tunnels | Love, Laughter, and Life

July 22, 2025
by Angie Leave a comment

Snoqualmie Tunnel I-90

Here we go, headed into Snoqualmie Tunnel!

We headed out for a cool walk/hike last weekend. Located at the top of Snoqualmie Pass just off of I-90, the Snoqualmie Tunnel is an old railroad tunnel that stretches about 2 miles one way. The distance is not the same as other places I looked, but let’s just say 2-ish tunnel miles to get to the other end. If you want to get back to your car, then 2-ish tunnel miles to get back. LOL

Take the Hyak exit and follow the signs to the large parking area. Restrooms are available. The parking lot sits next to the Palouse to Cascades Trail, so if you don’t want to walk in the cold damp dark, you can head east and walk along the backside of Keechelus Lake (which is very low this year due to drought).

Just inside the tunnel. The light at the end looks like it’s just right there. But there are two miles to go before it’s just right there.

There is a short walk (the sign says .4 mile, but it didn’t feel that long) to the tunnel entrance. It felt cumbersome to be dressed so warmly when out in the sun, but we dressed for the cold dark tunnel. Coats, long pants, gloves, hats, flashlights. If you have a scorcher of a day, this hike is a great way to escape that heat!

Our obligatory “here we go” selfie at the beginning of the hike.

It’s always a bit disconcerting to see nothing but a tiny dot of white far in the distance. But your eyes adjust and you get used to seeing nothing except that bit in front of the flashlight. The tunnel runs pretty straight and mostly flat, but at both ends there are areas where the center is higher than the rest. There are also ditches along the sides, mostly with wood coverings, but some covers have broken through. I wouldn’t want to fall into one of those places, so I’m quite happy to carry my flashlight to make sure I keep away from the edges. Expect wet areas of dripping water.

In the tunnel selfie. No turning back now. Haha. But we did see one couple head in with 2 little dogs. And pretty soon he came back with 2 little dogs while she continued on. The dogs were NOT a fan of the tunnel.

Noises are amplified and echo back and forth. We arrived early and mostly had the tunnel to ourselves as we headed west. It was quite relaxing. The views once you get out of the east entrance of the tunnel are beautiful. You can hear traffic on I-90 and see far down the valley. We watched a small plane looping around doing some sightseeing. Wildflowers are blooming like crazy right now, so I had fun snapping photos. There are a few picnic tables and a forest toilet (no running water). The trail continues on, but we were not equipped to keep going. ONE day we will be, because I would love to go on to Annette Lake.

Almost to the west entrance (the end of our 2-ish mile one way walk) where we hung out for a bit before heading back.

We hit the crowds on the way back. Multiple groups with electric bikes passed us in both directions. Some people were walking, a few with dogs. I think we only saw one person with a manual bicycle. This was definitely the most traffic we’ve seen in the tunnel over the numerous times we’ve visited.

Pretty foxglove stealing the wildflower show!

Despite the crowds, we had a lovely hike. Cool, dark, refreshing. Ahhh. And snacks waiting for us back in the ice chest.

Vibrant wildflowers at the east tunnel entrance.

September 6, 2022
by Angie 2 Comments

Lake Easton Hike

A few weeks back, we went for a hike around Lake Easton. It was a gorgeous day with both shady and sunny sections. If only we had our swimsuits, we could have jumped in the lake to cool off!

The above picture is of the bridge visible from I-90. If one travels east first, this is at the end of the hike. You can just see the trail bridge across the lake along the Palouse to Cascades Trail (near center, whitish line along the water).

We started out at the picnic area/day use portion of the Lake Easton State Park (Discover Pass required). It wasn’t too crowded when we got there and we managed to get a great parking spot. But beware late arrivals when the weather is warm! When we got back from the hike, the parking lot was crammed, people were circling looking for spots, and the beach area was wild. The better plan is to arrive early.

The directions I found were a bit vague-I love well-posted hikes with good signs. But alas, we did not get lost. We wondered once or twice but just kept going. And once we were headed towards Ellensburg on the Palouse to Cascades Trail, but we didn’t get too far before we realized we were headed east instead of west. (Once you pass through Easton, you must head back west to circle the lake.)

Starting at the beach/picnic area right on the lake, we walked east, following a sort of general trail. Which proved to be correct. The Kevster, my honey, is walking along the tree-lined trail above. The surprise was when we had to climb a hill, which we did not notice as we drove in.

Follow the trail past the lake. It will eventually go past the lake and meander right beside the Yakima River as it exits Lake Easton. Pretty cool!

We passed the Yakima River two times. Once, as seen above, is right past the eastern end of the lake. The other is on the opposite end of the lake, where the Yakima River enters Lake Easton!

After the riverside trail leads you back to the main road, Lake Easton Road, hang right and walk back across the bridge and through Easton. Once you are through Easton, follow the signs to the Palouse to Cascades Trail (a right turn on Cabin Creek Road).

I’m standing between the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad tracks. Continue over the tracks, easing right (not left like we did at first) around another corner and you will see a sign leading you to the Palouse to Cascades Trail. It looks like a road. Great for walking!

And a tunnel! I love tunnels, particularly ones I can see through without too much difficulty.

I love this picture!

And then this! A very cool trail bridge over the Yakima River! On the right side you see the beginning of the lake, on the left is the Yakima River. Just think, this river flows all the way down to my valley!

Lake Easton, looking north. I-90 is right behind the trees along the northern edge of the lake.

The Yakima River

The obligatory selfie with my honey.

Continue over the trail bridge for just a short distance and follow the signs on the right to travel along the western edge of the lake, looping back around the lake. Keep going and you will pass an old concrete bridge. This location is usually full of swimmers, fishers, and boaters! We saw all three. And you can see it at the bottom of the big hill as you drive east from Seattle on I-90.

We walked through the campground, trying to avoid the main road. Which didn’t work the whole way, but it was fine. Pretty soon we were back to the car, already imagining hiking further along the Palouse to Cascades Trail towards the top of the pass (but maybe not the whole 18 miles in one day!).

This is a beautiful hike, and interesting because of the scenery changes.