Boulder Garden Loop

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Region: Central Cascades and Snoqualmie

Roundtrip Miles: 2.5 miles

Elevation Gain (feet): 800

Best Month(s): late October

Hikeable: year-round

Trailhead Coordinates:  47.486733, -121.753395

Pass: Discover

Features: wildlife, fall foliage, mountain views

Water: no potable water

Time: Plan on spending about 1.5 hours hiking. You could do it in 1 hour, but then you’d miss all the amazing boulder photo opportunities!

Summary: This hike is such a hidden gem. While everyone else at the shared trailhead is heading up Little Si, slip off the main trail to the Boulder Garden Loop for a fantastic short but rewarding hike. If you take the first connector to the Loop, you’ll go counter-clockwise and get some big boulder rewards really quickly. However, I prefer to take the second connector and go clockwise because this way I climb up the steepest section of the trail. My knees don’t like steep downhill sections. It take a little bit longer to reach the boulders, but once you do it’s spectacular. They are literally the size of houses. While it’s a short hike, the elevation gain guarantees you’ll still get a bit of a workout. Seriously, don’t rush through this hike. Take some time and hang out in the midst of these giants to get some perspective and calm.

Post-hike Food Stop:

  1. Snoqualmie Falls Brewery* (Snoqualmie): large outdoor dog-friendly dining open in summer with lots of adult beverage options and enough menu options that everyone should be able to find something to eat
  2. The Bindlestick* (Snoqualmie): the outdoor dog-friendly patio here is huge with lots of large picnic tables; the food selection is limited to salads and sandwiches but they also have beer and cider
  3. Infusion Bar and Grill* (Snoqualmie): if you go during happy hour (3-6pm daily), order the BBQ pork or salmon sliders; lunch or dinner, order the infusion jambalaya or dungeness crab fettuccine; patio may not always be open
  4. Rio Bravo* (North Bend): really delicious Mexican food in a tiny location. The enchiladas are especially good.
  5. NOT DOG FRIENDLY – Huxdotter Coffee (North Bend): this place stocks fresh goodies from several local businesses including donuts from North Bend Bakery and pastries from Macrina Bakery. Yummy!
  6. NOT DOG FRIENDLY – The North Bend Bakery (North Bend): delicious pastries, donuts, pies, and cookies. Grab some to-go in the morning and enjoy a yummy trail snack later!

Other Snoqualmie Attractions:

  • Snoqualmie Falls
  • Northwest Railway Museum
  • Rain Drum Courtyard at Cedar River Watershed Visitors Center in North Bend

Note: The restaurants and breweries denoted with * are potentially dog-friendly for their outdoor seating. Their patio dining may only be open during summer, however. You should always check with each restaurant to see if outdoor space has a separate entrance and if they are willing to accommodate well-behaved dogs. I would never assume just because a place has allowed dogs in the past that this is still the case.