WTA Hiking Guide
September 2009 Update: Select content from the Mountaineers Books'
"Day Hiking" series comprising titles covering six regions in
Washington is now incorporated into the Hiking Guide. Sales of the
full books from this website, which include maps, elevation
profiles, photos and more, benefit WTA and help protect and
maintain our trails.
Search for a hike...
Locate hike descriptions and trip reports for more than 2500 hikes in Washington. Because the search features are new, use hike name or region for most comprehensive results. And please consider adding missing descriptions and hike data to the Hiking Guide to help make this the most useful online resource for hiking in Washington!
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No need to head all the way to the Pacific if it's a good beach hike you seek. One of Washington's best saltwater strolls is along its "north coast, "the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Actually, this hike heads directly into the strait on the longest coastal spit in the continental United States. A narrow strip of sand, dune, and beached logs, the Dungeness Spit protrudes over 5 miles straight into the strait. Prone to breaching during storms, the spit is also resilient and well-established-and well-hiked and loved by those who explore it.
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Hike to an emerald lake in a subalpine setting. The trip is long, but the terrain is welcoming and the surroundings peaceful. Miles of magnificent old growth shade the way. Come in midsummer and enjoy a swim. Visit in late summer and reap a bounty of succulent huckleberries. Make the trip on a chilly autumn day and look forward to a hot-springs soak on the way out.
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With all due respect to the Bard, what's in a mountain? That which we call Mount Rose by any other name would still be as steep. This is a challenging hike-one of the steepest trails in the Olympics. Great for conditioning, Rose offers a few scenic rewards too, from beautiful high-elevation old-growth forests to a knockout view of Lake Cushman from 3500 feet directly above it. Consider Rose an alternative to Mount Ellinor. When half of Olympia is crowding Ellinor's summit like goats at a salt lick, you just might be savoring the sweet offerings of Rose all by yourself.
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Hikers from around the globe find their way to the Hoh rain forest. After all, it is world famous. But if your idea of experiencing the Olympic rain forest is sans bucketloads of people, cast your attention to the Hoh's little known South Fork. Local fly fishermen are familiar with this wild and lonely valley, but most hikers aren't. Getting to the trailhead can be confusing, but the hike is easy and not very long. The payoff is solitude.
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A great loop any time of year: explore quiet maritime forest and the bird-saturated Willapa Bay shoreline on the wild northern tip of the Long Beach Peninsula. Chances are good that you'll sight bear, deer, or otter along the way.
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Leisurely hike to a quiet backcountry
lake ringed with grassy meadows and big trees, or break a sweat to the Little Divide, the loneliest outpost in the Sol Duc country. Lacking the panoramic vistas that the High Divide is notorious for, Little Divide trades views for solitude. You're far more likely to encounter deer, elk, and bear than fellow hikers in this neck of the Sol Duc.
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An easy all-day hike along a roaring wild waterway embraced by coniferous giants, or a very long all-day hike to a pair of subalpine lakes in the shadows of the jagged Sawtooth Range. Neither hike is particularly difficult; they just require endurance and some good aerobic conditioning because of their lengths. No matter your destination, though, you'll have plenty of company. The North Fork Skokomish River valley has been attracting legions of hikers ever since Lieutenant O'Neil and his boys passed this way shortly after Washington became a state.
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The Bogachiel River snakes through Washington's forgotten rain forest. No main roads run along this major Olympic river, nor penetrate its wild valley. There are no visitors centers here either. No interpretive trails or developed campgrounds amid the towering spruce and fir. There's nothing fancy here at all-just a quiet backcountry trail through pure rainforest wilderness.
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Rivers, Old growth, Established campsites
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A short .5 mile hike, taking you to the top of Blue Mountain. Views of the Cascades, Vancouver Island/Strait of Juan De Fuca, Gray wolf Ridge, and so much more
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Wildflowers/Meadows, Mountain views, Summits
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The Big Quilcene Trail to Marmot Pass is one of the most popular trails in the Olympic National Forest. What many hikers don't realize is that it was once twice as long. The road delivering them to the trailhead severed it in two. Good news, though, the entire trail still exists, the eastern 6 miles now known as the Lower Big Quilcene Trail. And although not in the Buckhorn Wilderness, it's still quite wild in places. Much of the route runs through a rugged canyon cloaked in primeval forest. And while past logging has eaten away at the periphery, plenty of ancient groves grace the way.
