Boulder Falls
Snohomish County, Washington
Your visit at a glance
- Waterfall height
- Not recorded
- Location
- Snohomish County, Washington
- Access status
- Partial guide: falls only heard and glimpsed through trees from the trail; no access to the falls
- The walk
- Under about a mile; WTA places the glimpse before the Boulder River Wilderness sign, which is about a mile from the trailhead
- Ground & access
- Wide, nearly flat trail on an old railroad grade near the start. The riverbank at Boulder Falls is steep with no trail access.
Boulder Falls is where the Boulder River drops about 40 feet through a large boulder garden, in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest near Arlington. It is often confused with Feature Show Falls, the double falls farther up the trail, which has its own listing. From the trailhead, the Boulder River Trail follows a wide, flat old railroad grade. As it approaches the river you can hear Boulder Falls and glimpse it through the trees. WTA says the bank is steep and there is no access to the falls at this point; reaching the falls means going off trail, which this guide does not describe. Return the same way, or continue to the waterfalls that can be seen from the trail farther on.
Plan your visit
Boulder River trailhead at the end of French Creek Road off SR 530, along the Boulder River Trail to where the falls can be heard and glimpsed through the trees
WTA says hikers hear and glimpse Boulder Falls as the trail approaches the river, before passing the Boulder River Wilderness sign about a mile from the trailhead. No distance to the glimpse point itself is published.
Wide, nearly flat trail on an old railroad grade near the start. The riverbank at Boulder Falls is steep with no trail access.
Where to start
Trailhead at the end of French Creek Road (Forest Road 2010), which leaves SR 530 just after milepost 41, 23.6 miles from I-5. The road is badly potholed in places and runs 3.7 miles. Parking for about 15 cars; no facilities at the trailhead.
Timing & water
No season is stated.
Before you go
WTA lists no parking pass or entry fee.
Visitor informationVisit sources
More waterfalls nearby
Within 40 straight-line miles. Road and trail distances will differ.
- Feature Show FallsResearched visit notes259 ft (79 m) · Snohomish County, WA0.5 miSE
- Meditation FallsWilderness trail along the river; falls viewed from the opposite bank92 ft (28 m) · Snohomish County, WA1.9 miSE
- Asbestos FallsSnohomish County, WA12 miE
- Twin Falls138 ft (42 m) · Snohomish County, WA15 miS
- Lower Twin Falls236 ft (71.9 m) · Snohomish County, WA16 miS
- Explorer FallsUnmaintained side paths and creek crossings; Discover Pass50 ft (15.2 m) · Snohomish County, WA18 miS
- Crystal FallsSkagit County, WA19 miNW
- Perry Creek FallsNational forest trail to a view over the top of the falls; forest pass requiredSnohomish County, WA20 miSE
- Gilligan Cree Falls4 ft (1.3 m) · Skagit County, WA21 miNW