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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

4202 Hikes

Ryan Lake

South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
 
Length
0.7 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
165 feet
Highest Point
3,465 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.20
(5 votes)
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Lakes
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Wildlife
What was once a nice, short loop hike for families on the east side of Mount St. Helens National Volcanic monument has been lost to downed trees and heavy brush. Thankfully, the lake is still visible from an overlook partway up.
 
 

Quartz Creek Big Trees

South Cascades > White Pass/Cowlitz River Valley
 
Length
0.4 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
15 feet
Highest Point
2,000 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.29
(7 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Good for kids
  • Old growth
  • Wildlife
An almost-completely-forgotten nature loop near Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. You won’t see the mountain here, but two giant trees remain from time gone by, and are impressive enough for a visit if you’re in the area.
 
 

Norway Pass

South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
 
Length
4.5 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
860 feet
Highest Point
4,500 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.30
(20 votes)
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Lakes
  • Mountain views
  • Ridges/passes
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
Witness the destructive force and the restorative power of nature on this hike in the blast zone of Mount St. Helens’ 1980 eruption. The rocky ash and treeless areas are testaments to the devastation caused by the explosion, while wildflowers and shrubs signal the return of vegetation to the denuded landscape.
 
 

Mount Margaret

South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
 
Length
11.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
2,820 feet
Highest Point
5,780 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.82
(11 votes)
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Established campsites
  • Mountain views
  • Ridges/passes
  • Summits
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
On maps, Mount Margaret doesn’t seem impressive enough to warrant its namesake Mount Margaret Backcountry. It is not the tallest nor the most majestic peak in the area. However, it is easily summited and it offers clear unobstructed views of Mount Rainier, Mount Adams, and Mount St. Helens (in three different directions), and expansive views of much more, including legendary Spirit Lake.
 
 

Iron Creek Campground Loop

South Cascades > White Pass/Cowlitz River Valley
 
Length
1.5 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
0 feet
Highest Point
1,200 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.00
(5 votes)
  • Established campsites
  • Fall foliage
  • Good for kids
  • Old growth
  • Rivers
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
Lose yourself amid ancient giants on this 1.5 mile flat loop around the Iron Creek Campground.
 
 

Green River

South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
 
Length
11.6 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
940 feet
Highest Point
2,850 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.25
(8 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Old growth
  • Rivers
  • Waterfalls
  • Wildlife
Walk in the deep shade of towering, ancient Douglas-firs and western redcedars and become humbled in the presence of these survivors of volcanic eruption.
 
 

Ghost Lake

South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
 
Length
5.2 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
640 feet
Highest Point
4,000 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.00
(2 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Lakes
  • Ridges/passes
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Wildlife
Hike to a lovely, glittering, quiet little lake that at Mount St. Helens that few visit. You’ll have to work for it, of course. But it’s a neat little treat to share with friends, or head to it solo for some solitude.
 
 

Goat Mountain and Deadman's Lake

South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
 
Length
11.2 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
2,400 feet
Highest Point
5,025 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.92
(12 votes)
  • Lakes
  • Mountain views
  • Summits
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
Hike along a lofty ridge at the demarcation of the blast zone. Look south at blown-down and toppled forests and a series of sparkling alpine lakes surrounded by silver snags. Look north at alpine meadows flush with wildflowers and hillsides cloaked in verdant old-growth canopies. One of the best trails for comparing before and after the eruption landscapes, Goat Mountain is also one of the best for views.
 
 

Plains of Abraham - Windy Pass Loop

South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
 
Length
9.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
2,000 feet
Highest Point
4,850 feet
Rating
Average rating:
5.00
(5 votes)
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Mountain views
  • Ridges/passes
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Wildlife

This hike is closed (except for the Loowit Trail segment) all M-F between May 15 and Oct 31 through the end of 2027. The trail will remain open on all weekends and federal holidays.

Hike a challenging loop outside of the Windy Ridge area of Mount St. Helens, including a route-finding scramble to the pass. For your efforts, you’re rewarded with expansive, ever-changing views of one of the world’s most dynamic landscapes.
 
 

Mosquito Meadows

South Cascades > Dark Divide
 
Length
2.2 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
350 feet
Highest Point
4,350 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.40
(5 votes)
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
This mile-long gentle climb in the Dark Divide brings you to the Boundary Trail, where you can turn left towards Badger Lake or right towards Mount St. Helens.
 
 

Windy Trail

South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
 
Length
1.0 miles, one-way
Elevation Gain
200 feet
Highest Point
4,300 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.50
(2 votes)
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Mountain views
  • Wildflowers/Meadows

This trail is closed through all M-F between May 15 and Oct 31 through the end of 2027. The trail will remain open on all weekends and federal holidays.

