Hiking around Seattle (Wallace Falls SP)

Wallace Falls State Park is in the town of Gold Bar,WA. The hiking trail starts on a route along the Amtrak rail line. As we walked, we could clearly hear the electricty travelling through the wires above, a little scary if you give it a thought. The total hike is about 8 miles one way with 3 landmarks - the lower falls, the middle falls and the upper falls. As the "wise" names suggest, these points have been names according to the level of the Wallace Fall visible from there. We are not that atheletic and managed till the Lower Falls point. The hike was relatively easier than the Rattlesnake trail we had gone to before.

This terrain has a gradually increasing altitude, but are cut by flat terrains and up and down terrains. So, one has to climb up and down on both the ways. So the body gets a balanced rest and strain and the hike doesnt seem so stressful. Besides the waterfall is visible all along the way, and one can also break away from the actual trail and climb down to touch the water and rocks at some points along the way.

 When we reached the Lower Falls marker, we crouched our way through a very bushy narrow path to reach the fall's water. The falls is almost a rapid river at this point, gushing its way though the big rocks. The rocks had gathered a little moss on them, but we rested on them anyways. Inspite of warning signs at the beginning of the trail, we saw wet shirts and shoes indicating people have gone into the water.

The most fun part for everybody in the group,besides me, was wild berry picking and eating on the way back to our car. These berries were juicy red and sweet. Little children were also picking then from the trees, and they were in so much abundance on the sides of the road.
 It was one of the rare sunny days in the Seattle area. We did break a little sweat,albeit it was a wonderful calm hiking experience.