North Bend, WA

North Bend, WA

The Snoqualmie Indian Tribe has resided in the Snoqualmie Prairie, including the area now known as North Bend, for thousands of years. This land has been used for hunting, foraging, and building homes. The upper valley is the home to a herd of a few hundred elk. The area also features an impressive design of paths and trails used for hiking and biking, including the most famous and popular hike in Washington State, the 8-mile long Mount Si Trail. There are nearly 7,000 people currently living in North Bend in over 2,000 households. The city lies in the Snoqualmie Valley School District which has six elementary schools, two middle schools, one comprehensive high school, and one alternative school.

Snoqualmie Valley Museum

The Snoqualmie Valley Historical Museum has been operating for nearly 50 years and came into being as the result of the work of one woman, Ada Snyder Hill. She moved to the valley in 1910 to teach in the schools and ended up collecting historic items throughout her time there. These items went on to help make up the exhibit Ada created in 1939 for the celebration of the platting of North Bend. The collection has grown significantly and currently includes artifacts such as the ledger from the Meadowbrook Hotel, William Taylor's hat and gun, and the Fall City Study Club scrapbooks.

Tollgate Farm Park

This 410-acre historic farm is a favorite among both locals and visitors with gorgeous views of the Cascade Mountain Range, walking trails sprinkled with information about the area’s rich history, children’s playgrounds, and large open fields. Depending on the season, you may also see cattle grazing in the nearby pasturelands.

Twede’s Café

The building was built in 1941 and is still owned today by members of the original family. This sturdy business survived through World War II and the Great Depression and was known as Thompson’s Café. In the 1950’s, the business changed hands and became known as the Mar-T Cafe, continuing to be a regular stop for mountain pass travelers and locals. Today the cafe is known as Twede’s Café and is now part of “Historic Downtown North Bend”.

In 1990, a filmmaker stumbled upon this beautiful town and decided to film his new television show here. Much of the show was filmed at Snoqualmie Falls and this very café! The now well-known show, Twin Peaks, has made Twede’s Café famous and has immortalized the restaurant’s cherry pie and coffee.