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 treaty 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
3891 Hikes
Dosewallips River Road
Olympic Peninsula -- Hood Canal
13.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 1200 ft.
Highest Point: 1550.0 ft.
Rating:
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.
Talapus and Olallie Lakes
Snoqualmie Region -- Snoqualmie Pass
6.2 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 1220 ft.
Highest Point: 3780.0 ft.
Rating:
With a moderate grade on a wide trail, the hike to Talapus Lake is the perfect introduction to the outdoors for hikers and beginning backpackers. Upon arrival at Talapus, break out lunch or pitch camp. Either way, you can cool off in the large lake. If you feel like pressing on, Ollalie Lake is just about a mile and a half up trail, where open campsites offer lakeside havens with calm waters and views of a beautiful lake basin.
Kukutali Preserve
Puget Sound and Islands -- Bellingham Area
2.2 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 200 ft.
Highest Point: 230.0 ft.
Rating:
Thanks to a partnership between Washington State Parks and the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, Kukutali Preserve in Similk Bay near La Conner opened to the public on June 16, 2014. Believed to be the first park in the United States to be co-owned and managed by a tribe and another government, management of the area focuses on conservation and research, public education and limited recreational use, including hiking!
Melakwa Lake
Snoqualmie Region -- Snoqualmie Pass
8.5 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 2700 ft.
Highest Point: 4600.0 ft.
Rating:
The way to Melakwa Lake is like two different trails: first a wide gentle trail through old growth forest beneath an elevated and noisy Interstate freeway. And second, a rocky steep trail that follows a waterfall and a precipitous gorge upstream to get to a pair of clear alpine lakes flanked by rocky peaks. Is it about the journey or the destination? You decide.
Franklin Falls
Snoqualmie Region -- Snoqualmie Pass
2.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 400 ft.
Highest Point: 2600.0 ft.
Rating:
Hiking with kids, new to hiking, or just looking for an easy day hike with a spectacular endpoint? Look no further then Franklin Falls! At just 2 miles with 400 feet in elevation gain it is the perfect destination for any hiker looking for something easy and beautiful!
Denny Creek
Snoqualmie Region -- Snoqualmie Pass
6.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 1345 ft.
Highest Point: 3642.0 ft.
Rating:
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.
Lookout Mountain Forest Preserve
Puget Sound and Islands -- Bellingham Area
6.5 miles of trails
Rating:
Several hiking trails exist in the Lookout Mountain Forest Preserve, part of the Whatcom County Park system, including a 2.2-mile loop with a one mile viewpoint spur trail, a quick waterfall trail, and lower loop trail. Alternatively, head up and up to Lookout Mountain on an eight mile service road.
Lake Tye
Puget Sound and Islands -- Seattle-Tacoma Area
2.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 9 ft.
Highest Point: 45.0 ft.
Rating:
Enjoy an easy walk (or a jog) around a small lake in a very green, open setting. If you have occasion to be in the Monroe area anyway, come by for a pre-lunch stroll. Or, Lake Tye can be a pleasant add-on if you stop in Monroe for a meal after a longer hike in the Stevens Pass area. Either way, relax and take in the vista of open fields and forested hills.
Lost River
North Cascades -- Pasayten
7.2 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 350 ft.
Highest Point: 2680.0 ft.
Rating:
This nice valley walk, serenaded by the sound of the Lost River, used to be the easy start of a difficult trail access into the central Pasayten Wilderness. The Eureka Creek bridge is now gone, making a good turn around point, while Lost River access at the wilderness boundary makes a good location for a long break.
Colchuck Lake
Central Cascades -- Leavenworth Area
8.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 2280 ft.
Highest Point: 5580.0 ft.
Rating:
Parking Restriction: Parking allowed at trailheads and only on the right side of Road 7601 between Eightmile Lake and Stuart Lake trailheads. Parking anywhere else along Road 7601 is not allowed.
