State Park Hikes

With more than one hundred state parks, Washington has one of the largest state park systems in the country. It's also one of the finest, encompassing a head-spinning variety of wildlife, plant-life and landscapes.

Camano Island State Park. Photo by Alan Bauer.

In 2009, we almost lost many of the very best state parks to severe budget cuts. Only a last minute effort that added an optional $5 fee to vehicle license tabs saved the parks. But this system has not yet brought in the expected funds, and coupled with a huge state budget deficit, parks faced closure again in 2011 without a new dedicated source of funds.

Enter the Discover Pass. In April 2011, the Washington legislature recently passed a bill that would create a new user pass for visitors to Washington's State Parks, Department of Natural Resources lands and Fish and Wildlife lands. Starting July 1, 2011, it will cost $10 daily or $30 annually to visit these state parks. To find out the right pass for you, read our Recreation Pass Info page.

You know what else you should do? Visit your state parks. Own them. Love them. It's pretty easy to do. Nearly every state park offers some hiking, and many feature miles of trails that are often overlooked by hikers who have their sights set on mountains or who feel that state parks are overrun by hordes of campers.

But here's the secret: nine months out of the year there is nary a soul in the campgrounds, and state park trails are generally open year-round for hiking. In fact, winter, spring and fall are the best time to visit many of these locations. You'll see plenty of wildlife while having the trails virtually to yourself.

WTA has compiled a list of trails in eleven state parks that you may not have heard about. There's something for everyone here and all can be hiked year-round. Why not try a few of them out this spring? Be sure to click on the links for more information, including driving directions.

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A hiker walks under towering fir at Rockport State Park. Photo by Kim Brown.

Rockport State Park

North Cascades

This is a park for appreciating the very big (towering cedar and fir) and the very small (tiny forest creatures, moss). It is a study in old growth. The main trail is the 3-mile Evergreen Loop, but there is a wheelchair accessible trail as well.

Featured in Day Hiking North Cascades by Craig Romano (Mountaineers Books).

Camano Island State Park

Puget Sound Islands

Wonderful trails, coastal bluffs, bald eagles, Puget Sound views - and you don't need a ferry to get there. Welcome to Camano Island State Park where the 3.5 mile Marsh Trail gives you a taste of it all. Want to stay the night? Book one of the popular-for-a-reason Cama Beach Cabins early!

Featured in Day Hiking Central Cascades by Craig Romano & Alan Bauer (Mountaineers Books).

Iron Horse State Park

Snoqualmie Pass

More than 100 miles long, Iron Horse State Park follows an abandoned railbed from Cedar Falls (near North Bend), under Snoqualmie Pass and all the way to the Columbia River. The Tunnel section is unsafe for hikers and bikers during winter, but the lower elevation trail is a great choice all year round. Another treat: the Washington Creek section of the trail is far less peopled than nearby Twin Falls or Rattlesnake Ledges and it's quite close to Seattle.

Dosewallips River State Park. Photo copyright Craig Romano.

Featured in Day Hiking Snoqualmie Pass by Dan Nelson & Alan Bauer (Mountaineers Books).

Dosewallips State Park

Olympic Peninsula - East

Go hiking and shellfish hunting on the same day! This state park at the mouth of the Dosewallips River near Brinnon has great family camping, beaches, birding and hiking. In winter, you may even get a good glimpse of elk; fall offers the chance to hunt for chantrelles. The 3.5 mile Steam Donkey Trail loops through the forest, along creeks and the Dosewallips River. If you're driving on the east side of Highway 101, this park is definitely worth a stop.

Featured in Day Hiking Olympic Peninsula by Craig Romano (Mountaineers Books).

Millersylvania State Park

South of Olympia

Need a great place to stretch your legs as you drive between Seattle and Portland? This is the park for you. Eight miles of hiking trails zigzag around Millersylvania State Park - you can make your own loop through the peaceful forest, across wetlands and along Deep Lake. And outside of summer, this place is virtually deserted.  

Featured in Winter Hikes of Western Washington by Craig Romano (Mountaineers Books).

Griffiths-Priday State Park. Photo copyright by Craig Romano.

