Middle Fork Snoqualmie Road to be Open over Labor Day Weekend

Over Labor Day weekend, the Middle Fork Snoqualmie Road will be open to the public from Thursday Sept. 3 at 6:00 p.m. to Tuesday Sept. 7 at 6 a.m.

Typically, the popular road is closed during the week due to a paving project that began last summer and is scheduled to be completed in late August of next year.

But with the long weekend ahead, the Department of Natural Resources (which is managing the project) has elected to open the road to the public at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday in order to let folks get a little extra time in this popular corridor. The road will close on Tuesday morning at 6:00 a.m.

So many trails and a little extra time

If you're looking for a way to get outdoors near Seattle during Labor Day weekend, many trailheads line the Middle Fork Snoqualmie Road. These include the extremely popular Mailbox Peak, as well as the less well-known Granite Lakes Trail nearby.

Further down the road is the Middle Fork Snoqualmie Trail and the Pratt River Trail.  Nearby is the Middle Fork Snoqualmie campground, but it has been closed during the paving project and will not open to the public for Labor Day weekend.

Just past the campground, a right-hand turn onto the Dingford Road leads to trailheads for Myrtle or Hester Lake, as well as Goldmyer Hot Springs. Note that the Dingford Road is quite rough and a high-clearance vehicle is needed to access these trails, and Goldmyer Hot Springs requires reservations to take advantage of the waters. However, both of these destinations are worth the effort it takes to get there.

Finally, at the end of the Middle Fork Snoqualmie Road lies a trail leading to Otter Falls, Big Creek Falls, or Snoqualmie Lake, depending on how far you'd like to hike.

There's something for hikers of all abilities along the Middle Fork -- take advantage of the extra-long opening and see the lush beauty tucked in the forest behind the city of North Bend this weekend.