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Silver Falls Interpretive Trail

A short, easy loop through the forest near Silver Falls Campground with interpretive signs explaining the ecology and geology of the Entiat Valley. A good option for families with young kids or anyone wanting a peacef…

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Plan This Trip

At a Glance

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Distance

1 mile, roundtrip

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Elevation Gain

40 ft

landscape

High Point

2,380 ft

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Activity

Hike

Best For

Kid FriendlyNorthwest Forest Pass

Photo Highlights · October 2024

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Plan This Trip

Why Go

The Silver Falls Interpretive Trail is tucked away in the Silver Falls Campground in the Entiat Valley, and provides for an easy, family-friendly 1 mile hike along the Entiat River, with numerous interpretive signs interpretive signs provide insights into the area's natural history, geology, and the local ecosystem, enriching the hiking experience with some added educational value. The trail consists of a half mile loop, with another section of the trail branching off at the end of the loop and continuing south along the river for a quarter mile. The trail is in great shape, with a mix of pavement and graded gravel for the entirety of the hike. The trail is located within the first (southern) entrance to the campground, at the end of the loop (there is a bathroom located next to the trail). Parking at the Silver Falls trailhead and walking through the campground to the trail will add a little less than a half mile each way to the hike.

Plan Carefully

Know Before
You Go

local_parking
No parking at the trailhead itself—use the Silver Falls Trailhead lot (29.4 miles north of Entiat on Forest Service Road 5100) and walk through the campground; Northwest Forest Pass or $5 daily fee required.
hiking
The easy 1-mile round trip is perfect for families with young kids—mostly flat with only 40 feet of elevation gain and interpretive signs throughout.
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From the parking area, walk north a few hundred feet to enter Silver Falls Campground and follow signs to the actual trail start.
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Stay close to the Entiat River for the entire hike; the trail hugs the water with safe, established paths suitable for all ages.
info
Interpretive signage covers local geology, natural history, and ecosystem details—worth reading to make the short hike educational and engaging.

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Plan This Trip

Route & Map

Plan This Trip

Getting There

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Directions

From Entiat, drive north on the Entiat River Road for 29.4 miles (Entiat River Road turns into Forest Service Road 5100 4.5 miles before the trailhead) and the parking lot will be on your left. Head north a few hundred feet from the parking lot to enter the Silver Falls campground, and proceed to the end of the loop to find the start of the trail (roughly a half mile).

local_parking

Parking

There is no parking available at the start of the trail within the campground. If you are not staying at the campground, plan on parking at the Silver Falls Trailhead (Northwest Forest Pass or $5 daily fee required) and walking through the campground to access the trail. Note, this section of the road is not plowed during the winter.

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Field Notes · Personal Trip Report

River Walk After Camp

After a soccer game and a longer hike earlier in the day, I convinced my reluctant 9-year-old to join us for a quick stroll by bribing him with campfire s'mores, and he discovered the easy riverside loop was short enough to actually enjoy before dinner.

calendar_today October 19, 2024

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With a soccer game in the morning and 3 mile hike up the Lower Mad River trail around lunchtime, I wasn't sure my wife and I could convince our 9 year old son to check out the Silver Falls Interpretive Trail after we had finished setting up our campsite. But I promised we would get a fire going once we got back, with dinner and smores to follow, and he reluctantly agreed.

The start of the hike was a couple of hundred feet away, and we started down the path. I had read about the Interpretive Trail, but couldn't recall any details, such as how long it was. While there was a sign for the trail at the start, it had no information. I was guessing the trail would probably be on the shorter side, and fortunately was right.

Start of the hike

The trail begins as a loop, and we opted to hike along the river going counter-clockwise, as we weren't sure we would do the entire trail. In hindsight, I would probably go clockwise and save the walk along the river for the second half. This section of the trail was well maintained with a wide gravel path that paralleled the river. While the weather had deteriorated since the morning, at least it wasn't raining.

Interpretive sign along the trail

Hiking along the trail, we had some nice views of the river. It looked like there might have been some wooden viewing platform on the riverbank at one point, as we saw a bunch of pressure treated lumber stacked up. While it's a nice stroll along the river, it wasn't as cool as the hike along the Mad River we had just done.

The trail along the Entiat River

We read the signs along the way, with lots of information about the surrounding ecosystem. There were some benches in various spots, and it certainly would be a nice place to rest and enjoy the sights and sounds of the river on a nice summer day. The trail forked, which turned out to be the continuation of the loop, but we kept walking along the river, eventually reaching a sign which marked the end of the trail.

End of the trail

We followed the path back and turned right to continue along the loop. This section of the trail was paved as it proceeded through the forest, with more interpretive signs sprinkled along the trail. We thought we felt a couple of raindrops along the way, but thankfully no rain ever materialized as we finished up the hike.

Towards the end of our hike

Back at the campsite, we got the fire going and enjoyed the rest of the night. It's a nice hike, one I would certainly recommend if staying at the campground. However, it's not a hike I would target if I was just coming for the day, as parking is a bit far away, and the nearby Silver Falls trail is definitely a lot more impressive.