Griffiths-Priday State Park

Pacific Coast

A secret gem along the Washington coast! A three-quarter mile trail from the parking lot traverses gorgeous grassy dunes and deposits you on the untrammeled Copalis River Spit, a protected beach that extends northward for another mile or so. This is a place free from vehicles and the madness of Ocean Shores to the south.  

Featured in Day Hiking Olympic Peninsula by Craig Romano (Mountaineers Books).

Leadbetter Point State Park

Pacific Coast

Further south, on the quiet tip of the Long Beach Peninsula, is lovely and wild Leadbetter Point State Park. It's at the end of the road, with the Willapa National Wildlife Refuge bordering it to the north. Summer visitors can hike the more than 10 miles roundtrip to Leadbetter Point, but this area is prone to winter flooding and is closed seasonally for snowy plovers. The Dune Forest Loop is an excellent choice year-round, and a great way to experience the bay and coastal forest ecosystems.

Wildlfowers and views to Mt. Hood at Columbia Hills State Park. Photo copyright Alan Bauer.

Featured in Day Hiking Olympic Peninsula by Craig Romano (Mountaineers Books).

Columbia Hills State Park

Columbia Gorge - East

Also called Horsethief Lake State Park and Dalles Mountain Ranch, this park on the eastern edge of the Columbia River Gorge near The Dalles is a fabulous springtime destination. Every April and May, the meadows erupt in a riot of wildflowers. How nice is it? Guidebook author and photographer Alan Bauer says that "Words don't express my joy for this region." And he's seen a few beautiful places. There are several hiking options in the park. Our website features the trail to Dalles Mountain.

Featured in Day Hiking South Cascades by Dan Nelson & Alan Bauer (Mountaineers Books).

Wenatchee Confluence State Park

Wenatchee

Birds, birds, birds! The park is just a few minutes from the heart of Wenatchee, but you can hardly tell you're near a bustling urban area - not with all of the bird call. The Horan Natural Area is the prize for hikers here. Easy walking takes you along and over the Wenatchee River, traversing wetlands and fields and offering broad vistas. It's worth a visit in any season, but is especially teaming with birds in spring.

Featured in Day Hiking Central Cascades by Craig Romano & Alan Bauer (Mountaineers Books).

Steamboat Rock State Park. Photo copyright Alan Bauer.

Steamboat Rock State Park

Grand Coulee area

Hikers who have been to Steamboat Rock return full of hyperbole. It's the best place on Earth! That place is awesome! And the photos seems to confirm the raves. So you should just head there and see for yourself. A three mile walk takes you to the top of the rocky butte and back again, and along the way you'll be properly impressed by the basalt cliffs, the deep blue of Banks Lake and the views far and wide.  

Featured in Desert Hikes Washington by Alan Bauer and Dan Nelson (Mountaineers Books). 

Columbia Plateau Trail State Park

Spokane area

The northern portion of the old Spokane Portland and Seattle Railway has been converted into a scenic 23-mile trail south of Cheney. The trail bisects the Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge and passes through channeled scablands, lakes and high desert sage country. Chances for seeing a variety of wildlife is high, especially early in the morning or in the evening. More than 200 varieties of bird and waterfowl have been identified in the wildlife refuge and moose, deer and other smaller mammals are often spotted in the Amber Lake area.

Featured in Desert Hikes Washington by Alan Bauer and Dan Nelson (Mountaineers Books).

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We hope you're inspired by reading about these eleven state parks. Following the links provided will lead you to much more information about the hikes, including descriptions, driving directions, maps and more - courtesy of Mountaineers Books and authors Craig Romano, Dan Nelson and Alan Bauer and a few written by us here at WTA.

We encourage you to purchase the guidebooks. In their agreement with WTA, the authors kept back 25 of the 125 hikes in each of the Day Hiking editions, including some hikes featured here, and the guidebooks also provide details and elevation profiles that we don't have. WTA receives 1% of all sales of these Mountaineers Books guidebooks, and if you purchase through our Amazon link, we receive 8% back from Amazon.

Special thanks to Alan Bauer, Craig Romano and Kim Brown for providing additional content for this feature.