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
170 HikesCama Beach Historical State Park
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
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Length
- 3.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 250 feet
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Highest Point
- 275 feet
Enjoy the easy, forested trail to Cranberry Lake - an extensive wetland created by energetic beavers - plus trails along the high bluffs with views out to Saratoga Passage and Whidbey Island. Optionally, explore a trail to the eastern edge of the park. To finish up, visit the Historic District and vintage beach cabins.
Pritchard Park
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 2.0 miles of trails
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Elevation Gain
- 100 feet
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Highest Point
- 100 feet
Pritchard Park sits at the mouth of Eagle Harbor on Bainbridge Island, facing the Bainbridge Island ferry terminal. With a network of upland trails and beachfront, this park offers numerous hiking opportunities that take visitors through natural Puget Sound landscapes as well as significant historical sites.
Old Mill Park
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
This park sits at the northern tip of Dyes Inlet and just outside of the urban center of Silverdale. From the parking area a network of trails extends out through the forest.
Cap Sante Park
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
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Length
- 3.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 490 feet
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Highest Point
- 220 feet
Explore roads and trails on, and around, Cap Sante, an impressive rocky headland at the northeast corner of Anacortes. Enjoy views extending from Mount Baker to Mount Rainier, plus the busy harbor.
Washington Park
Puget Sound and Islands > San Juan Islands
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Length
- 2.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 280 feet
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Highest Point
- 250 feet
Washington Park sits at the northwestern tip of Anacortes. When viewed from the sea the area is referred to as Fidalgo Head. The terrain varies from rain forest on the north to open, stony hillsides with few trees on the south.
Fort Ward Park
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 2.25 miles, roundtrip
The trails in this park reveal the military history and natural wonder of this area. There are options for walking along the beach or through forested slopes.
Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 5.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 10 feet
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Highest Point
- 10 feet
Formerly known as the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge and renamed to honor the memory of a noted activist, this an excellent year-round destination for wildlife viewing and photography.
Dugualla State Park
Puget Sound and Islands > Whidbey Island
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Length
- 5.0 miles, roundtrip
The land encompassed by Dugualla State Park was acquired in 1992, when Washington State Parks bought the property to prevent it from being logged. It is now a quiet little state park at the north end of Oak Harbor.
Bay View State Park
Puget Sound and Islands > Whidbey Island
The Bay View State Park on Padilla Bay has plenty of activities and amenities.
Anacortes Community Forest Lands - Little Round Top
Puget Sound and Islands > Whidbey Island
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Length
- 3.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 850 feet
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Highest Point
- 915 feet
Hike trails that form a loop in the Anacortes Community Forest Lands (ACFL.) If you already have been to Mount Erie and to Sugarloaf, this hike will take you to one - or optionally to both - of the other two named high points in the ACFL. These are Little Round Top and Sugar Cube. As a bonus, you also will visit a great viewpoint.
Mount Grant Preserve
Puget Sound and Islands > San Juan Islands
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Length
- 4.6 miles of trails
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Elevation Gain
- 900 feet
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Highest Point
- 900 feet
Mount Grant Preserve is a trail system in development on San Juan Island. Currently, the trails to the top offer the most elevation gain available on San Juan Island, so you'll love this one if you're looking to get high up.
Anderson Island
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 2.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 50 feet
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Highest Point
- 50 feet
Take a nice retreat to a couple of trails winding through a mossy forest to a beach and tidal inlet where you can continue exploring along the sand.
Judge Jack Tanner Park
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 1.0 miles of trails
Judge Jack Tanner Park features barbeques and areas for families to enjoy views of Puget Sound and the surrounding vistas. Come for a picnic or just to relax, or take Ruston Way -- the hard-surface trail running through the middle of the park -- for a longer stroll along the waterfront.
Turtleback Mountain Preserve: Turtlehead Summit
Puget Sound and Islands > San Juan Islands
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Length
- 5.7 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,295 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,025 feet
Hike a short trail that leads to one of the best viewpoints in the San Juans, with views of other San Juan Islands and of Canada's Gulf Islands. In the distance, Vancouver Island and the Olympic mountains will be visible. Along the way, enjoy an exuberant display of mosses and, in season, wildflowers. Sightings of golden eagles, turkey vultures, and many other birds are likely.
Lily Lake Loop
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
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Length
- 5.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,360 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,025 feet
This strenuous uphill climb leads to big-payout views of the San Juans from Oyster Dome before visiting tranquil Lily Lake.
Lighthouse Marine Park
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
Known best for the high likelihood of seeing orcas from here, Lighthouse Marine Park also offers beach access, a boardwalk, camping, and picnic areas.
