Hiked the trail with a toddler in a pack and did not encounter any muddy areas or obstacles. Lots of rushing water for the babies to look at, although the trail was too exposed for any toddler exploring. Caught the spray from the falls, but rocks too slippery to venture too close. Took the Wagon Road on the way down and the trail was the perfect grade and condition for 3 little ones to play on. A great outing and a nice workout for baby-carrying moms.

I decided to take my two and a half and four year olds on the loop Wagon Trail-Franklin Falls. We never got to the falls because I worried the kids were getting tired and the last bit is a little tricky. I choose to first walk the Wagon Trail because the FF trail back to the car park is mostly downhill. The weather was fabulous and although wet in places I skipped by water puddles without needing to walk through. It was surprisingly _cold_ though, our breaths misting (3 degrees Celsius). We arrived around lunch time so mornings might even be frosty already? There is traffic noise from the I90 especially on the WT part, further from the river, but the kids didn't notice and with them neither did I! It was my first hike with the kids and they skipped through most of it (although we were missing the little ones nap!).

Our Mountaineers group of 11 thought we might have a tough time finding parking at 9:00 a.m., but we beat the rush of late(r) risers. If you're like me and you haven't been to the Denny Creek Trailhead in a while, you'll be pleased to see a spiffy new privy to complement the old one and help cut down on the wait time. Permit completed, we set out for the "slippery slab" or "waterslide rocks" or "bathing rocks" where the old bridge across Denny Creek washed out a few years back. There are some logs and stones to help with the crossing, but consider bringing poles or having someone spot you with a helping hand. We soaked in some sun and returned, then did the Franklin Falls and Wagon Road Trails, joining an incredible number of families and (leashed) dogs on this sunny day.

Summer time beckons one to visit a spectacular waterfall even though the thermometer was barely pushing 70 degrees and the sky was mostly cloud cover. The Franklin Falls TH is located off of FR5830 prior to the bridge. The trail is in great condition and provides spectacular views of Snoqualmie River as one hugs the river on the way to the waterfall. At the start of the trail, one is tempted by the huge rocks in the river that allows one to safely climb on the rocks, touch the river and get some great photos. The trail climbs gradually up and down along the trail with many great vantage points high above the river. One should be careful when adventuring off the trail for the "best" view of the river as this can be very dangerous as there are several serious drop offs all along the trail. I was amazed with the number of bunchberry on the trail. They were everywhere! Now is the perfect time to see this flower on the trail. The new shoots of deer fern were fun to see and abundant as well. Arriving at Frankin Falls was exciting today. It is important to walk carefully along the rock wall to get to the base of the waterfall as the rocks were wet and slippery. Taking your time to traverse the rocks will be a great pay off for a successful adventure. Getting wet today at the base of the falls was not an option but part of the experience. After enjoying the excitement of the waterfall, one can return via Wagon Road Trail. Look for the trail to the left. There are signs at this juncture on the trees on the river side but they are not easily visible and may be missed. The trail pulls one away from the river and replaces the noise of the river with the sounds of I-90. The pay off is solitude as there was no one else on this trail. One finishes this trail close to the parking lot marked by an old half buried wagon wheel. Overall, Frankln Falls and Wagon Road Trails were quiet with few hikers. This is definetely an easy trail for all abilities keeping in mind one should stay on the trail and be wary of slippery rocks at the waterfall.

Our M's group of 12 arrived for a late-start hike and found the Franklin Falls and Denny Creek parking lots completely full. After some creative parking, we hit the Denny Creek trail and enjoyed the great weather for a short hike to the ""water slide"" about a mile in. Then we headed back for Franklin Falls and a return via the Wagon Road trail. All of the trails are in great shape, though there were a few muddy spots. Crowds were pretty light for a sunny Saturday, but I'll bet it was standing room only at Melakwa Lake! We saw a WTA work party hard at work on the first 1/8th-mile of the Franklin Falls trail. Outstanding work by all involved! I can tell you from personal experience that my mother found that first rocky, rooty section particularly difficult -- so much so that she bagged the hike and stayed behind last summer!