During my visit to Olallie State Park in mid-September 2019, I visited many Twin Peaks film locations. Most scenes were shot along Weeks Falls trail, a spectacular tree-lined, dirt trail that ends at a beautiful waterfall. At the beginning this trail, you’ll find the iconic location from Season 3 where Agent Cooper meets Laura Palmer following an intense encounter with James Hurley.
WHERE DOES AGENT COOPER MEET LAURA PALMER IN THE WOODS?
Olallie State Park is located a short distance down I-90 from North Bend, Washington. Located at 51350 S.E. Homestead Valley Road, this park is part of the Washington State Parks division which means you’ll need a Discover Pass to explore the area. I had first visited the park on September 16 with my fellow Bookhouse Gal Jill Watson. I returned on September 17, my birthday, to spend a day exploring this wonderland from 7:00 a.m. to 5:35 p.m.
The location in question is found at the following coordinates: 47°26’10.3″N 121°39’14.2″W.
Luckily, I ran into David Israel that morning who runs Twin Peaks Tour, a guided tour through many of the locations throughout the Pacific Northwest. He pointed out this location as he started his walk down the trail. I spent the next 90 minutes (!!) immersed in this location.
AGENT COOPER MEETS LAURA PALMER IN PART 17
This scene was shot on October 12, 2015, the final day of location shooting in Washington state. To find the spot, you need to enter Weeks Falls Trail, walk about 25-30 feet and look to the right.
The scene opens with Laura Palmer stumbling through the woods. She stops for a moment to sit on a fallen tree.
The shot is captured from Weeks Falls Trail looking down into an area with some fallen trees. Laura enters the scene from behind the giant tree on the left. The crew added some light behind her to give depth to the scene.
The spot where the camera is located was where Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee) and “James Hurley” (a body double, not James Marshall) were standing when Agent Cooper watches their exchange in the woods. The crew literally turned the cameras around to give the appearance it was a new location. The tree Cooper hides behind is seen at the far, back right side of the image.
When I visited in January 2020, the area was underwater due to the constant rain (it rained for five days straight when I was in town).
LAURA PALMER SEES AGENT COOPER
Laura continues on her walk in the woods by climbing over the protruding branch.
You can see details of the tree behind her that appear to match the tree on the right side of the image above.
Here is a similar shot from my rain-drenched visit to Olallie State Park in January 2020.
The area is almost unrecognizable as seen after a wintertime snowfall in February 2024.
Laura walks slowly toward the camera in the darkened woods.
Cooper is now standing on Weeks Falls Trail as Laura approaches him. The trees behind him appear to match the trees from the other side of the trail. The parking lot is to the left of Cooper.
Laura walks up the hill toward Cooper, who is barely seen in the frame. Cooper’s tree is to the far right of the location image above.
Agent Cooper stretches out his hand toward Laura.
I recreated the shot which took a few attempts. Seriously, this was the best way to celebrate a birthday. Have I mentioned how much I love my Volition Brewing Co. shirt that has a silhouette of Mount Si in North Bend?
LAURA PALMER TAKES AGENT COOPER’S HAND
As Laura Palmer takes Cooper’s hand, the scene changes from black and white (dream state?) to full color (reality?).
The scene cuts to Laura’s wrapped-in-plastic body disappearing from the shore of Blue Pine Lodge.
Cutting back tot the woods, Agent Cooper tells Laura they are going “home,” and she follows.
As Laura and Cooper leave, the camera pans up toward the giant trees of Olallie State Park.
The scene cuts to the Pilot Episode where Pete Martell goes fishing instead of finding Laura’s body, followed by Sarah Palmer smashing Laura’s homecoming queen photo.
VIDEO FROM OLALLIE STATE PARK
I’ll conclude with a short video of these film locations I captured on September 17 in the rain. Just hum “The World Spins” when watching it.
“Moving near the edge at night. Dust is dancing in the space…“
