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
153 Hikes
Columbia National Wildlife Refuge - Rimrock Lake
Central Washington -- Potholes Region
3.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 200 ft.
Highest Point: 1060.0 ft.
Rating:
Formerly the Frog Lake Trail, this area is breathtakingly scenic, compensating for the fact that there is no actual lake en route. Frog Lake dried up years ago, leaving a seasonal marsh that occupies a small basin below the trail's ultimate destination; a broad mesa with a 360 degree view of the surrounding scablands of the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge.
Shell Rock
Central Washington -- Yakima
6.0 miles, one-way
Gain: 1100 ft.
Rating:
Area Closure: Effective July 23 2021 this area and all lands in Eastern Washington managed by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources are temporarily closed to the public to prevent the risks associated with wildfires. This area will reopen once it is safe to do so. Please respect this closure.
Manastash Ridge - Observatory Road
Central Washington -- Yakima
4.5 miles, one-way
Gain: 900 ft.
Rating:
Area Closure: Effective July 23 2021 this area and all lands in Eastern Washington managed by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources are temporarily closed to the public to prevent the risks associated with wildfires. This area will reopen once it is safe to do so. Please respect this closure.
Selah Cliffs Natural Area Preserve
Central Washington -- Yakima
2.5 miles, roundtrip
Highest Point: 1160.0 ft.
Rating:
Area Closure: Effective July 23 2021 this area and all lands in Eastern Washington managed by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources are temporarily closed to the public to prevent the risks associated with wildfires. This area will reopen once it is safe to do so. Please respect this closure.
An easy hike up the Selah Creek canyon with views of both abundant wildlife and geological points of interest.
East Rim Waterworks Canyon
Central Washington -- Yakima
3.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 450 ft.
Rating:
Area Closure: Effective July 23 2021 this area and all lands in Eastern Washington managed by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources are temporarily closed to the public to prevent the risks associated with wildfires. This area will reopen once it is safe to do so. Please respect this closure.
A short, hike alongside a creek on the east side of Washington, just outside of Yakima. Lush brush, including balsamroot, yarrow, and lupine can be found along the way, as you enjoy the dramatic canyon walls.
Ahtanum State Forest - Whites Ridge
Central Washington -- Yakima
10.9 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 1900 ft.
Highest Point: 5000.0 ft.
Rating:
Area Closure: Effective July 23 2021 this area and all lands in Eastern Washington managed by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources are temporarily closed to the public to prevent the risks associated with wildfires. This area will reopen once it is safe to do so. Please respect this closure.
The Whites Ridge trailhead is a forested hike with mountain views located in Ahtanum Forest. It is only open to hikers and equestrians from April 1 to November 30.
Manastash Ridge - Westberg Trail
Central Washington -- Yakima
4.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 1800 ft.
Highest Point: 3560.0 ft.
Rating:
Area Closure: Effective July 23 2021 this area and all lands in Eastern Washington managed by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources are temporarily closed to the public to prevent the risks associated with wildfires. This area will reopen once it is safe to do so. Please respect this closure.
Named after and built in honor of an Ellensburg wrestling coach, this trail provides the sought-after combination of great workout and big views. But its exposed; you'll want to be up here in spring or fall, because the direct sun of summer and lack of water can make this one a burner (literally).
Washtucna Coulee - Kahlotus Railroad Grade
Central Washington -- Tri-Cities
8.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 30 ft.
Highest Point: 900.0 ft.
Rating:
Area Closure: Effective July 23 2021 this area and all lands in Eastern Washington managed by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources are temporarily closed to the public to prevent the risks associated with wildfires. This area will reopen once it is safe to do so. Please respect this closure.
The Washtucna Coulee - Kahlotus Railroad Grade will take you past the dried basin of the ancient Lake Kahlotus and through to the eerie former railroad tunnel in Devils Canyon.
Snow Mountain Ranch and Cowiche Mountain
Central Washington -- Yakima
14.0 miles of trails
Gain: 1140 ft.
Highest Point: 2970.0 ft.
Rating:
For a flat riparian ramble or a great workout to a scenic summit, Snow Mountain Ranch is a walking wonderland just outside of Yakima.
Ancient Lakes
Central Washington -- Potholes Region
12.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 625 ft.
Highest Point: 1200.0 ft.
Rating:
View one of the best examples of a recessional-cataract canyon. Potholes Coulee caught the attention of J Harlen Bretz in the early 20th century, which led to his “outrageous hypothesis” of Ice Age flooding.
Rocky Top and Cowiche Mountain
Central Washington -- Yakima
20.0 miles of trails
Gain: 1148 ft.
Highest Point: 2970.0 ft.
Rating:
Rocky Top is an extensive system of interconnected mountain bike trails open to hikers. It offers innumerable out-and back and loop options though shrub-steppe on the flanks of Cowiche Mountain as well as a scenic ridge walk on a portion of the William O. Douglas Trail to the summit of the mountain and a connection with the Snow Mountain Ranch trail system.
Clara and Marion Lakes
Central Washington -- Wenatchee
3.2 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 900 ft.
Highest Point: 5475.0 ft.
Rating:
Some days are perfect for quiet contemplation, and an easygoing trail. Chirping birds, fragrant Ponderosa pines, and soft duff underfoot make this a perfect short, casual hike. In snow, it's steady climb will make it a moderate challenge in winter when showshoeing is in season.
White Bluffs - Central Slope
Central Washington -- Tri-Cities
6.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 500 ft.
