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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

3991 Hikes

Lake 22

North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
 
Length
5.4 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,350 feet
Highest Point
2,400 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.24
(337 votes)
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Mountain views
  • Wildlife
  • Waterfalls
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Old growth
  • Good for kids
  • Lakes
  • Rivers
The curiously-named Lake 22 is the center of an oasis of alpine wetland nestled on the northern shoulder of Mount Pilchuck. The hike to the lake combines the best of mountain rainforests, old-growth, wetlands, and mountain views, yet it is readily accessible. In winter the route lends itself to snowshoeing.
 
 

Margaret's Way and Debbie's View

Issaquah Alps > Squak Mountain
 
Length
6.5 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,500 feet
Highest Point
1,730 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.97
(65 votes)
  • Mountain views
  • Old growth
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Fall foliage
If nature excites you, there's plenty here to be excited about. Cool forest, trickling creeks in deep ravines, and a beautiful new trail built by WTA volunteers await you here.
 
 

Granite Creek Trail to Granite Lakes

Snoqualmie Region > North Bend Area
 
Length
8.8 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
2,270 feet
Highest Point
3,070 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.12
(59 votes)
  • Mountain views
  • Wildlife
  • Waterfalls
  • Old growth
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Fall foliage
  • Rivers
Granite Creek courses through the gorge between Mailbox Peak and Russian Butte. Ascend through the creek’s ravine, immersed in mountain rainforest, alongside whitewater rapids, waterfalls, wildflowers, and mushrooms, while you take in majestic views of the mountains of the Middle Fork valley. Seasonal treats include berries and fall colors.
 
 

Evans Creek Preserve

Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
 
Length
4.2 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
325 feet
Highest Point
480 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.07
(28 votes)
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Wildlife
  • Good for kids
  • Dogs allowed on leash
Evans Creek Preserve features a WTA-built trail system in an ecologically diverse enclave. Wetlands, meadows, and hillside forest can be found in this 179-acre farmstead-turned-suburban nature preserve that will thrill both the hiker and the birdwatcher. Not only that, this gem has ADA-accessible trails and is reachable by public transportation.
 
 

Waikiki Springs Nature Preserve

Eastern Washington > Spokane Area/Coeur d'Alene
 
Length
4.8 miles of trails
Elevation Gain
588 feet
Highest Point
1,790 feet
Rating
Average rating:
5.00
(2 votes)
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Wildlife
  • Good for kids
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Fall foliage
  • Rivers
This is a lovely urban trail system outside of Spokane and near the Little Spokane River.
 
 

Narada Falls

Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
 
Length
0.2 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
100 feet
Highest Point
4,650 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.75
(8 votes)
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Rivers
  • Good for kids
  • Waterfalls
If you’ve been to Mount Rainier’s Paradise, you may be familiar with Narada Falls, and the short hike down to its popular viewpoint. But are you aware of the other trails this short hike connects to? Do you wonder what ‘Narada’ means? Read on to find out.
 
 

Stafford Falls via Deer Creek

Mount Rainier Area > SE - Cayuse Pass/Stevens Canyon
 
Length
4.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
375 feet
Highest Point
3,250 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.33
(3 votes)
  • Established campsites
  • Waterfalls
  • Old growth
  • Good for kids
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Rivers
The hike to Stafford Falls drops steeply from the road, requiring a climb to return to your vehicle. But after 0.4 miles, it follows crystal-clear Chinook Creek as it cascades down a gentle slope, with small plunges, narrow chutes, beautiful blue-green pools, and a 25-foot punch-bowl waterfall. Such beauty and serenity are seldom this easy to get to.
 
 

Myrtle Falls

Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
 
Length
0.8 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
185 feet
Highest Point
5,600 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.50
(6 votes)
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Mountain views
  • Wildlife
  • Waterfalls
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Good for kids
A good, short destination just outside of the main Paradise visitors area, Myrtle Falls is a beauty.
 
 

Three Lakes via Laughingwater Creek

Mount Rainier Area > SE - Cayuse Pass/Stevens Canyon
 
Length
13.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
2,800 feet
Highest Point
5,000 feet
Rating
Average rating:
2.75
(8 votes)
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Established campsites
  • Old growth
  • Lakes
  • Rivers
Laughingwater Creek conjures up a nice stroll alongside a bubbling creek but read on; the most scenic lower part of the creek keeps hikers well above the creek. Initially, at several spots along the hike, you can hear the creek but you won't see it.
 
 

Shriner Peak

Mount Rainier Area > SE - Cayuse Pass/Stevens Canyon
 
Length
8.5 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
3,434 feet
Highest Point
5,834 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.83
(18 votes)
  • Mountain views
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Lakes
  • Fall foliage
  • Ridges/passes
Gorgeous weather and late-season color make this one of the most beautiful autumn hikes in Mount Rainier National Park. This hike is a tough climb, but the payoff is great views and lots of solitude.
 