Set beneath two of Washington’s tallest peaks, Colchuck Lake is an alpine gem. It is a larger cousin to the nearby fabled Enchantment Lakes and offers many of the same payoffs – including groves of larches on its far shore – but can be reached with less than half the effort.
Carbon Glacier
Mount Rainier Area -- NW - Carbon River/Mowich
18.4 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 1800 ft.
Highest Point: 3500.0 ft.
Rating:
The Carbon Glacier is a dramatic expanse of slow-moving ice beneath the shadow of Mount Rainier’s north face. While the glacier sits at a relatively low elevation, the approach is long due to the additional 5 miles of road that must be walked or biked to reach the trailhead. The trail to reach the glacier is equally as exciting as the scenery along the way, including seasonal foot logs and a suspension bridge over the raging Carbon River.
Beaver Pond Trail
Puget Sound and Islands -- Bellingham Area
1.6 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 125 ft.
Rating:
Located in the Eaglemont neighborhood of Mount Vernon, this short little out and back gravel trail delivers visitors through wetlands and past beaver ponds.
Lower Big Quilcene River
Olympic Peninsula -- Hood Canal
12.9 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 1890 ft.
Highest Point: 2943.0 ft.
Rating:
The Lower Big Quilcene Trail begins just outside the Buckhorn Wilderness and follows the lower Big Quilcene River along a mostly non-technical tread for approximately 6.5 miles. The moss-lined route starts on an old road bed through younger forest and then winds past large old-growth cedars. In spring and summer, blooming rhododendrons add vibrant color to your journey. This trail is also a great choice during the fall and winter months because the trees provide shelter from precipitation.
West Tiger 3
Issaquah Alps -- Tiger Mountain
5.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 2100 ft.
Highest Point: 2525.0 ft.
Rating:
Don't expect solitude here- this is perhaps the most heavily used trail on Tiger Mountain, and for good reason. Fortunately, there is plenty of room to share. This close-to-the-city wild land trail provides stunning views, great forestlands, and ample opportunities to see birds and critters. West Tiger- one of the sprawling mountain's four primary peaks (West, Middle, South and East)- is itself a tri-crowned peak. Numbered 1 through 3, the third of the West Tiger peaks offers the best views, despite being the lowest of the triplets.
Humpback Mountain
Snoqualmie Region -- Snoqualmie Pass
4.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 2500 ft.
Highest Point: 5174.0 ft.
Rating:
A climber's trail leads to this forested summit off I-90. This trail is not managed by the Forest Service, so it is likely to be unmaintained.
Quick Creek Camp
Snoqualmie Region -- Salmon La Sac/Teanaway
12.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 950 ft.
Rating:
Waptus Pass Trail connects Pete Lake Trail with the Waptus River Trail, climbing steeply out of the Salmon La Sac area to Pete Lake and Waptus Lake to reach Waptus Pass.
Big Meadow Lake
Eastern Washington -- Okanogan Highlands/Kettle River Range
2.7 miles of trails
Gain: 25 ft.
Rating:
Take a short turn around a barrier free trail, or a slightly longer one to view wildlife and lovely flora.
McDowell Marsh Environmental Education Trail
Eastern Washington -- Selkirk Range
1.2 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 25 ft.
Rating:
The McDowell Marsh Environmental Education Trail (McMEET) is a 1.2 mile hardened environmental education trail offering hikers an opportunity to explore five distinct ecological habitats, ranging from riparian to semi-arid, which are managed specifically for native plants and wildlife.
Saltese Uplands
Eastern Washington -- Spokane Area/Coeur d'Alene
3.6 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 630 ft.
Rating:
WTA has worked on trails in this 552-acre conservation area to help prevent erosion. Over 7 miles of trail wind throughout the property, exploring canyons that embrace year-round springs and climbing ridge tops with views of Liberty Lake, Mount Spokane, and Saltese Flats.
Carlisle Lake
South Cascades -- White Pass/Cowlitz River Valley
1.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 88 ft.
