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 HikesHoh River Trail to Five Mile Island
Olympic Peninsula > Pacific Coast
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Length
- 10.6 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 300 feet
-
Highest Point
- 800 feet
A classic hike in any season, but come in winter and you’ll find that the hordes of tourists, hikers, and climbers who use this trail in the summer have dwindled to just a trickle.
South Fork Hoh River - Big Flat
Olympic Peninsula > Pacific Coast
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Length
- 7.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 150 feet
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Highest Point
- 850 feet
The South Fork Hoh Trail penetrates a wild and remote wilderness and offers hikers solitude just a short distance from the crowded main Hoh Rain Forest. The easy trail stays in the bottomland among groves of towering spruce and grassy maple glades.
Land of Legends (Hoh Valley)
Olympic Peninsula > Pacific Coast
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Length
- 2.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 20 feet
-
Highest Point
- 25 feet
A short interpretive trail on private land near the Hoh entrance of Olympic National Park.
Spruce Nature Trail (Hoh)
Olympic Peninsula > Pacific Coast
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Length
- 1.2 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 230 feet
-
Highest Point
- 706 feet
Enjoy an easy 1.2-mile loop near the Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center. Pair it with the Hall of Mosses for a couple of nice, flat exploratory leg-stretchers in the Hoh. Both make for an interesting introduction to the area, and will be a hit with the kids!
Second Beach
Olympic Peninsula > Pacific Coast
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Length
- 4.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 310 feet
-
Highest Point
- 220 feet
Shorter than the hike to Third Beach, the access to Second Beach is also a little more interesting, thanks to the ups and downs and a set of switchbacked stairs leading down to a coastline dotted with seastacks and a hole in the mainland that wind whistles through eerily.
Young's Park - Clark Point
Puget Sound and Islands > San Juan Islands
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Length
- 1.4 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 18 feet
-
Highest Point
- 5 feet
Enjoy a beach walk along a forested coastline, featuring expansive views of the islands, distant mountains, blue sky and sea.
Wild Horses Monument
Central Washington > Yakima
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Length
- 0.4 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 150 feet
-
Highest Point
- 1,300 feet
Witness up close one of the most frequently viewed public artworks in the state of Washington, while admiring a broad view of the Columbia River and the tiny hamlet of Vantage.
Lake Ballinger Park
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
This 100+ acre park near Edmonds is on the eastern shores of its namesake, Lake Ballinger. Fishing is available year-round, and with beach access, barbeques and picnic tables, it is an excellent place to spend an afternoon with the family.
Dirtyface Ridge Snowshoe
Central Cascades > Leavenworth Area
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Length
- 1.5 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 400 feet
Dirtyface Lookout is a popular early season and summer leg burner, climbing 4000 feet feet above Lake Wenatchee to an old fire lookout. The first three-quarters of a mile of this trail are a great hike for kids, climbing 700 vertical feet to a small waterfall with excellent views of the Lake Wenatchee Basin. This shorter route makes for a good snowshoe.
Snohomish Riverfront Trail
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 0.6 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 0 feet
-
Highest Point
- 66 feet
A short walking path near historic downtown Snohomish offers a moment to connect with nature, mere feet from the hustle and bustle of shops and restaurants.
West Hylebos Wetlands
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 1.2 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 0 feet
-
Highest Point
- 70 feet
A little history, a little wildlife, a little botany -- it's all here in this quiet little wetland right off a main road in Federal Way.
Copper Creek Hut Snowshoe
Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
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Length
- 8.8 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,040 feet
-
Highest Point
- 4,200 feet
Yes, there really is a hut on the Copper Creek Hut trail, and it’s open to the public! The Mount Tahoma Trails Association, a non-profit organization, operates over 50 miles of cross-country ski and snowshoe trails and a system of huts for day and overnight use near Ashford, just west of Mount Rainier National Park.
Nisqually State Park
Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
The park will be closed through fall 2025 for construction.
Just a few miles west of Eatonville, off Highway 7, is Washington's newest state park. Created thanks to a partnership between the Nisqually Tribe, Washington State Parks and other local agencies, the park provides 1,300 acres of forest, prairie and riverside trails to recreate in.
Deadhorse Creek
Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
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Length
- 3.25 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 800 feet
-
Highest Point
- 5,820 feet
This trail offers a more intimate view of the Nisqually Glacier Valley, and connects to the Moraine Trail from the Paradise parking area.
Paradise
Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
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Length
- 25.0 miles of trails
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Highest Point
- 10,080 feet
Paradise provides a gateway to Washington's most iconic mountain, trails to get your heart pumping or just stretch your legs, and in winter, fantastic snowshoe and skiing opportunities for people of all ages.
Alta Vista Loop
Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
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Length
- 1.5 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 560 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,960 feet
The Alta Vista Loop is one of the trails located at Paradise at Mount Rainier National Park. This trail system is known for fantastic displays of wildflowers in the summer and dramatic panoramic views of Mount Rainier and the surrounding foothills all year long.