 

Narada Falls to Reflection Lakes

Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
 
Length
5.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,150 feet
Highest Point
5,400 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.56
(16 votes)
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Mountain views
  • Wildlife
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Waterfalls
  • Old growth
  • Good for kids
  • Lakes
  • Rivers
Hiking the trail between the Narada Falls viewpoint and Reflection Lakes is pleasant enough. But you can extend the route into a loop featuring an unobstructed view of the Tatoosh Range from a rocky bluff, and an up-close experience of the awe-inspiring whitewater cascades of the Paradise River.
 
 

Reflection and Louise Lakes Snowshoe

Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
 
Length
7.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
560 feet
Highest Point
5,100 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.67
(6 votes)
  • Mountain views
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Lakes
  • Ridges/passes
The trek to Reflection and Louise Lakes is a quintessential Mount Rainier snowshoeing experience -- the bright, flat expanse of snow and ice covered mountain lakes, subalpine meadows that offer opportunities for romping, stupendous views of The Mountain and the Tatoosh Range, and the south end of the Mazama Ridge beckoning you to follow.
 
 

Pinnacle Saddle

Mount Rainier Area > SE - Cayuse Pass/Stevens Canyon
 
Length
2.5 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,000 feet
Highest Point
5,920 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.40
(20 votes)
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Mountain views
  • Wildlife
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Ridges/passes
Imagine that you are looking through a telephoto lens at one of those iconic images of Mount Rainier taken from the south. Now zoom out to a wider view of the entire mountain, the thick forests below timberline, the enormous brown gash of the Nisqually River Valley, and beside it the verdant parkland that became known as Paradise. This is the view from the Pinnacle Saddle trail.
 
 

Paradise

Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
 
Length
25.0 miles of trails
Highest Point
10,080 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.11
(9 votes)
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Mountain views
  • Wildlife
  • Waterfalls
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Good for kids
  • Lakes
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.
 
 

Panorama Point Snowshoe

Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
 
Length
5.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,900 feet
Highest Point
7,070 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.88
(8 votes)
  • Mountain views
  • Dogs not allowed
The route to Panorama Point in the snow can vary depending on how much snow is on the mountain, and how many other visitors have tromped a path up the hillside. One thing is certain -- you'll want to consult the Paradise Green Trails map No. 270S, which includes both summer and snowshoe routes for the area.
 
 

Paradise Glacier

Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
 
Length
5.6 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,495 feet
Highest Point
6,409 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.17
(6 votes)
  • Mountain views
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Waterfalls
This trail takes hikers out of the maze of trails at Paradise and up onto one of the many glaciers on Washington's most iconic mountains.
 
 

Ollalie Creek Camp

Mount Rainier Area > SE - Cayuse Pass/Stevens Canyon
 
Length
5.6 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,600 feet
Highest Point
3,940 feet
Rating
Average rating:
2.67
(3 votes)
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Old growth
  • Good for kids
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Established campsites
Ollalie Creek Camp offers a walk through old growth woodland, colorful blooms and berries to an isolated creekside campsite perfect for solitude or connecting to the stunning Cowlitz Divide and iconic Indian Bar.
 
 

Sunrise to Mystic Lake

Mount Rainier Area > NW - Carbon River/Mowich
 
Length
18.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
5,324 feet
Highest Point
6,800 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.12
(8 votes)
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Ridges/passes
  • Wildlife
  • Established campsites
  • Mountain views
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Lakes
This is a trail where the journey is as interesting as the destination. Enjoy a beautiful waterfall and views of icy Winthrop Glacier. Gaze directly at Mount Rainier and witness the fascinating destruction caused by the floods of 2006. All of this is chased by the peaceful basin of Mystic Lake and surrounding meadows.
 
 

Naches Peak Loop

Mount Rainier Area > SE - Cayuse Pass/Stevens Canyon
 
Length
3.2 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
600 feet
Highest Point
5,850 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.51
(73 votes)
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Mountain views
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Good for kids
  • Lakes
  • Fall foliage
This popular hike provides a range of alpine experiences in a short loop. Walk along a hillside above a small valley, pause at a viewpoint overlooking a lake, and stroll through grassy meadows with stunning views of Mount Rainier. In season enjoy an abundance of wildflowers or perhaps a handful of huckleberries.
 
 

Mazama Ridge Snowshoe

Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
 
Length
6.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
900 feet
Highest Point
5,700 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.22
(9 votes)
  • Mountain views
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Lakes
  • Ridges/passes
Mazama Ridge at Mount Rainier's Paradise area offers an especially scenic intermediate-level snowshoe route in the midst of snow-covered alpine meadows.
 
