SNOQUALMIE FALLS—Forget about Snoqualmie

Falls being just a warm-season destination. It’s cooler and wetter

during the autumn and winter, but often that’s just an invitation

to experience another side of the popular tourist attraction.

Here are 20 reasons — 10 outdoor and 10 indoor — to

visit the Falls and adjacent Salish Lodge during fall and winter.

Outdoor:

1. Water tumbles a spectacular 268 feet — 100 feet

higher than Niagara Falls — year-round.

2. The sight and sound that makes Snoqualmie Falls one

of Washington’s most-visited tourist attractions are the same.

3. While the Falls draws more than 1.2 million visitors per

year, most of them come during the spring and summer. That

makes it easier to park your car.

4. Fewer people means you don’t have to worry about

blocking someone’s view while standing on the observation deck.

5. The Snoqualmie River has its highest volume of water

during the fall and winter. Catch the Falls during a flood and

you’ll be astounded at the thunderous sound.

6. On rare occasions during cold weather, the Falls freezes

_ a truly amazing sight.

7. You can’t get any wetter standing by the base of the

Falls when it’s already raining.

8. The cooler weather makes it harder to overheat

walking back up the half-mile Falls trail.

9. High water is a great time to stand next to the

hydroelectric turbines and feel the power. The turbines can be found

adjacent to the trail, just downstream from the Falls.

10. View the Falls while fishing for winter steelhead.

Here are 10 indoor attractions of the Falls:

1. Look around the historic Salish Lodge & Spa, (425)

888-2556), a four-star luxury hotel. The original structure was

built in 1916 and served as a wayside for automobile travelers

making the time-consuming trip over Snoqualmie Pass

to and from Seattle. It’s been remodeled and expanded into a

66,000-square-foot resort.

2. Warm yourself at one of the lodge’s 99 fireplaces.

3. Eat at the Salish dining room, a AAA

Four-Diamond award winner, which has spectacular views of the Falls and

is known as a romantic getaway.

4. Order a bottle of wine from the Salish’s extensive

cellar, which has more than 5,000 bottles, the largest collection

in the state.

5. Don’t miss the famed five-course country breakfast, a

staple at the dining room since 1916. It’s offered daily, with

expanded hours on Sundays.

6. For drinks or more casual dining, visit the Attic on

the lodge’s fourth floor. Warm yourself with an Irish coffee or

other drinks, or a light meal, while enjoying the view of the Falls.

A renovation of the Attic was due to be completed in mid-October.

7. Stay in one of the hotel’s 87 rooms, each of which has

a wood-burning fireplace, goose-down comforters and an

oversized whirlpool tub. All suites have views of the Falls.

The lodge was recently named one of the 500 best places to stay in

the world by Condé Nast Traveler magazine. Seasonal

packages are available.

8. Spoil yourself with a massage, body wrap or other

treatment in the Salish’s full-service, 4,000-square-foot spa.

Advanced registration is required.

9. Looking for the right gift or specialty item? Try either

the Country Store in the lodge or the Falls Gift Shop in the park,

especially for leather products, designer clothing or seasonal gifts.

10. Hotel guests can read a book by the fireplace or enjoy

afternoon teas in the Salish’s library, which has

turn-of-the-century landscape photographs by Asahel Curtis.

Indoors or out, the Falls means fun