My visit to the Real Twin Peaks 2025 event was my eighth trip to Washington since Sept. 2019. Before the event started, I visited a few Twin Peaks film locations in the towns of North Bend and Snoqualmie to take photos. Typically, I like recreating screen accurate shots for the Twin Peaks Locations articles. This time, I was moved by a creative spark to capture landscape photography. I’d like to think the David Lynch’s artistic spirit was guiding me as I looked through my Canon camera lens.
VISITING THE REAL TWIN PEAKS OF SNOQUALMIE VALLEY, WA
After a 23-year hiatus, I started making regular trips to Snoqualmie Valley, Washington in September 2019. Since that return visit, I’ve made eight treks across the United States to the Pacific Northwest to attend various Twin Peaks-themed events and to document numerous film locations. For the visit from Feb. 19-25, 2025, I brought both my Canon EOS R5 and a point-a-shoot 35mm film camera. Photographs from the latter will be shown once I get the film developed.
I upgraded to the R5 in May 2021 after using a Canon 5D Mark II for more than a decade. For the majority of these images in this article, I used my 28-70 F2 L USM lens. The thing is a beast to carry but I love how it can maintain a wide aperture through the focal range. In late December last year, I experimented with taking a number of images at f/2.0 and then stitching them together via Lightroom. The results are very large images which can be cropped and adjusted to various sizes.
Once stitched together, I spent a lazy Sunday playing around in Lightroom with several presets to adjust colors, textures and more. The results are images that make me scream like Jack from LOST – “We have to go back!”
You can find the original high-resolution images on my Flickr account.
Before we begin this journey, I want to acknowledge that I visited the Indigenous Land of Coast Salish peoples who have reserved treaty rights to land in Snoqualmie Valley. I thank the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe (sdukwalbixw) who are caretakers of this land and who have lived and continue living here since time immemorial.
A good place to start this brief tour of the Real Twin Peaks is the “Welcome to Twin Peaks” sign spot located along Reinig Road in Snoqualmie, Washington. Named after the Reinig family, earlier settlers of Snoqualmie Valley in the late 1800s, the spot looks different today than when Twin Peaks was filmed in February and March 1989.
A revetment project to protect Reinig Road from the nearby Snoqualmie River moved the utility lines to the opposite side of the road and cleared trees along the river. The one tree in the middle of this photo is still present today which can help you find the sign spot.
Closer to the town of Snoqualmie, you will find a bridge constructed in 1916 that was part of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific’s Everett Branch (CMStP&P) railroad. In Twin Peaks, this is the bridge that Ronette Pulaski crosses in the pilot.
The railroad track used to cross Reinig Road and terminate at the nearby Snoqualmie Falls Lumber Company. Today, this bridge is part of the 32-mile Snoqualmie Valley Trail.
Speaking of the mill, all that is left of the former Snoqualmie Fall Lumber Company is a smoke stack and a small brick structure of Mill #1. This would have been the view seen in the opening credits of Twin Peaks. Today, the location is home to Dirtfish Rally School.
No visit to the Real Twin Peaks is complete without stopping by Twede’s Cafe in North Bend, Washington. I’m still so happy to see the fan-supported neon “RR” sign that was installed on the vintage roadside sign in August 2023. In distance, you can see a snow-covered Mount Si.
After a slice of cherry pie and damn, fine coffee at Twede’s, I drove out to Olallie State Park. This Washington State Park was used extensively as film locations for both Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me and Twin Peaks: The Return. You need a Discover Pass to visit the park which can be acquired online.
This black-and-white shot features the Snoqualmie River, which was Wind River in David Lynch’s 1992 film. Olallie Point is the mountain in the distance that was Deer Meadow Mountain in the film.
To find the majority of film locations, you need to walk down the 2-mile Weeks Falls Trail. Near the trail’s entrance, you’ll find these trees which were used for multiple scenes in Twin Peaks – Part 17. First, Agent Cooper hides behind the tree on the far right while watching James Hurley and Laura Palmer share a moment in the woods. Next, Laura Palmer is seen climbing over the tree on the far left before meeting Cooper who is standing near the spot where I took this photo.
Across from the Cooper and Laura spot, you will find a clearing surrounded by trees where Jerry Horne has an encounter with his foot in Twin Peaks – Part 9.
Further down the trail is the location for Jack Rabbit’s Palace. This spot has changed since scenes were filmed on October 5, 2015 yet the wooden stump hasn’t completely disintegrated.
Turn to the left and you’ll see a long stretch of Weeks Falls Trail. This is the same trail the Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Department team walks down in Twin Peaks Part 14. To the left is the rushing Snoqualmie River that creates a peaceful background noise in the forest.
Walk down Weeks Falls Trail toward the waterfall and you’ll find spot where Naido is found in Twin Peaks Part 14. I’m continually surprised by the intense green found in the forest, even in winter.
In Twin Peaks Part 17, Mr. C approaches Naido’s spot from a different angle.
Upon leaving Olallie State Park, I returned to Salish Lodge & Spa where I stayed during my February visit. I can never get enough of this view of the 268-foot Snoqualmie Falls.
I grabbed a few additional shots of the falls using my iPhone 14 Pro, which, when shooting in RAW format, can make for some great photographs. This image was captured closer to sunset during my first day in Washington on Feb. 19.
This was the last shot I took of Snoqualmie Falls and the Lodge just before I departed for the airport on Tuesday, Feb. 25. It had rained a lot during my visit which accounts for the intense waterfall when compared to the shot when I arrived. A cold wind was blowing so hard when I recorded video and then took this image.
It was worth every chill as there is nothing quite like being immersed in the Real Twin Peaks.
