[cascadeclimber]

Have a relative visiting from out of town looking for an easy, scenic solo hike. She likes the look of Wallace Falls and asked me about safety. I've never been there and no nothing about it. I know the Mountain Loop Highway stuff has gotten sketchy...can anyone comment about Wallace Falls?

TIA

[lookout bob]

Cascadeclimber.....I've done  a lot of work on the trails at Wallace Falls and can reassure you that it's a great place for a hike.  It will not be a 'wilderness' experience as it's a very popular set of trails. The hike to lower, middle and upper Wallace Falls is a couple of miles of joy with beautiful forest and greet waterfalls.  If one wants to 'get away from the madding crowds', the hike up to Wallace Lake and the use of the Greg Ball trail has far less people and while a bit more difficult, is lovely and a great walk. I think it would be a fine and safe experience for your relative.  

[Malachai Constant]

Perfectly safe so long as you do not climb over protective fences.

[Nancyann]

I hike there solo all winter long since I live nearby and I have never had a problem. The parking lot is very safe as the park ranger lives close by. Make sure she has the ten essentials though. I see so many people who are only carrying a water bottle and just wearing shorts and a tee shirt. It can get cold up by the falls and it gets dark early because it’s in a canyon. I have seen so many people hiking out in the dark without a headlamp and freezing their *ss off!

[SpookyKite89]

I hike the Mountain Loop Highway trails solo and often and have only had one "sketchy" incident on the pinnacle lake trail in 2016. I feel more sketched out near tiger mountain or the popular i90 trail heads.

But yes, Wallace Falls is safe.

[cascadeclimber]

Thank you all.

To be clear, I was inquiring about sketchy humans, not sketchy conditions. Seems like neither is an issue here.

[SpookyKite89]

I knew you were implying sketchy humans. I was saying it isn't sketchier than any other areas. The Mountain Loop gets a bad rap and I am there often and have only ever experienced one issue there. It isn't some cesspool, it is just as bad as every other wilderness area adjacent to humans.

[Anne Elk]

There's always the day hikes around Mt. Baker.  She could spend a night at a cheap(er) motel in Bellingham for a super-early start up the Mt. Baker Hwy.  Lots of choices and views. Less crowded that places off I-90 or even the Mt. Loop.  On a weekday.