Hiking Guide
WTA's hiking guide is the most comprehensive database of hikes in Washington, and comprises content written by local hiking experts and user submitted information. All data is vetted by WTA staff. This resource is made possible by the donations of WTA members.
We respectfully acknowledge the lands we are visiting are the homelands of Indigenous tribes of the Pacific Northwest, some of whom have reserved rights on these lands. Tribes continue to rely on and share in the management of these lands today. Please tread gently and treat these places with respect.
Results List
1522 HikesTolmie State Park - Four Cedars Trail
Olympic Peninsula > Olympia
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Length
- 1.98 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 200 feet
-
Highest Point
- 225 feet
Take a short jaunt in Tolmie State Park. Great for families or just a quick stretch of the legs.
Trillium Park
Olympic Peninsula > Olympia
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Length
- 0.25 miles, one-way
-
Highest Point
- 180 feet
Trillium Park is a small urban park connecting two neighborhoods in Olympia, with a trail running through the park.
Dosewallips State Park - Beach Trail
Olympic Peninsula > Hood Canal
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Length
- 0.2 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 0 feet
-
Highest Point
- 0 feet
Accessible only at low-tide, this trail (called the North Tidal Area Trail on the Dosewallips State Park map) is a short, gravelled trail that meanders along the north end of the beach at the state park. While this trail is quite short, and only accessible during a limited time, there are 10 total miles of trail in the state park, found across Highway 101 and departing from the camping area. If you want a longer hike, try the Steam Donkey or the Maple Valley trail.
Dosewallips River Road
Olympic Peninsula > Hood Canal
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Length
- 13.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,200 feet
-
Highest Point
- 1,550 feet
The Dosewallips River Road is the gateway to the eastern Olympic Mountains and it penetrates one of the deepest canyons in Olympic National Park. Now closed to vehicles, the old road bed allows hikers to explore true wilderness at a gentle grade. Backpackers, peak baggers and horseback riders take advantage of the easy access to the trails beyond the road's end.
Lake Dorothy - Lake Bear - Lake Deer
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
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Length
- 11.5 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,600 feet
-
Highest Point
- 3,800 feet
The Miller River Road is washed out 4 miles from the trailhead.
Day-hikers and backpackers alike visit Lake Dorothy, a very large and beautiful lake less than two miles from the trailhead. Once there, they either rest and play for the day, or continue on to Bear and Deer Lakes, a pair of very pretty smaller lakes deeper in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. The very ambitious press on to remote Snoqualmie Lake. Lake Dorothy can be crowded on summer weekends, but the other lakes see fewer visitors.
Dishman Hills Natural Area - Nimbus Knob Loop
Eastern Washington > Spokane Area/Coeur d'Alene
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Length
- 3.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 400 feet
-
Highest Point
- 2,350 feet
This is a loop hike created in April 2013 to provide for a new hiking experience while preserving some areas of the natural area for wildlife.
Dishman Hills Conservation Area - Glenrose
Eastern Washington > Spokane Area/Coeur d'Alene
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Length
- 5.48 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,575 feet
-
Highest Point
- 2,940 feet
This section of Dishman Hills is a parcel that was owned by DNR and transferred to the Conservancy early in 2016.
Discovery Park Loop Trail
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 2.8 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 140 feet
-
Highest Point
- 325 feet
Seattle's Discovery Park Loop Trail is a designated National Recreation Trail, 2.8 miles long with an elevation change of just 140 feet. It passes through both forest and open meadows, offers extensive views, good prospects for bird watchers, and it can be hiked or jogged year-round.
Discovery Park Beach and Highlands Loop
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 5.1 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 380 feet
-
Highest Point
- 345 feet
Hike through the relatively uncrowded southeast corner of a park in Seattle. Head up to the South Meadow for the views, then go down to the beaches and get up close to the West Point Lighthouse. Come back up to the park highlands for a close look at old buildings in the Fort Lawton Historic District.
Denny Creek
Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass
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Length
- 6.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,345 feet
-
Highest Point
- 3,642 feet
A popular trail, thanks to its gentle, family friendly grade with amazing destinations. The natural water slide area at Denny Creek is a must visit for families! Keekwulee Falls offers a stunning viewpoint that is easily accessible. Snowshoe Falls maybe a bit elusive and more difficult to see from the trail, but is also a beautiful natural wonder.
Deception Falls National Recreation Area
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
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Length
- 0.5 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 50 feet
The short half-mile interpretive trail along Deception Falls is a great stop for a quick stretch of the legs as you drive over Stevens Pass. The highlight is the tumbling, multi-tiered waterfall and its distinctive 90 degree turn the creek makes at a stop along the way.
Deception Creek
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
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Length
- 11.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,200 feet
-
Highest Point
- 3,150 feet
Everything that makes a river hike fun is here, cool bridges, waterfalls, big trees, lots of dripping moss, and mushrooms.
Dalles River
Mount Rainier Area > Chinook Pass - Hwy 410
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Length
- 1.8 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 150 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,200 feet
Dalles River is a short trail branching off of the Dalles Campground and meandering along the White River. It is known for the 9.5-foot diameter Douglas fir at the trailhead, one of the largest trees in the Snoqualmie Ranger District.
Cutthroat Lake
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 3.8 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 400 feet
-
Highest Point
- 4,900 feet
This pleasant trail offers an almost level walk to a grassy forested lake set in the rocky basin beneath Cutthroat Peak. This is an easy hike in an area of rugged, steep country and one of the few that are suitable for small children. It is an especially pretty hike in the fall when the larch are turning golden.