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An Olympic classic-bag this peak for one of the most supreme views this side of Hood Canal. From the jagged summit peer deep into the heart of the Olympic wilderness or out across Lake Cushman and Puget Sound to the Cascades spanning the eastern horizon. All of this comes at a price, however-the trail to Ellinor is steep and tough.
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Old growth, Wildflowers/Meadows, Mountain views, Summits, Wildlife, Ridges/passes
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With spectacular groves of old-growth forest, meadows teeming with wildlife, and views of rugged surrounding peaks, the West Fork Humptulips River bottom is one of the most varied of the rainforest valleys. Devoid of visitors and traversing the edge of one of the largest roadless areas in the Olympic National Forest, this hike offers a true wilderness experience. The river must be forded eight times, but if amphibious adventuring is not for you, 1.5 miles of dry trail (and kid-friendly hiking) can be enjoyed year-round from the northern terminus of this hike at the Campbell Tree Grove.
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Upper South Fork Skokomish River
(3 votes)
Olympics -- South
Upper South Fork Skokomish River (#873.1)
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Venture up a valley as wild as any in the adjacent national park. Marvel at the sheer height, girth, and biomass of some of the biggest trees you'll ever lay eyes on. Watch in awe as the churning, tumbling Upper South Fork Skokomish crashes and squeezes through a narrow box canyon. And while the Upper South Fork lacks federal wilderness protection, this area is nothing but pure Olympic wilderness.
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Duckabush River
(6 votes)
Olympics -- East
(Olympic Nation Forest, Hood Canal Ranger District, 360-765-2200)
Duckabush River (#803)
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Explore one of the quieter Olympic Peninsula river valleys. Quiet, that is, if you don't count the Duckabush River's constant belching, crashing, and churning as it tumbles over giant boulders and squeezes through narrow rocky clefts.
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Rivers, Wildflowers/Meadows, Mountain views, Wildlife
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Shi Shi Beach and Point of the Arches
(20 votes)
Olympics -- Coast
(Olympic National Park; Makah Nation)
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Revered through the ages, Shi Shi Beach has its share of disciples, from First Peoples to first-time visitors, naturalists, bird-watchers, hard-core hikers, beach bums, conservationists, politicians, and just plain ordinary folk. And Northwest hikers have consistently rated Shi Shi as one of the region's most beautiful beaches. Though this natural gem's history has had a few blemishes, including access issues, thankfully many of those problems have been washed out to sea.
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Coast, Rivers, Established campsites
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This wooded walk enters a lush ravine lined with remnant old-growth and gives way to an isolated beach with views of, Protection Island.
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Coast
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The Sol Duc River may be a happening place with its hot springs resort, riverside campgrounds, and miles of popular trails, but not so for the North Fork. Here you're likely to run into only elk and deer. Is the trail rough? Hardly. It's one of the most enjoyable riverside trails on the peninsula. It's just that it really doesn't go anywhere-no peak, no lake. And in today's goal-oriented society, these types of trails are overlooked. But if it's miles of solitude you're seeking, and peace of mind that only wilderness can instill, this is your trail.
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Three beautiful backcountry lakes tucked in a hidden valley surrounded by craggy summits await at the end of this arduous hike. A boot-beaten path that leaves you beat, the Mildred Lakes Trail was forged by tenacious fishermen and masochistic hikers. An entanglement of roots, slippery rocks, and an up-and-down course that defies logic, this hike is about the destination, not the journey. But boy is the fishing good; that's what lures most visitors to these aquatic gems.
