Franklin Falls
Trail · Washington
An easy two-mile round trip off Snoqualmie Pass through old-growth hemlock and cedar to a 70-foot waterfall, with vine maple burning red and gold through the understory in early-to-mid October.
Don’t miss
Trail details
- Distance
- Elevation gain
- Route
- Difficulty
Trail stats from the land manager — conditions change, so check before you go.
Plan your visit
Peak: October 1–October 20
Climatological window from published records — the weather model’s elevation extrapolation isn’t reliable on this terrain, so this is the long-run normal rather than a season-specific forecast.
Franklin Falls on the map
More things to do in Washington
Washington Park Arboretum
ArboretumPeak October 13
The 230-acre arboretum on Lake Washington runs vivid from mid-October into November, with Japanese maples along Azalea Way, the Pacific Connections gardens, and canoe-level color from the Foster Island waterside trail.
Don’t miss: Azalea Way · Japanese Garden maples · Foster Island trail
Kubota Garden
GardenPeak October 10
Fujitaro Kubota's 20-acre Japanese garden in Rainier Beach layers maples over ponds, bridges, and stonework. It's Seattle's most concentrated fall-color spot, usually peaking late October into mid-November, free, and quieter than it deserves.
Don’t miss: Heart Bridge · Mountainside maples
Green Lake Park
City parkPeak October 13
The city's favorite 2.8-mile loop rings Green Lake with sweetgums, maples, and cottonwoods that color through late October. It's an easy golden-hour walk, with the water doubling every tree on a still evening.
Don’t miss: The 2.8-mile loop
Mount Rainier, Paradise
National parkTypically September 15–October 5
Paradise at 5,400 feet doesn't do tree color. It does tundra: huckleberry and mountain-ash meadows turn scarlet against Rainier's glaciers from mid-September to early October, some of the earliest fall color in the Lower 48.
Don’t miss: Skyline Trail meadows · Reflection Lakes
Plan from a city
Frequently asked
- When does Franklin Falls peak?
- In a typical year, color peaks around October 1–October 20. The weather model's elevation extrapolation isn't reliable on this terrain, so this is a climatological window (source: https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/franklin-falls) rather than a season-specific forecast.
- What is Franklin Falls best for?
- Families and short legs.
- How long is Franklin Falls?
- 2.0 mi out & back with 400 ft of elevation gain — rated easy.
- How do I get to Franklin Falls?
- The closest city is Seattle, about 43 mi away. It's part of Washington's fall lineup.
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