Monument Park
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
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Length
- 0.25 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 135 feet
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Highest Point
- 135 feet
Venture down to a beach in a small Whatcom County park in Point Roberts.
Eagle Landing Park
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 0.75 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 147 feet
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Highest Point
- 217 feet
A small neighborhood park, through a wooded area which leads to an overlook of Puget Sound.
Patos Island
Puget Sound and Islands > San Juan Islands
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Length
- 1.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 30 feet
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Highest Point
- 30 feet
Spanish for Duck Island, Patos Island is a hidden gem in the San Juan Islands. This is largely because of difficulty in accessing it, but if you make the effort, you won't be sorry!
Peach Preserve Shore
Puget Sound and Islands
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Length
- 1.5 miles, roundtrip
A birder or botanist’s dream, this nature preserve boasts a diversity of ecosystems, all accessed via an easy and short trail which ends at a 2,000-foot section of protected beach.
Port Susan Bay Preserve
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
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Length
- 2.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 0 feet
The Port Susan Bay Preserve, owned by Nature Conservancy, is a 4,122-acre preserve which encompasses much of the Stillaguamish River estuary. A short mile-long dike trail takes you through tidelands and farmlands to the Stillaguamish River, provide the opportunity to view many varieties of birds and other wildlife.
Obstruction Pass State Park
Puget Sound and Islands > San Juan Islands
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Length
- 1.9 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 305 feet
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Highest Point
- 225 feet
Moran State Park might have mountains and lakes, but Obstruction Pass has quiet, open forest, secluded campgrounds, and the largest public beach on Orcas Island. Take a quiet walk here and soak in the peaceful shoreline.
Luther Burbank Park
Puget Sound and Islands
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Length
- 3.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 120 feet
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Highest Point
- 120 feet
Luther Burbank Park is a waterfront park at the North end of Mercer Island, offering three miles of family- and pet-friendly trails with waterfront access, wetlands, and recreational activities.
Lime Kiln State Park
Puget Sound and Islands > San Juan Islands
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Length
- 1.35 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 276 feet
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Highest Point
- 207 feet
Lime Kiln State Park is one of the more scenic spots on an already beautiful island. Sometimes called “Whale Watch Park,” it is not uncommon to see orcas or other marine life playing in the water as you wander along the rocky edges of the Salish Sea. The hike described here provides plenty of opportunity for spotting killer whales, while also allowing you to explore the upland environment and see the historic lime kiln.
Leadbetter Point State Park - Martha Jordan Birding Trail
Southwest Washington > Long Beach Area
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Length
- 4.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 0 feet
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Highest Point
- 15 feet
WTA began construction of this half mile new trail in 2013. Since then they've built several boardwalks and brushed out a rough corridor leading to a connection with the existing trail system through the forested dunes.
Seahurst Park
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 3.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 400 feet
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Highest Point
- 398 feet
Hike good trails though a forested drainage in Burien that has many tall trees and, in season, is very green. In spring look for a few wildflowers. Continue your hike on trails paralleling the beach, both north and south of your trailhead.
Ala Spit
Puget Sound and Islands > Whidbey Island
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Length
- 1.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 10 feet
This trail only takes about 20 minutes to hike out and back with great views of Mount Baker, Mount Erie, Fidalgo Island, Hope Island and the inner part of Puget Sound.
Iverson Spit
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 1.0 miles, roundtrip
If you've been to Cama Beach and Camano Island State Parks, and you're looking for another diversion on Camano Island, consider Iverson Spit Waterfront Preserve. This delightful area offers some short hiking trails and, of course, ever present views of the Cascade Mountains and shoreline wandering.
Bell Point and English Camp
Puget Sound and Islands > San Juan Islands
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Length
- 1.7 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 50 feet
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Highest Point
- 50 feet
English Camp is the historical site of the Royal British Marines’ outpost established in the 1860’s. Part of a joint English-American occupation of San Juan Island while international water boundaries were decided, many of the buildings remain for visitors to explore. The gentle, family-friendly loop trail from English Camp to Bell Point offers hikers peaceful water views and pleasant bird watching.
Upright Head Preserve
Puget Sound and Islands > San Juan Islands
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Length
- 1.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 300 feet
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Highest Point
- 195 feet
A relaxing walk through land once slated for a housing development, the trail around Upright Head Preserve is an easy hike where one can watch ferries travel from one island to the next while waiting for their own. Remnants of roads and utilities make up part of the trail, with the rest on narrow dirt paths through the dense forest.