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Marmot Pass
(14 votes)
Olympics -- East
(Olympic National Forest / Quilcene Ranger District)
Big Quilcene River (#833.1), Marmot Pass (#)
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If for some terrible reason you are only
allowed one hike in the Olympics in your lifetime, this should be it. The trail to Marmot Pass captures the very essence of what makes the Olympics so special, and
so darned pretty. Towering old growth, a
tumbling pristine river, resplendent alpine
meadows, and horizon-spanning views that include majestic snow-clad craggy spires-they're all part of this amazing hike. And it gets even better-being in the Olympic rain shadow, Marmot Pass is often kissed with sunbeams while nearby ridges swirl with clouds.
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Rivers, Old growth, Wildflowers/Meadows, Mountain views, Wildlife, Ridges/passes, Established campsites
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A hike along the mighty Elwha River is a trip into the very heart of the Olympic Peninsula. From its remote point of origin on the rugged southern slopes of Mount Barnes, practically at the exact center of the national park, the Elwha flows 45 miles to the Strait of Juan de Fuca, draining over 300 square miles of surrounding wilderness and passing through one of the largest tracts of old growth left in America. But you don't need to travel far to experience this historic and wildlife-rich river valley. The hike to Lillian River, one of the Elwha's major tributaries, will suffice.
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From a historic ranger station, travel back into the early days of the Olympic National Forest. Then amble under moss-draped trees to an isolated gurgling fishing hole on the Duckabush River.
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Retrace a packer's trail to a mine dating from the 1890s. Peer into dark forbidding shafts and saunter past relics left over from boomtown settlements that went bust. But the real find is the miles of wildflower-studded meadows beyond the mine. Rhododendrons too-traverse a jungle of them on the trail's lower reaches.
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Lakes
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Mount Townsend
(11 votes)
Olympics -- East
(Olympic National Forest, Hood Canal Ranger District)
Mount Townsend (#839)
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One of the most hiked summits in the Olympics, and it's easy to see why this peak is so popular. Easy access, a long hiking season, and unparalleled views of Puget Sound and the eastern half of the Olympics give Mount Townsend quite an edge. Of the three trails leading to its summit, Trail No. 839 is the route most taken. It's not the shortest way, but it offers incredible biological diversity and one of the best built and maintained trails in the Buckhorn Wilderness.
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Old growth, Wildflowers/Meadows, Mountain views, Summits
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Big trees, a narrow canyon, and a little taste of the Enchanted Valley Trail, a 19-mile path deep into the Olympic interior. Explore the same primeval rainforest valley that explorers of the 1890 O'Neil Expedition set out across. Witness a wilderness not unlike the one those intrepid souls experienced. Come here in the heart of winter and find yourself among one of the largest elk herds in America.
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Rivers, Old growth, Wildlife
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A long, bone-dry, and at times steep trek to a former lookout site atop Mount Jupiter, where you'll be treated to sweeping views of the Olympic eastern front, Puget Sound, Mount Rainier, and other Cascade peaks of prominence. Situated between Mount Constance and The Brothers, Jupiter also gives an eagle's-eye perspective of the Duckabush and Dosewallips Valleys, two of the Olympics' great green portals into its hinterlands. Pack plenty of water, and if the summit seems a bit out of reach, there are plenty of views to be had on bumps and knolls along the way.
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The most famous of all the Olympic
rain forests, the Hoh is one of the busiest places in Olympic National Park. A visitors center and a couple of well-groomed nature trails attract bus loads of admirers from Seattle to Seoul, Boston to Berlin. And its not just camera-toting tourists that invade this valley; pan-toting backpackers and caribiner-clanking climbers flock here too. The Hoh River Trail also provides access to Mount Olympus and the High Divide. But who can blame all of these people for coming here? The Hoh rain forest truly is one of the world's most spectacular places.
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Rivers, Old growth
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An easy hike to one of the Olympic Coast's famed wilderness beaches. Walk the wide sandy beach to the foot of a waterfall tumbling from a towering bluff right into the crashing surf. Feeling more energetic? Leave the crowds behind by grunting over Taylor Point to a secluded beach flanked by steep sea stacks and flower pot islands.
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Coast, Waterfalls, Old growth, Wildlife
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In the shadows of Mount Ellinor, enjoy this circuitous route around the Big Creek drainage. There are plenty of pretty resting and contemplation spots along the way. Plenty of cascades too, along Big Creek and the smaller creeks feeding into it.
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