Eleven Winter Hikes for Beach Views, Desert Birds, Waterfalls and More

Check out one of these eleven great winter hiking trails to help stay in hiking shape and beat the winter blahs.

With the high country socked in with snow for the next several months, many Washington hikers find themselves with an unmistakable case of the winter blahs. Get out your hiking boots (and an extra warm pair of wool socks) and get ready to chase them away with one of these great winter hikes. Clear alpine lakes and panoramic views might still be months away, but you can keep on hiking right through the winter on these eleven trails.

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Thunder Creek

Location: North Cascades National Park
Distance: up to 10 miles round trip
Elevation gain: 2600 feet

: A winter view of Thunder Creek. Photo by Bob and Barb.

Even after snows close the North Cascade Highway, Thunder Creek's trailhead at the Colonial Creek Campground remains open. Hike as far as you like on this flat, quiet trail, which guides you along lakes and creeks while offering glimpses of the surrounding mountains through gaps in the forest's thick canopy.

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Padilla Bay

Location: Near Burlington
Distance: 4.8 miles round trip
Elevation Gain: 30 ft

: Smooth surfaces, gorgeous views characterize Padilla Bay. Photo by Craig Romano.

Birds of many different feathers flock to this food-rich bay where the Skagit River and Puget Sound have created immense mud flats. As part of our National Estuarine Research Reserve System, Washington's only such site,Padilla Bay acts as a living classroom and laboratory for citizens and scientists studying the importance of estuarine habitat. Find out about local programs and have your Padilla Bay questions answered at the Breazeale Interpretive Center.

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Boulder River Trail

Location: Near Darrington
Distance: up to 9 miles round trip
Elevation: Gain of 600' to 1600'

: The Boulder River trail offers massive trees and fabulous waterfalls accessible all year round. Photo by HikerJim.

Towering old-growth trees in an unspoiled river valley with exquisite waterfalls — this is the subtle beauty of Boulder River. It's truly one of the best winter hikes if you're looking for an easy but rewarding day. Just a bit over a mile up the trail are two glorious waterfalls. This is where most people stop, but the path continues another four miles before disappearing at a ford of the Boulder River, where you'll turn around and go back.

>> Read more about Boulder River in WTA's Hiking Guide and in recent Trip Reports

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Middle Fork Snoqualmie River

Location: Near North Bend
Distance: Up to 6 miles round trip
Elevation gain: Gain of 200' to 1100'

: Middle Fork Snoqualmie River with a dusting of snow. Photo by bev.

If you can tolerate the pot-holed drive to this lovely hike, you will be well-rewarded. An easy ramble upstream gives hikers plenty to like - a fast-moving river, tall trees, and views of peaks like Granite Mountain and Stegasaurus Butte - all within a short drive from Seattle.

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Millersylvania State Park

Location: South of Olympia
Distance: 4 miles round trip

: Great view looking over Deep Lake on a cloudy afternoon.

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 beside Deep Lake. And outside of summer, this place is virtually deserted.

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Dosewallips State Park Steam Donkey Trail

Location: Olympic Peninsula - East
Distance: 3.5 miles round trip

: The Steam Donkey Trail at Dosewallips State Park takes hikers through some tall trees. Photo by Joe Hendricks.

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 on the east side of the Olympic Peninsula, this park is definitely worth a stop.

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Cape Alava - Sand Point Loop

Location: Olympic Coast
Distance: 9.3 miles round trip
Elevation: No elevation gain (sea level)

Winter is a great time to hit the beach, especially a trail this popular, where you'll have some seasonal solitude. It's also a superb hike for exploring petroglyphs and artifacts. Two trails, one leading to Cape Alava and another leading to Sand Point, begin at the Ozette Loop trailhead. The loop makes an excellent day trip and an even better overnight at one of the many campsites at Cape Alava, Sand Point, or farther north along the beach at the mouth of the Ozette River.

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Beacon Rock Trail

Location: Columbia River Gorge
Distance: 2 miles round trip
Elevation: 600 feet elevation gain

: The trail up Beacon Rock is literally blasted into the basalt. Railings help the acrophobic. Photo by thestumbler.

Located in the heart of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area Beacon Rock is an enormous Basalt monolith that is actually the core of an ancient volcano. Named by the Lewis and Clark expedition, the mile-long trail to its summit provides outstanding panoramic views of the Columbia River Gorge. The trail begins with an easy climb through mixed forest, then ascends paths that were blasted out through solid rock and along wooden catwalks. Handrails line the route for the safety and comfort of hikers. The trail gradually climbs its way up a onto the sheer basalt cliffs of the rock itself, where the views are sensational. Avoid when icy!

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Cape Horn Trail

Location: Columbia Gorge area
Distance: 7.0 miles round trip
Elevation Gain: 500' to 1,300'

: Sweeping views on the Cape Horn trail entertain hikers for most of the journey. Photo by Ryan Ojerio.

The full 7-mile loop provides fantastic views of the Columbia River Gorge, an intimate look at the Cape Horn Falls and a challenging workout as it climbs and descends the rocky slopes of Cape Horn. Most of the trail is volunteer-built. Check out the map in our hiking guide before you go.

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Wenatchee Confluence State Park

Location: Wenatchee
Distance: 2.5 miles roundtrip

: The Horan Natural Area is a year-round oasis where the Wenachee River meets the Columbia, just outside of Wenatchee. Photo by Alan Bauer.

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.

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Slavin Pond Loop

Location: Spokane area
Distance: 3.3 miles round trip
Elevation Gain: 246' to 2,341'

Slavin Pond

With more than 600 acres of rolling fields, pine-forested buttes and wetlands, the Slavin Conservation Area provides plenty of room to stretch the legs in winter. Bring binoculars and a field guide to spot geese, owls, ducks and more within this migratory flyway. This is just one of many fine properties that Spokane County is developing for recreation through its Conservation Futures program.