Crescent Beach Preserve
Puget Sound and Islands > San Juan Islands
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Length
- 1.5 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 40 feet
-
Highest Point
- 60 feet
Just outside the little town of Eastsound on Orcas Island is a sweet little beach that offers some nice rambling; the perfect place to walk off a meal, or simply take in low tide and the lovely animals that come with it.
Coyote Creek
Issaquah Alps > Cougar Mountain
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Length
- 1.1 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 150 feet
-
Highest Point
- 1,350 feet
The Coyote Creek Trail runs north-south through the northern half of Cougar Mountain Regional Park.
Cowlitz Trail
South Cascades > White Pass/Cowlitz River Valley
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Length
- 10.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,348 feet
-
Highest Point
- 5,148 feet
Originally a Native American travel route across the Cascade range, the Cowlitz trail now offers visitors multiple loop options and beautiful destinations in the William O. Douglas wilderness.
Cowen and Ravenna Parks
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 4.5 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 115 feet
-
Highest Point
- 200 feet
Cowen and Ravenna Parks form a contiguous urban nature area and green space, containing Ravenna Ravine and Ravenna Creek, in the middle of North Seattle. They contain 4.5 miles of trails that traverse a 0.75-mile stretch of Ravenna Ravine.
Angel Falls Loop
South Cascades > White Pass/Cowlitz River Valley
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Length
- 3.4 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,100 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,300 feet
Covel Creek trail is a very short, one mile trail with only 50 feet of elevation gain. Hikers can travel through dense forest to a small waterfall, but there is an option to continue on the Angel Falls Loop, which creates a figure-eight, making this longer hike about 4 miles roundtrip.
Columbia Springs
Southwest Washington > Vancouver Area
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Length
- 0.3 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 10 feet
-
Highest Point
- 20 feet
Just east of Vancouver, off the Evergreen Highway is a delightful little education center that houses a fish hatchery (complete with feeding pond), a small greenspace, and three little trails that are friendly to even the littlest hikers.
Coal Creek Trail
Issaquah Alps > Cougar Mountain
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Length
- 6.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 550 feet
-
Highest Point
- 600 feet
The Red Cedar (Coal Creek Parkway) trailhead will be closed until approx. 2028 for construction. The trail and other trailheads remain open.
Rich in historical artifacts, lush foliage, wooden bridges, and waterfalls, the well-groomed and well-traveled Coal Creek Trail is a satisfying hike for families, trail runners, history buffs, and avid hikers.
Clayton Beach
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
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Length
- 1.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 200 feet
-
Highest Point
- 220 feet
Take a short trail from the Lost Lake Trailhead to Clayton Beach, where you'll find nearly a mile of shoreline to explore.
Puyallup Loop Trail
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 3.9 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 541 feet
-
Highest Point
- 351 feet
A roughly 4-mile loop near the city of Puyallup, where locals and visitors can get their exercise and spend some time on trail near an urban center.
Larrabee State Park - Chuckanut Ridge Trail
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
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Length
- 8.9 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,154 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,801 feet
Traverse across beautiful Chuckanut Mountain in Larrabee State Park. Enjoy views of Puget Sound, as well as Mount Baker along this high trail.
Larrabee State Park - Chuckanut Falls
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
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Length
- 2.6 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 640 feet
-
Highest Point
- 540 feet
Take a short hike to a pleasant waterfall tucked away on the northeast corner of Larrabee State Park.
China Lake
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 0.6 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 30 feet
-
Highest Point
- 295 feet
China Lake is a small forest escape with a trail that takes you around a quiet lake on a green nature walk. Perfect on a sunny day for a stroll and a picnic or for hiding from the rain under a tree canopy, this trail is just a step away from the bustle of city life nearby.
Chenuis Falls
Mount Rainier Area > NW - Carbon River/Mowich
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Length
- 8.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 500 feet
-
Highest Point
- 2,200 feet
The Fairfax Bridge (3 miles south of Carbonado) is closed to all vehicle and pedestrian traffic until further notice due to safety concerns. The bridge closure renders this hike inaccessible.
A long walk (or short mountain bike ride!) leads to a rolling falls that feeds into the rushing Carbon River.
Chain Lakes Loop
North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
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Length
- 6.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,820 feet
-
Highest Point
- 5,400 feet
The last 2.7 miles of the Mount Baker Highway/SR 542 (from Heather Meadows to Artist Point) is closed for the winter season.
This gorgeous loop hike has it all: big views of Mounts Baker and Shuksan, as well as the North Cascades, alpine lakes for swimming, and well-maintained trail winding through meadows and heather. And with wildflowers in spring, blueberry bushes for trail-side snacking in late summer and blazing color in the fall, you can't pick a bad season to visit.
Catherine Creek - Natural Arch
Southwest Washington > Columbia River Gorge - WA
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Length
- 2.1 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 250 feet
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Highest Point
- 500 feet
7.21.25: This trail is closed due to the Burdoin Fire.
This family-friendly classic hike has perhaps the most photo ops per mile than any other hike in the Gorge. You can check out a natural rock arch, see a variety of terrain, take in sweeping views of the Columbia River, and enjoy early-spring wildflower displays.
Carkeek Park
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 3.5 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 800 feet
-
Highest Point
- 240 feet
Explore forest trails along Piper's Creek and adjoining ridges. Visit a Puget Sound beach and enjoy great views across the Sound to the Olympics. In the fall, observe migrating salmon in the creek.
