Snoqualmie, WA Road Trips

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.

Northwest Railway Museum (Snoqualmie Valley Railroad), ☏ +1 425-888-3030 ext 7202. A railroad museum with a collection of historic depots along a 5.5 mi (8.9 km) 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. (updated Oct 2024) 1 Railway History Campus, 9320 Stone Quarry Rd. 11AM-4PM, closed Tuesdays. 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. $10 adults, $5 children 2-12. (updated Aug 2025) 2 Snoqualmie Depot, 38625 SE King St. Exhibits daily 10AM-5PM, train rides Sa-Su. 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. Exhibits free, train rides $28 adult, $24 seniors, $14 children 2-12. (updated Aug 2025) 3 North Bend Depot, 205 E McClellan St, North Bend. Sa-Su. (updated Aug 2025) 4 Centennial Log Pavilion (Railroad Park), 7971 Railroad Ave SE. Dawn to Dusk.

1 Mount Si Golf Course, 9010 Boalch Ave SE, ☏ +1 425-391-4926, [email protected]. 18-hole municipal golf course. (updated Feb 2025) 2 Snoqualmie Casino, 37500 SE North Bend Way, ☏ +1 425-888-1234, [email protected]. (updated Feb 2025) Snoqualmie Days (formerly Railroad Days), [email protected]. 3rd weekend of Aug. This annual festival features a parade, outdoor performances, historical train excursions and a logger competition. (updated Feb 2025)

1 Salish Lodge & Spa, 6501 Railroad Ave, ☏ +1 425-888-2556, [email protected]. This luxury hotel offers rooms with a fireplace, a large bed, an office area and a large shower. (updated Aug 2025) 2 Snoqualmie Inn by Hotel America, 35228 Snoqualmie Pkwy, ☏ +1 425-363-3888. (updated Feb 2025) More lodging options are available in nearby North Bend.

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. King County Metro, ☏ +1 206-553-3000. 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. $3 for 2 hours ($1 seniors 65+, Free youth 0-18). (updated Sep 2025)