 

Lakes Loop

Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
 
Length
5.25 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,550 feet
Highest Point
5,800 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.78
(9 votes)
  • Mountain views
  • Wildlife
  • Waterfalls
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Lakes
  • Ridges/passes
Explore this loop that begins and ends at the popular Paradise Ranger Station on Mount Rainier. Hike a little more than five miles around and through a myriad of delightful lakes at the base of Washington's tallest volcano.
 
 

Bench and Snow Lakes

Mount Rainier Area > SE - Cayuse Pass/Stevens Canyon
 
Length
2.5 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
610 feet
Highest Point
4,725 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.21
(24 votes)
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Mountain views
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Lakes
  • Established campsites
Escape the crowds within Mount Rainier National Park without going on a lengthy adventure. Visit one or both of two alpine lakes, the second one just a bit more than a mile from the parking lot.
 
 

Indian Bar - Summerland Traverse

Mount Rainier Area > SE - Cayuse Pass/Stevens Canyon
 
Length
34.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
4,400 feet
Highest Point
6,800 feet
Rating
Average rating:
5.00
(2 votes)
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Ridges/passes
  • Wildlife
  • Established campsites
  • Mountain views
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Waterfalls
One of the most popular routes on Mount Rainier for its varied terrain, wide-open meadows, and incredible views, this 17-mile one-way hike along the mountain’s eastern side showcases the kind of scenery that will have you doing happy little dances of joy from one stunning panorama to the next.
 
 

Moraine Trail

Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
 
Length
2.2 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
400 feet
Highest Point
5,850 feet
Rating
Average rating:
5.00
(2 votes)
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Mountain views
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Rivers
  • Ridges/passes
Sometimes the crowds at Mount Rainier’s Paradise can be overwhelming. Hike the Moraine Trail to get off of asphalt paths and away from the throngs. The reward is a view down into the immense Nisqually River Valley from the very edge of its moraine.
 
 

Nisqually Vista Loop

Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
 
Length
1.1 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
200 feet
Highest Point
5,400 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.82
(11 votes)
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Mountain views
  • Wildlife
  • Good for kids
Follow the trails here to views of Mount Rainier's rocky Nisqually River valley and the much-receded Nisqually Glacier.
 
 

Golden Gate Loop

Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
 
Length
4.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,160 feet
Highest Point
6,400 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.50
(4 votes)
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Mountain views
  • Ridges/passes
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Waterfalls
  • Rivers
Follow a loop trail that samples what Mount Rainier has to offer: a popular waterfall, vast expanses of wildflowers, numerous snowmelt streams, a historic monument to the mountain’s first climbers, and of course views of Mount Rainier itself.
 
 

Indian Bar - Cowlitz Divide

Mount Rainier Area > SE - Cayuse Pass/Stevens Canyon
 
Length
14.6 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
3,130 feet
Highest Point
5,900 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.00
(9 votes)
  • Ridges/passes
  • Wildlife
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Rivers
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Mountain views
  • Established campsites
  • Waterfalls
  • Old growth
  • Fall foliage
This section of the Wonderland Trail, which begins at Box Canyon, continues along the Cowlitz Divide, and eventually concludes in the valley that houses Indian Bar, will certainly test your trail stamina. But the rewards for all of your efforts are plentiful: swaths of old-growth forests, bountiful berries (when in season), rolling alpine meadows, an epic in-your-face view of Mount Rainier, and finally, the rushing waters of the Ohanapecosh River and Wauhaukaupauken Falls, which offer a cooling respite after your long, and sometimes arduous, climb and descent into this famed valley.
 
 

High Lakes Loop

Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
 
Length
3.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
600 feet
Highest Point
5,425 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.70
(10 votes)
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Mountain views
  • Ridges/passes
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Good for kids
  • Lakes
  • Fall foliage
Reflection Lakes are not just a popular photography stop. From the lakes you can hike to a stunning cliffside view of the lakes and the Tatoosh range. From there you have the option of returning the way you came, or hiking in a loop around the largest of the lakes.
 
 

Glacier Vista - Panorama Point

Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
 
Length
5.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,300 feet
Highest Point
6,700 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.25
(12 votes)
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Mountain views
  • Wildlife
  • Dogs not allowed
Paradise is one of the most gorgeous (and, as a result, popular) parts of Washington. This short but steep trail offers tourists and locals alike one of the most stunning views for the least number of miles in Washington state, but that doesn't mean you won't sweat! Be prepared to climb more than 1000 feet in less than a mile at the outset of this trail .
 
 

Glacier Vista Snowshoe

Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
 
Length
2.5 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
900 feet
Highest Point
6,330 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.12
(8 votes)
  • Mountain views
  • Dogs not allowed
Glacier Vista snowshoe is a shorter alternative to Panorama Point snowshoe. With 2.5 miles round trip with only 900 feet elevation gain, it is an easy snowshoeing outing with great views of snow-capped mountains.