Wallace Falls, Wallace Lake
Jan 30, 2010
by
Slow Loris and Walks Ahead
—
last modified
Jan 31, 2010 02:37 PM
- Type of Outing
- Day hike
- Read More in our Hiking Guide
- Hike: Wallace Falls
- Region: Central Cascades -- Stevens Pass - West
- Agency: Washington State Parks
- Avg Rating: 4.14
- Read More in our Hiking Guide
- Hike: Wallace Lake - Greg Ball Trail
- Region: Central Cascades -- Stevens Pass - West
- Agency: Wallace Falls State Park
- Trails: Greg Ball Trail (#)
- Avg Rating: 3.86
The Woody Trail to Wallace Falls is rooty, rocky, and, in spots, muddy. We followed it to each of the three levels of waterfalls -- lower falls with the picnic shelter, middle falls, Skykomish Valley overlook, and upper falls. The trail seemed steep for our current level of fitness, but we slogged along.
At the upper falls, there is a signboard with dire warnings against proceeding onward unless one has knowledge, map and compass, and the other ten essentials to survive if lost. The sign says that most of the people who get lost in the park get lost between here and Wallace Lake. We had attempted to get through from the upper falls to Wallace Lake in the past but had always had to turn back due to snow and snowmelt on the trail and lack of a precise trail map, but today there was no snow and I had a map printed from the state parks website which showed all the trails, together with an older Green Trails map which showed some of the lower trails but did not show the trail from upper falls to the lake. We proceeded on to climb up to the ridge following a very poor trail marked with blue diamonds nailed to trees. It took us about 10 minutes to reach level ground where there was an old, partially overgrown road with a map and a sign pointing toward Wallace Lake.
Initially, we spent 45 minutes walking on the road and saw only one sign to keep us from going off on a side road to the right. We did worry as the time went on and on, but we were being very careful not to miss any junctions or trails, and were finally rewarded by reaching the T junction shown on our map, where there was very good signage (with a map) showing various options including turning to the right toward Wallace Lake. We had not seen any other people and weren't expecting to when three men came up the road-trail, talking and walking quickly and making the same right turn we were going to make. Only a few minutes farther on we came to the left turn shown on our map, and again there was a detailed sign and map with an arrow pointing toward Wallace Lake.
We reached the outlet of Wallace Lake in another ten minutes or so, where there were two picnic tables, signage, and a posted map. The three men were at the picnic tables, so we headed around the lake to the left in search of a place to sit. We met a couple coming down from Jay Lake who told us there was a beaver there and also clued us in to a nice bench ahead overlooking Wallace Lake. We didn't have time to go to Jay Lake, but we headed for the bench, where we ate our lunch quickly and headed back, due to the late hour. Back at the lake outlet, we stopped so Walks Ahead could take a picture and I could study the signage.
The sign said 6.6 miles to the trailhead via the DNR road and railroad grade, but I knew we would have the opportunity to take the shorter Greg Ball trail. It was 3:30 P.M., and we had only slightly more than an hour and a half until sunset. We started walking on the DNR road and in a couple of minutes took the Greg Ball trail to the left. This is an excellent trail, both in grade and tread, and we were able to move at a good pace. In an hour, having rejoined the DNR Road/RR grade briefly and then having continued at a junction back onto the Greg Ball Trail, we joined the Woody Trail, and in another half hour we were at the trailhead at about 5:00 P.M. We were dreading the notorious Highway 2 traffic, but there was no significant slowdown. We made it home to Seattle in about an hour.
At the upper falls, there is a signboard with dire warnings against proceeding onward unless one has knowledge, map and compass, and the other ten essentials to survive if lost. The sign says that most of the people who get lost in the park get lost between here and Wallace Lake. We had attempted to get through from the upper falls to Wallace Lake in the past but had always had to turn back due to snow and snowmelt on the trail and lack of a precise trail map, but today there was no snow and I had a map printed from the state parks website which showed all the trails, together with an older Green Trails map which showed some of the lower trails but did not show the trail from upper falls to the lake. We proceeded on to climb up to the ridge following a very poor trail marked with blue diamonds nailed to trees. It took us about 10 minutes to reach level ground where there was an old, partially overgrown road with a map and a sign pointing toward Wallace Lake.
Initially, we spent 45 minutes walking on the road and saw only one sign to keep us from going off on a side road to the right. We did worry as the time went on and on, but we were being very careful not to miss any junctions or trails, and were finally rewarded by reaching the T junction shown on our map, where there was very good signage (with a map) showing various options including turning to the right toward Wallace Lake. We had not seen any other people and weren't expecting to when three men came up the road-trail, talking and walking quickly and making the same right turn we were going to make. Only a few minutes farther on we came to the left turn shown on our map, and again there was a detailed sign and map with an arrow pointing toward Wallace Lake.
We reached the outlet of Wallace Lake in another ten minutes or so, where there were two picnic tables, signage, and a posted map. The three men were at the picnic tables, so we headed around the lake to the left in search of a place to sit. We met a couple coming down from Jay Lake who told us there was a beaver there and also clued us in to a nice bench ahead overlooking Wallace Lake. We didn't have time to go to Jay Lake, but we headed for the bench, where we ate our lunch quickly and headed back, due to the late hour. Back at the lake outlet, we stopped so Walks Ahead could take a picture and I could study the signage.
The sign said 6.6 miles to the trailhead via the DNR road and railroad grade, but I knew we would have the opportunity to take the shorter Greg Ball trail. It was 3:30 P.M., and we had only slightly more than an hour and a half until sunset. We started walking on the DNR road and in a couple of minutes took the Greg Ball trail to the left. This is an excellent trail, both in grade and tread, and we were able to move at a good pace. In an hour, having rejoined the DNR Road/RR grade briefly and then having continued at a junction back onto the Greg Ball Trail, we joined the Woody Trail, and in another half hour we were at the trailhead at about 5:00 P.M. We were dreading the notorious Highway 2 traffic, but there was no significant slowdown. We made it home to Seattle in about an hour.
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