A Brief History of the Snoqualmie Wagon Road
By Curt Cunningham

The Snoqualmie Pass Wagon Road, completed in 1867, was the first wagon road to cross Snoqualmie Pass in Washington State, and it played a pivotal role in the early settlement of the Puget Sound region. When American emigrants began arriving in the area in the early 1850s, there was no easy way to reach Puget Sound from the terminus of the Oregon Trail. Settlers had to navigate a long and arduous journey: traveling down the Columbia River to Monticello (near modern-day Longview), then up the Cowlitz River to Cowlitz Landing (near Toledo), and finally following the old Cowlitz Trail to Budd Inlet, where Tumwater and Olympia are now located.

Early Settlements and the Need for a Pass

In the early years, few settlers chose this route, as it was easier and cheaper to settle in the more accessible Willamette Valley south of Portland. However, as the valley filled with settlers, the Puget Sound region became a more attractive destination. By 1853, towns like Olympia, Steilacoom, and Seattle had been established. To facilitate travel and commerce, the U.S. military built the Naches Trail in 1853, the first wagon road over the Cascade Mountains. However, the Naches Trail proved to be a difficult route, with travelers on the eastern side of the pass forced to cross the Naches River nearly 60 times. On the western side, steep grades and deep mud made travel equally treacherous, and the route never became widely used by emigrants.

The Struggle for a Road

During the 1850s, the Puget Sound towns were small, rowdy frontier outposts, populated by sailors, soldiers, and rough frontiersmen. Indians were still living in the region, though their way of life was increasingly threatened by the influx of settlers. Town leaders were eager to bring more settlers from the Oregon Trail to fill their communities, and there was growing demand for a reliable road over the Cascade Mountains. Local newspapers frequently called for better roads to connect the Puget Sound to the east.

In 1854, gold was discovered near Fort Colville in eastern Washington, sparking a rush of miners to the area. Those leaving from Puget Sound initially used the Cedar River Trail, which followed the Cedar River to Rattlesnake Prairie (now Rattlesnake Lake) before crossing Yakima Pass to Lake Keechelus and following the Yakima River eastward. However, the outbreak of the War of 1855 brought travel over the Cascades to a halt, and the trails over the mountains became blocked by fallen trees and debris.

Gold Rushes and the Rise of the Snoqualmie Wagon Road

In 1858, more gold was discovered in Canada and near Wenatchee, leading to another rush of miners. The main route via The Dalles and Walla Walla was nearly 500 miles long and dangerous, as it passed through Yakama territory. The Cedar River Trail over Yakima Pass was a safer route, but it had fallen into disrepair. After clearing the trail for pack trains, hundreds of miners used it to travel east, though it was too narrow for wagons. This rush of people over the mountain led to a renewed call for a Cascade Mountain wagon road.

King County Road No. 7

On October 19, 1861, David Maurer filed a petition for a county road from Squak Prairie in Issaquah to Rangers Prairie near North Bend. The following month, another petition signed by 18 settlers requested a county road from the Black River Bridge in Renton to Squak Prairie. Both petitions were approved, and the county combined them into a single road stretching from Renton to Rangers Prairie. This road was designated as King County Road No. 7. Although it was located and marked the road between Renton and North Bend was not much more than a cattle trail and at times would be blocked by downed trees.

The Wagon Road is Completed

By 1867, the Snoqualmie Wagon Road was completed, connecting North Bend and Easton. The road was narrow and rough, and at first crossed the Snoqualmie River many times before reaching the pass. It was especially tough along the rock cliffs of Lake Keechelus, where many wagons were damaged. The western slope of the pass was also problematic, as the spring snowmelt would bring down dozens of trees, making the road impassable and those who were first to travel over it after the snow had melt had had to clear the way. Due to a lack of funds, the road was difficult to maintain, and it was primarily used by livestock drivers and prospectors.

The Impact of the Railroad and Decline of the Wagon Road

In 1874, the arrival of the railroad to Puget Sound diminished interest in maintaining the Snoqualmie Wagon Road. The railroad provided a faster, more reliable way to transport goods and people, and the enthusiasm for improving the wagon road waned. It wasn't until 1883 that a toll road company was established to improve and maintain the road in exchange for collecting tolls. By 1893, the tolls were abolished, and the road became a free county road.

In 1907, the passage of the State Road Act made the Snoqualmie Wagon Road a state highway, designated as State Road No. 7. In 1913, it was designated as the Sunset Highway, marking the beginning of the road's use as a major transportation route.

Legacy of the Snoqualmie Wagon Road

Although it was eventually superseded by railroads and modern highways, the Snoqualmie Wagon Road was an essential route in the early development of Washington State. It provided one of the first reliable paths over the Cascade Mountains, helping to connect the isolated Puget Sound region with the rest of the country. The route paved the way—literally and figuratively—for future road improvements, including the eventual construction of Interstate 90, which now follows much of the same path.

Today, the history of the Snoqualmie Wagon Road can still be traced in remnants of trails and early roadways, and its significance in opening the Pacific Northwest to settlement and commerce remains a key chapter in the history of Washington State.