A short trail accessible from the Windy Ridge area of Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, the Windy Trail makes it possible for hikers to loop up a variety of trails in the blast zone.
 
 

Windy Ridge and Plains of Abraham

South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
 
Length
8.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
2,000 feet
Highest Point
4,850 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.08
(13 votes)
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Mountain views
  • Ridges/passes
  • Wildflowers/Meadows

This trail is closed through all M-F between May 15 and Oct 31 through the end of 2027. The trail will remain open on all weekends and federal holidays.

Climb to really excellent views of Rainier, Adams and Mount St. Helens via an exposed ridgeline before traversing east through hillside wildflowers, and ending at junction with the Loowit Trail in the center of the Plains of Abraham.
 
 

Miners Car Interpretive Site

South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
 
Length
0.3 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
15 feet
Highest Point
3,600 feet
Rating
Average rating:
0.00
(0 votes)
  • Fall foliage
  • Good for kids
  • Lakes
  • Mountain views
  • Wildflowers/Meadows

The site is closed for the season.

Hike a short paved trail to the remains of a vehicle that was subject to the 1980 blast when Mount. St. Helens erupted.
 
 

Meta Lake

South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
 
Length
0.6 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
0 feet
Highest Point
3,625 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.29
(7 votes)
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Good for kids
  • Lakes
  • Mountain views
This very short and flat interpretive trail offers a wonderful way to take in the sights and sounds of a small lake still recovering from the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens.
 
 

Loowit Falls

South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
 
Length
9.2 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,200 feet
Highest Point
4,575 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.70
(10 votes)
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Mountain views
  • Waterfalls
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Wildlife

This trail is closed through all M-F between May 15 and Oct 31 through the end of 2027. The trail will remain open on all weekends and federal holidays.

Hike to a glacier-fed waterfall pouring out of the heart of a volcano. It doesn’t get much more dramatic than that.
 
 

Loowit Trail

South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
 
Length
32.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
6,000 feet
Highest Point
4,800 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.28
(29 votes)
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Established campsites
  • Mountain views
  • Ridges/passes
  • Rivers
  • Waterfalls
  • Wildflowers/Meadows

The Loowit Trail cannot be accessed via the Willow Springs (#207A) Windy (#216E) or Abraham (#216E) trails through all M-F between May 15 and Oct 31 through the end of 2027. The access trails will remain open on all weekends and federal holidays. The Loowit Trail remains open.

Ready for a stunning long hike through the otherwordly landscape of Mount St. Helens? The Loowit Trail reveals the volcano and the blast zone in all its raw glory.
 
 

Independence Pass Loop

South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
 
Length
6.5 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,665 feet
Highest Point
4,700 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.00
(5 votes)
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Lakes
  • Mountain views
  • Ridges/passes
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Wildlife
The Independence Pass trail is impassable past the first 1.5 miles due to significant washouts and cannot currently be connected with the Boundary Trail to complete this loop.
 
 

Harmony Falls

South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
 
Length
2.4 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
650 feet
Highest Point
4,060 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.30
(10 votes)
  • Good for kids
  • Lakes
  • Waterfalls
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
An infrequently-used but surprisingly charming trail leading to the site of a former waterfall, and offering the only access to Spirit Lake.
 
 

Truman Trail - Pumice Plains

South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
 
Length
10.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,425 feet
Highest Point
4,200 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.83
(6 votes)
  • Lakes
  • Mountain views
  • Wildlife

This trail is closed through all M-F between May 15 and Oct 31 through the end of 2027. The trail will remain open on all weekends and federal holidays.

Get up close and personal with Mount St. Helens as you explore the northern flanks of the eruption site and meander through the unique ecology of the pumice plains.
 
 

Strawberry Mountain

South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
 
Length
10.7 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
2,280 feet
Highest Point
5,900 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.22
(9 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Mountain views
  • Summits
Former lookout sites are ideal for views, and Strawberry Mountain is right up there with the best of them. See peaks in two states, the blast zone of an active volcano, and a few sapphire lakes set into the dramatic landscape. That is, of course, if you can bear the drive to get there.
 
 

Vanson Peak via Goat Mountain

South Cascades > White Pass/Cowlitz River Valley
 
Length
17.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
3,600 feet
Highest Point
4,950 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.00
(6 votes)
  • Established campsites
  • Lakes
  • Mountain views
  • Ridges/passes
  • Summits
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Wildlife
Vanson Peak is a summit located within the northeastern reaches of the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. Reachable as a day hike, it features a small rock outcropping and provides commanding views of Mount Rainier, Mount Adams and nearby Riffe Lake. While it’s an exciting destination itself, the journey to and from this special viewpoint also presents many options for camping and sightseeing.
 
