 50 to 150 feet (45.7 m) in from the parking area. There are only two walk-in campsites. There are five new cabins now located near the parking lot. The cabins have no showers or cooking utilities inside. Sites are not very private and located near the 109 parking lot stalls. Picnic tables and campfire rings are located at the campsites and around the parking area. The two campsites are first-come, first-served. The five cabins have to be reserved.

Local History

The lake, falls and mounts are named "Wallace," after the name "Kwayaylsh." Joe and Sarah Kwayaylsh, members of the Skykomish tribe, were the first homesteaders in the area.

Visible in the park is evidence of logging, including railroad trestle ruins, old railroad grades and springboard notches in old stumps.

External links

• Wallace Falls State Park, Washington State Parks