Myrtle Falls
Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
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Length
- 0.8 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 185 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,600 feet
A good, short destination just outside of the main Paradise visitors area, Myrtle Falls is a beauty.
Nisqually Vista Loop
Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
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Length
- 1.1 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 200 feet
-
Highest Point
- 5,400 feet
Follow the trails here to views of Mount Rainier's rocky Nisqually River valley and the much-receded Nisqually Glacier.
Tradition Lake Loop
Issaquah Alps > Tiger Mountain
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Length
- 2.9 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 150 feet
-
Highest Point
- 540 feet
Hike a series of short, nearly level trails that offer views of two lakes and of some swampy areas, and pass one of the largest trees in the Tigers. Appreciate the forest vegetation and wildflowers. Along the way, hear and perhaps see a variety of song birds and waterfowl.
Meadowbrook Farm
Snoqualmie Region > North Bend Area
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Length
- 4.85 miles of trails
Featuring loop trails ranging from a few hundred feet to 2.25 miles, Meadowbrook Farm makes a wonderful spot to stop in the Snoqualmie Valley. Bring your kids, or just yourself and come explore this sweet little parcel of land off Highway 202.
Capitol State Forest - Porter Falls
Olympic Peninsula > Olympia
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Length
- 2.2 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 450 feet
Hike along a gentle grade as it climbs along Porter Creek and crosses it, traveling west on the other side, keeping the road you arrived on in view. As you reach the confluence of Porter Creek and the West Fork of Porter Creek, you also reach the waterfall, your destination.
Irene Rinehart Riverfront Park
Central Washington > Yakima
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Length
- 2.2 miles of trails
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Highest Point
- 1,500 feet
This park is just outside the city of Ellensburg along the Yakima River. The park is a long, narrow parcel that stretches between the river and I-90 with a parking area at both ends.
Guemes Mountain
Puget Sound and Islands > San Juan Islands
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Length
- 2.4 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 550 feet
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Highest Point
- 688 feet
A collaboration between Skagit Land Trust and Washington Trails Association created this 1.2-mile trail up Guemes Mountain, offering views of the surrounding San Juan Islands. A treat year round, you'll also see unique prairie habitat and forest, in addition to those gorgeous views.
Nosh Nosh Wahtum
Snoqualmie Region > Salmon La Sac/Teanaway
-
Length
- 5.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,500 feet
-
Highest Point
- 4,850 feet
Get a taste of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness on this short climb to a small but scenic lake. The trail winds from a lush meadow into old growth forest. Whether as a short day trek or a first-time overnight, a hike to Nosh Nosh Wahtum is worth the long road in.
Railroad Park and Centennial Log Pavilion
Snoqualmie Region > North Bend Area
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Length
- 1.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 0 feet
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Highest Point
- 400 feet
Though a short one, this hike around Historic Snoqualmie and the old railway is a very unique hike that's great for the whole family (and even wheelchairs and strollers!).
Sam's River Loop (Queets Campground)
Olympic Peninsula > Pacific Coast
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Length
- 2.8 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 50 feet
-
Highest Point
- 300 feet
The Queets Campground Loop is a quintessential rainforest experience. At just under three miles, it provides visitors with a generous variety of nature. Giant spruce and hemlock rise above great galleries of fern and oxalis. The wind whispers the memories of abandoned homesteads in the grasses of shrinking meadows. Owls hoot and frogs croak the song of an ancient melody. One stands here often and wonders.
Beach 1
Olympic Peninsula > Pacific Coast
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Length
- 0.2 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 60 feet
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Highest Point
- 60 feet
Beach 1 is a short but scenic trail that ends on a wild beach on the Pacific Ocean. Photogenic spruce burls can be seen on a unique nature loop that adds minimal time. However, access to the beach is typically over a jam of drift logs that require care to cross.
Raptor Ridge Trail
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
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Length
- 8.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,500 feet
The Hemlock Trail is a main east-west arterial of the Chuckanut Mountain trail system that connects the popular (and mostly flat) Interurban Trail with the Pine and Cedar Lakes area. The Raptor Ridge trail is found along this artery, and takes you to a lovely viewpoint over the forested hills of Chuckanut.
Jefferson Ridge
Olympic Peninsula > Hood Canal
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Length
- 4.8 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,832 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,832 feet
7.30.25: This trail is closed until further notice due to the Hamma Fire.
In an area known for rhododendrons and stunning mountain views, find a relatively easy hike to a high ridgeline that used to house a fire lookout tower.
Robin Hill Farm
Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast
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Length
- 6.0 miles of trails
-
Elevation Gain
- 150 feet
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Highest Point
- 300 feet
Include a visit to this multi-use, frontcountry trail network on your next road trip to the Northern Olympic Peninsula!