Rating:
A one mile loop trail takes visitors around a lake that used to be a mill pond.
Sweet Creek Falls Interpretive Trail
Eastern Washington -- Selkirk Range
1.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 150 ft.
Rating:
A short trail to stretch one's legs, and a beautiful waterfall located just off the highway.
Thunder Creek
North Cascades -- North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
12.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 1300 ft.
Highest Point: 1900.0 ft.
Rating:
A pale green creek, big old trees, a variety of understory, and peek-a-boo views of snow-capped peaks. Day-hikers should take it easy, as the joy here is in the journey not the destination. Backpackers, however, may disagree. Families and first-time backpackers will enjoy beautiful camps just two miles from the trailhead. Experienced backpackers will note that Thunder Creek is a gateway to an extensive network of trails.
Blue Lake
South Cascades -- Dark Divide
5.2 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 900 ft.
Highest Point: 5200.0 ft.
Rating:
This short, hiker-only trail in the Dark Divide connects hikers to an arresting, appropriately named blue lake jumping with fish. If you can get past its quiet shores, it's a short jaunt to connect with the Craggy Peak trail and miles of ridgeline hiking that the Dark Divide Roadless Area affords.
Lewisville Regional Park
Southwest Washington -- Lewis River Region
2.8 miles, one-way
Gain: 77 ft.
Rating:
As Clark County's oldest park, Lewisville Regional Park is a delightful place for families to visit and get a shot of history, since the park was developed by The Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the Great Depression.
Frenchman's Bar
Southwest Washington -- Vancouver Area
2.5 miles, one-way
Gain: 75 ft.
Highest Point: 210.0 ft.
Rating:
Just a few miles from the heart of downtown Vancouver is a quaint rural getaway, where the Frenchman’s Bar Trail connects Vancouver Lake Park to Frenchman’s Bar Regional Park. The wide, paved path provides the perfect urban getaway for hikers and dog walkers alike—it’s also a favorite among birders. On clear days, you’ll be treated to views of Mount Hood, Mount Adams and Mount St. Helens.
Lake of the Angels
Olympic Peninsula -- Hood Canal
7.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 3400 ft.
Highest Point: 4950.0 ft.
Rating:
Tucked high in the mountains of the Olympic Peninsula, in the appropriately named Valley of Heaven is a breathtaking lake -- the Lake of the Angels. The heavenly goal is accessed by a trail built for more mortal interests. Keep in mind though; if you tackle this trail, it's devilishly difficult. In some places, it requires a vertical climb where falling is not an option. Be prepared, both physically and mentally, for this challenging hike.
Chief Joseph Wildlife Area - 4-O Ranch
Eastern Washington -- Palouse and Blue Mountains
4.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 1500 ft.
Highest Point: 3000.0 ft.
Rating:
Famous for its wildlife, the 4-O Ranch portion of the Chief Joseph Wildlife Area provides hikers with access to the Grand Ronde River in the Blue Mountains. Walk over rolling hills and through ponderosa pine woodlands as you search for numerous species that call the area home.
Lake Serene
Central Cascades -- Stevens Pass - West
8.2 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 2000 ft.
Highest Point: 2521.0 ft.
Rating:
Lake Serene and Bridal Veil Falls compete for attention on this 7.2 mile trip. Either would be a worthy destination by themselves and combined they are a great day on the trail.
Bullion Basin
Mount Rainier Area -- Chinook Pass - Hwy 410
4.6 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 1900 ft.
Highest Point: 6300.0 ft.
Rating:
A relatively steep and rocky connector trail running between the Crystal Mountain resort area up through Bullion Basin to the Pacific Crest Trail with mountain and meadow views.
Greider Lakes
Central Cascades -- Stevens Pass - West
8.6 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 2035 ft.
Highest Point: 2930.0 ft.
Rating:
For those searching for alpine vistas with fewer visitors than on the most popular trails of the I-90 corridor, Greider Lakes is just right. This trailhead is located in the Sultan Basin Watershed.