PAWA Paints Olallie State Park

🌟 Membership: This event is exclusive to PAWA members. Join at PAWA Membership.

🎉 Event Details: If you like painting waterfalls, mountains, forests, rivers or trails, Olallie State Park is going to be your favorite new plein air spot. Located 45 minutes East of Seattle on I-90, Olallie is a day-use-only park with a long stretch of accessible riverbank along the South Fork of the Snoqualmie. The park boasts multiple waterfalls, including the ADA-accessible Weeks Falls and the spectacular Twin Falls.

Choose your own adventure! If you want big impact with low effort, spend your day painting along the banks of the Snoqualmie, or paint from the concrete roof of the old hydropower station beside Weeks Falls. If you want to stretch your legs, take the Twin Falls Trail--after a few switchbacks and ups and downs, you can choose to paint from the base of the falls or climb up to the bridge and paint from above. For a mountain view, take the Palouse-to-Cascades trail, or continue up the road for Dirty Harry's Balcony.

Facilitator:
Lorraine Goddard +14253819146 lor.h.godd@gmail.com

More info on area available at https://parks.wa.gov/find-parks/state-parks/olallie-state-park

🎨 Meeting Location: Since this is a multi-site location, I will create a post on the PAWA Facebook page for people to plan meet-ups for specific locations and trails. I will be in the Weeks Falls Interpretive Trail/picnic area parking lot to meet those who plan to paint the river and Weeks Falls from 10-11 AM.

Google Maps Dropped Pin: https://maps.app.goo.gl/4nffx9gmCcfHosgx6

🍽️ Lunch: Bring a sack lunch or pick up something to eat in North Bend, which is about 12 minutes away. I will be in the same picnic area from 1PM-2PM for lunch.

🎨 After Lunch: Head out to a new location after lunch--there are many to choose from!

🎨 End of day: We will do an online show-and-tell in a Facebook post.

📍 Directions:

Directions to the picnic area:

Traveling Eastbound on I-90, take exit 38 toward SE Homestead Valley Rd, turn right onto SE Homestead Valley Rd and proceed along it for 0.8 miles. The driveway for the picnic area will be on your left.

Traveling Westbound, Follow I-90 W to SE Homestead Valley Rd in King County. Take exit 38 from I-90 W, Follow SE Homestead Valley Rd for 1.3 miles. The driveway for the picnic area will be on your right.

Directions to the other trailheads:
Link to detailed PDF Map: https://storage.googleapis.com/stateless-wspf-website/2019/05/4ca185b7-olallie.pdf

📍 Other information:

Notes
1. Bring a Discover Pass or purchase a day pass at the park.
2. The viewing platform at Weeks Falls can accommodate 1-2 painters. It is possible to scramble down onto the rocks to paint if you are agile and daring, but I do not recommend it.
3. The old hydropower plant next to Weeks Falls has a large ground-level paved roof that can hold 6-10 painters. If you choose this option, you will probably want to bring an umbrella for midday sun.
4. There are three parking spaces at Weeks Falls, one of which is restricted for disabled parking. If the lot is full, you can drop your gear with another painter and park in the main lot, then walk back to the falls.
5. There are river access locations in several places along the Weeks Falls Interpretive Trail, which is a short, flat trail that leaves from the main parking lot.
6. The trail to Twin Falls has easy and picturesque river access near the beginning. This parking lot will likely fill during the morning, so if you wish to paint Twin Falls, arrive early. Please note that the Twin Falls Trail is off I-90 Exit 34, West of the main park exit.
7. Find me in my new PAWA hat and a tan apron!

Recommended lodging/camping :

For hotel lodging, the closest places to stay are North Bend and Cle Elum. Although Olallie is a day-use-only park, there are numerous camping opportunities along the I-90 corridor, including Denny Creek and Alice Creek campgrounds.