snoqualmie pass train tunnel

Went with the family on Oct 12, 2014. It was a partly cloudy day in the mid 60s. A typical October day in the Cascades. Finding it is not hard, just past the ski resort. Arriving at the tunnel requires a short 0.4 mile hike from the lot. Once there, it feels like a portal, like you're about to walk into another world. Think C.S. Lewis's "Lion, Witch and Wardrobe." I'll call it the haunting passage to paradise. The impressive size of the tunnel is easily 25 to 30 feet in height. You feel dwarfed my the massive wooden doors of yore. Step in. It's 50F degrees, breezy, damp and with a faint mist. Word is it's like this year round; 90F or 15F just outside the gate matters not. A few hundred feet around the gradual curve and you'll see a brilliant shining pin point of light resembling Venus on the horizon at dusk--that's the other end, 2.3 miles away. But just as Venus does not light up the sky, the speck of light at the far end does nothing for the maddening darkness within the tunnel walls, buried thousands of feet below the mountain peak. The ground is generally smooth and flat. There aren't any humps, holes or other physical hazards you'll encounter. That said, a light source is not necessary. But your mind will fill in all sorts of strange apparitions that will be either frightening or fantastical, depending on your disposition. Go brave or go home.... The sounds within are harrowing yet contemplative: dripping water, pattering footsteps, eerie voices, all of which fade to an indistinguishable echo that never quite goes away. You'll come to realize a similarity of this and all that you encounter in life. Walking toward the light at the other end is quite like a curious dream for much of the journey: you're walking toward a mysterious, lighted object in an otherwise dark and unfamiliar room. You seem to be getting closer to the object yet it never really becomes clear as to what it is and all the while continues to be just out of reach. Until you actually do make it to the other end... It's like walking out of a frigid catacomb and to an area of paradise where you can see enormous peaks and deep valleys of the beautiful Cascade range. A relief of the tension that lay within the dark, so to speak. Going thru the tunnel once necessitates a hike back thru, making the entire round trip just shy of 5 miles. You'll notice that there is no point of light on the way back because of the gradual curve at the other end. Rather, a faint glow becomes apparent about 1/2 to 2/3 way thru and intensifies till the end. All told, I had a great time doing this spooky hike with my wife and 2 children who are 4 & 7 years old. At first they were a bit spooked, but it became a great "just before Halloween" adventure. As stated before, you don't need a lamp, but bring one just in case. Some people also bicycle thru the tunnel, in which case if you're bicycling, you'll need a lamp for safety.

Rode through the Snoqualmie Pass Train Tunnel riding from Hyak to Cedar Falls on the Iron Horse Trail. Great trail and the tunnel was very interesting considering it is over 2 miles long.

I hiked through the tunnel yesterday, with a group of Boy Scouts, as part of a longer hike along the Iron Horse trail. We took Exit 54 for Hyak off of I-90 and were dropped off at the Snoqualmie Tunnel parking lot. The tunnel is just a short walk from the parking lot, and there are a couple of information boards telling you about the trail, and giving you some history of the tunnel. It was one of the hottest days of the year, and very bright out, so as we entered the tunnel we could see a pin prick of light at the far end. Despite the heat outside, it was cool in the tunnel, and we were all glad of the jackets that we'd packed. Good flashlights are a must for this hike, as you are in the tunnel for over two miles. Of course, we had to turn them out for a while to experience the extent of the darkness! Even though the hiking surface was pretty good, (some puddles along the way, and water dripping from the roof) I was surprised by how long it took us to reach the end. We were in the tunnel about an hour.

This is one of the most exciting and spooky hiking trails I've ever encountered. The trail is a converted rail bed, so it's wide and well-kept with a slow grade. You can park three lots away near the boat launch and enjoy a .8-mile easy hike to the tunnel itself. If you park in the lot right outside of the tunnel, you can use the Discovery pass. If you park in the other lots, you must buy a national parks parking day pass for $5.Upon approach to the tunnel, you'll feel a cool wind blowing from inside at about 50 degrees. This is a great hike to do on a hot day -- the day we went was 85 degrees, so the cool air was a relief. Others may want to bring a jacket.Once inside, you're plunged into darkness almost immediately. Good LED flashlights or headlamps will be a big help. We had a couple of average flashlights and they didn't illuminate very far. The floor of the tunnel is smooth and generally free of debris; however, there are sloping areas on either side, as well as puddles on the floor. The ceiling drips with leaking water, so think about using a head covering.Our group really enjoyed the unusual hike. The darkness, echoes, leaky ceiling, and hiding places every few yards down the tunnel were all intriguing. Geocachers should note that there are not only caches on either side of the tunnel, but there is a fun one inside, as well. Younger kids may balk at the pitch blackness, so be prepared to turn around with your little one.

This was a different hiking experience because there isn't any varied terrain or scenery inside a train tunnel, but if you continue on there is. We heard about this tunnel and finally went with our family on Memorial Day just to make the round trip. It is a good walk to take if it is raining. If you go, dress warmly because it is a long tunnel and quite a few degrees colder inside. It might actually be more inviting on a hot day than the cool rainy day we experienced. The tunnel trail is totally flat, a little rocky and completely dark once you get past the entrance. Good flashlights or headlamps are a must. The length is 2.3 miles one way with a short walk from the parking lot. There is a nice reward of a pretty waterfall at the end.We brought the dog and there were others with dogs. Bicyclers came through a few times and biking would be a good way to get to the campground downhill from the tunnel. It was fun to do this once because it is unusual and we were out of the rain. Our 7 yr old grandson went in but wanted to turn around because he was afraid the tunnel would collapse. We assured him it wouldn't and he made the round trip, but I point that out because it may not be for everyone. Reminder that you do need a Discovery Pass to park there. They are available several places, including sporting goods stores and online.