Wallace Falls State Park is located approximately 30 miles east of Everett and 2 miles northeast of Gold Bar off U.S. Highway 2 in eastern Snohomish County.

Acreage

1,422.21 acres with 6,300 feet of freshwater shoreline on the Wallace River and Wallace Lake. Additional property in the Jay Lake area acquired in 1993.

Acquired

The park was acquired in five parcels primarily from DNR and Weyerhaeuser Company; the first in 1971 and the last in 1991, for a total cost of $4,004,000.

Historical Background

The name "Wallace", after which the falls, river, lake and mountain are named, is Indian in origin named after Sarah "Kwayaylsh". Joe and Sarah "Kwayaylsh", members of the Skykomish Indian Tribe, homesteaded near the present town of Startup (which was also named Wallace until 1901). Gold Bar, the nearest town to the park, was named after the gravel bars in the Skykomish River, on which the Chinese railroad workers used to pan for gold. Railroad, logging, mining, and lumbering all dominated the early economy.

Facilities

Comfort station, trail-side picnic shelter, campground picnic shelter, 6 walk-in tent sites, approximately 5.5 miles of trail with scenic vistas, 56-car parking lot, shop building, mobile home, and 2 sheds. The trail system was built from 1975 to 1979 by YDD, YDCC, and YACC work crews. No facilities are available at Wallace Lake; it is being held for future development.

Activities

Hiking, nature study, tent camping, picnicking, jogging, freshwater fishing, berry picking, mushrooming, and mountain biking.