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The North Fork Snoqualmie River runs south along a ten-mile long escarpment of the Cascade Mountains which runs from the Tolt River to North Bend known as the Moon Wall. Several streams run over this escarpment en route to joining the North Fork and every one of them produces at least one significant waterfall - many produce multiple. The unnamed stream which flows from SMC Lake makes the most significant drop, cascading some 1,200 feet in about one-third of a mile. While effectively the multiple waterfalls found along its length could be grouped together and considered one big series of falls, because there is no way to see more than one section of any of the falls at any given time we have concluded that the falls should be segregated.
Junction Falls is the second significant waterfall along the unnamed stream feeding from SMC Lake and cascading down the Moon Wall in a lengthy series of waterfalls. The falls drop 118 feet in three distinct tiers of 29, 56 and 33 feet respectively, with the upper tier dropping in a more narrow channel and the middle and lower tiers each spreading out and veiling in multiple distinct segments.
The waterfall occurs within the Snoqualmie Tree Farm, which is managed by Hancock Timber. Public access - even on foot or bike - requires a recreation permit which runs $75 for non-motorized access and about $200 for motorized access.
- Junction Falls is the Unofficial name of this waterfall.
This waterfall holds no official name. The title we are using here was proposed by local waterfall hunter Aaron Young for the old logging road spur which is used to access the falls (and while it may not be wholly appropriate, it's certainly better than a generic "Middle SMC Falls").
Junction Falls is accessed from the Spur 10 Gate on the Snoqualmie Tree Farm north of North Bend. From North Bend, head north on Ballarat Avenue which later becomes North Fork County Road. Just under 4 miles from town, the road forks; head left (uphill). About 3 3/4 miles later you'll reach Spur 10 Gate (on the right) where a major cross road intersects the North Fork Road. Park and or bike the gated road for 1 1/2 miles to a three-way junction just past the bridge over the North Fork Snoqualmie River. Head right and then stay left at the next major road. About 2.3 miles from the three-way junction bear left onto a decommissioned logging road (this will be about 1/3 of a mile after crossing in front of SMC Falls and immediately before crossing another unnamed stream). Follow the old overgrown road for one third of a mile to a bridgeless crossing of the creek. The falls will be found about 200 feet upstream, but cannot be clearly seen without scrambling through the woods to the right of the creek.
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