 

North Star Mountain

Central Cascades > Entiat Mountains/Lake Chelan
 
Length
25.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
4,500 feet
Highest Point
8,096 feet
Rating
Average rating:
0.00
(0 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Lakes
  • Mountain views
  • Old growth
  • Ridges/passes
  • Summits
  • Waterfalls
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Wildlife

12.12.25: Holden Village is closed due to mudslides and washouts on FR 8301. The closure is expected to last through at least May 2026.

North Star Mountain can be reached via scrambling from the Cloudy Pass trail.
 
 

Monkey Bear Falls

Central Cascades > Entiat Mountains/Lake Chelan
 
Length
5.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
200 feet
Rating
Average rating:
2.83
(6 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Good for kids
  • Mountain views
  • Waterfalls

12.12.25: Holden Village is closed due to mudslides and washouts on FR 8301. The closure is expected to last through at least May 2026.

Hike this lovely, flat trail in the forests of the North Cascades to a quiet waterfall about 2.5 miles from Holden Village.
 
 

Lyman Lakes

Central Cascades > Entiat Mountains/Lake Chelan
 
Length
21.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
2,774 feet
Highest Point
5,983 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.44
(9 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Established campsites
  • Lakes
  • Mountain views
  • Old growth
  • Ridges/passes
  • Waterfalls
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Wildlife

12.12.25: Holden Village is closed due to mudslides and washouts on FR 8301. The closure is expected to last through at least May 2026.

A boat ride up Lake Chelan to a summer camp, then a long hike to beautiful remote lakes east of Glacier Peak.
 
 

Holden to Hart Lake

Central Cascades > Entiat Mountains/Lake Chelan
 
Length
9.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,000 feet
Highest Point
3,982 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.00
(3 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Established campsites
  • Fall foliage
  • Lakes
  • Mountain views
  • Waterfalls

12.12.25: Holden Village is closed due to mudslides and washouts on FR 8301. The closure is expected to last through at least May 2026.

Take in views of scenic waterfalls, fall foliage, and Bonanza Peak from the trail to Hart Lake. The trail is unique in that it begins at Holden Village, a Lutheran ministry only reachable via a combined ferry and bus trip.
 
 

Holden Lake

Central Cascades > Entiat Mountains/Lake Chelan
 
Length
8.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,735 feet
Highest Point
5,300 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.00
(6 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Fall foliage
  • Lakes
  • Mountain views
  • Ridges/passes

12.12.25: Holden Village is closed due to mudslides and washouts on FR 8301. The closure is expected to last through at least May 2026.

Holden Lake is set in a fantastic glacial basin, with stunning views of Bonanza, the highest non-volcanic peak in Washington State. It can be a hot, brushy bushwhack to the lake, but the views from lakeshore are worth it.
 
 

Copper Basin via Copper Creek

Central Cascades > Entiat Mountains/Lake Chelan
 
Length
4.2 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
2,300 feet
Highest Point
5,600 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.50
(4 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Mountain views
  • Wildflowers/Meadows

12.12.25: Holden Village is closed due to mudslides and washouts on FR 8301. The closure is expected to last through at least May 2026.

The Copper Creek Trail leaves from Holden Village in the North Cascades. This trail is relatively short but wastes no time in gaining elevation.
 
 

Holden Village to High Bridge

Central Cascades > Entiat Mountains/Lake Chelan
 
Length
32.0 miles, roundtrip
Rating
Average rating:
0.00
(0 votes)
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Established campsites
  • Lakes
  • Mountain views
  • Ridges/passes
  • Rivers
  • Waterfalls
  • Wildflowers/Meadows

12.12.25: Holden Village is closed due to mudslides and washouts on FR 8301. The closure is expected to last through at least May 2026.

A more than 30 mile hike on the west side of Lake Chelan, from Holden Village to High Bridge at the north end of Stehekin.
 
 

Tenmile Falls

Central Cascades > Entiat Mountains/Lake Chelan
 
Length
5.4 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,300 feet
Highest Point
4,600 feet
Rating
Average rating:
2.50
(4 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Good for kids
  • Mountain views
  • Waterfalls
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Wildlife

12.12.25: Holden Village is closed due to mudslides and washouts on FR 8301. The closure is expected to last through at least May 2026.

Hike a short trail out of Holden Village to see gorgeous falls up close. The 2015 Wolverine Fire hit this area hard and you can see the devastation; if it's windy, be aware these trees could topple. A new viewing platform at the falls opened in 2018.
 
 

South Fork Hoh River - Big Flat

Olympic Peninsula > Pacific Coast
 
Length
7.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
150 feet
Highest Point
850 feet
Rating
Average rating:
2.67
(9 votes)
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Established campsites
  • Fall foliage
  • Good for kids
  • Mountain views
  • Old growth
  • Rivers
  • Wildlife

12.12.25: The Hoh Rainforest area is closed until further notice due to flooding.

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.