Day Hike - Snoqualmie Tunnel

We will leave half our cars at the Annette Lake trailhead and ride in the other cars to the Hyak parking lot at the easrt end of Snoqualmie Pass.  From there we hike the short distance to the east portal of the Snoqualmie Tunnel, continuing  through the tunnel to our lunch spot at a picnic table near the west portal, where there is a nice view and a restroom nearby.  Then we continue down the Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail to the junction with the Annette Lake trail, turning right there and descending to the Annette Lake Trail parking lot.  There we get into the cars left there to return to the Hyak parking lot, where everyone returns to their original cars for the drive home.  On the drive home there will be an optional refreshment stop at iconic Twede's Restaurant in North Bend, made famous by the Twin Peaks TV series, where milkshakes are served with the can and other food comes with enormous portion sizes.  

IMPORTANT:  There is no lighting in the tunnel, the temperature inside remains at around 40 degrees year around, and bicyclists speed through the tunnel.  So it is required to bring warm clothing with reflective material and a strong light for the tunnel portion of the hike. 

This is the rare hike that is all either level or downhill.  The tunnel and the Palouse to Cascades State Park trail are the remnants of the former route of the Milwaukee Road railroad that delivered skiers to Snoqualmie Pass before roads were built there.  In the early days a hotel housed skiers where the Hyak parking lot is now located.  The restroom building there is built to resemble the  train station formerly located there.

Meet at 10 AM at the Annette Lake trailhead parking lot, reached by taking Exit 47 form I-90, turning right at the end of the exit ramp, left at the T junction and continuing  to the end of the road, where a right turn takes you into the parking lot.  Each car arked there must display a Northwest Forest Pass or National Park Pass.  Cars parked at the Hyak parking lot must display  a Discover Pass.