Rating:
On this hike you’ll walk a long string of sand dunes or explore the nooks and crannies of a recent landslide, all beside the last free-flowing stretch of the Columbia River with panoramic views up and down the river, north to the Saddle Mountains, and across the Hanford Nuclear Site to the distant Cascade Mountains.
Stairway to Heaven
Central Washington -- Wenatchee
9.7 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 900 ft.
Rating:
Stairway to Heaven is a single track hiking and mountain biking trail in the foothills of Wenatchee. It climbs gently through fields of flowers and Ponderosa pine up to the summit of Twin Peaks. Enjoy views of the canyons and Wenatchee Valley down below.
Umtanum Ridge Crest
Central Washington -- Yakima
6.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 2400 ft.
Highest Point: 3480.0 ft.
Rating:
Get a workout on this steep hike from Umtanum Creek to the ridge above the canyon. In spring, it is filled with wildflowers and birds, with chances of seeing rattlesnakes and bighorn sheep.
Cowiche Canyon
Central Washington -- Yakima
6.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 100 ft.
Highest Point: 1500.0 ft.
Rating:
Walk beneath stunning basalt and andesite cliffs along a beautiful creek with wildflowers in the spring, stunning color in the fall and a side trip for a glass of wine and snacks.
Northrup Canyon
Central Washington -- Grand Coulee
3.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 384 ft.
Highest Point: 2134.0 ft.
Rating:
Bald eagles, icons of the mossy forests and deep rivers of the Pacific Coast, flock to this desert canyon each winter, and their presence is reason to visit in late fall or winter.
Crow Butte Park
Central Washington -- Tri-Cities
6.0 miles of trails
Gain: 250 ft.
Rating:
Crow Butte Park is located near Patterson, along the Columbia River. The park is operated by the Port of Benton, and it is possible to camp here as well as explore six miles of trail.
Palouse to Cascades Trail - Crab Creek
Central Washington -- Potholes Region
Rating:
Formerly known as the John Wayne Trail, this is a rail trail whose route crosses Washington, offering a nice short walk from a myriad of trailheads, or a fun, multi-day bikepacking adventure.
Artesian & Black Lake
Central Washington -- Grand Coulee
0.5 miles, roundtrip
Rating:
Artesian Lake and Black Lake are dry lake beds on federal land. The lakes went dry in the last century due to overgrazing typical of Eastern Washington and the lowering of the water table by local wells. Willow trees and golden currant shrubs still line the former shoreline and surface water occasionally gathers on the alkaline flats.
Quincy Lakes
Central Washington -- Potholes Region
12.0 miles of trails
Gain: 400 ft.
Highest Point: 1200.0 ft.
Rating:
Quincy Lakes is an umbrella term for the area including Ancient Lakes and Dusty Lake.
Fullbright Park
Central Washington -- Yakima
1.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 500 ft.
Highest Point: 1484.0 ft.
Rating:
Fullbright Park is available for private reservations, but if no one has reserved the park, the trails here are open to the public and a nice place to stretch your hiking muscles.
Swakane Canyon
Central Washington -- Wenatchee
6.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 1470 ft.
Highest Point: 2980.0 ft.
Rating:
This is a nice two season hike on an old road with views of the Columbia River valley from Badger Mountain to Wenatchee. Enroute you may see spring flowers, unique rock formations, and animals like deer, coyotes, snakes and hawks.
Box Spring Canyon
Central Washington -- Yakima
9.5 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 900 ft.
Highest Point: 2300.0 ft.
Rating:
This is part of the William O. Douglas Trail, which runs from Davis High School in Yakima to Mt. Rainier. This trail is still being established.
William O. Douglas Wilderness
Central Washington -- Yakima
52.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 3600 ft.
Rating:
This heritage trail provides muscle-powered users (read: hikers) the opportunity to experience many of the natural, historic and cultural sites that William O. Douglas hiked and wrote about in his book Of Men and Mountains.
Burch Mountain - Eagle Rock
Central Washington -- Wenatchee
3.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 500 ft.
Highest Point: 4522.0 ft.
Rating:
Enjoy this wooded trail leading to a ridge featuring a rock outcropping overlooking the town of Wenatchee.
McNary National Wildlife Refuge
Central Washington -- Tri-Cities
2.0 miles, roundtrip
Highest Point: 350.0 ft.
Rating:
This National Wildlife Refuge consists of a chain of wetland marshes adjacent to the confluence of the Snake and Columbia Rivers.
Umtanum Creek Canyon
Central Washington -- Yakima
6.5 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 500 ft.
Highest Point: 1800.0 ft.
Rating:
Take a pleasant hike up a spectacular canyon with towering basalt formations, a rushing creek, and a chance to see bighorn sheep. Whether you go in spring or fall, the canyon is filled with brilliant color.
Red Hill
Central Washington -- Wenatchee
12.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 2710 ft.
Highest Point: 3835.0 ft.
Rating:
If you are looking for a moderately long amble without much likelihood of seeing others, look no further. The terrain is dry Ponderosa forest cut deeply by winter runoff. The scars of humankind’s usage are quite evident, but the balance of nature’s hand is slowly returning beauty to the area. The elevations are low making access easy early in the season or the potential for a winter outing.
Candy Point Trail
Central Washington -- Grand Coulee
1.8 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 800 ft.
Highest Point: 1762.0 ft.
Rating:
Most trails are human-made, this one is arguably more so than most. The 1937 Civilian Conservation Corps crew who built this trail hewed hundreds of granite steps from the local bedrock, installing them in twisting fashion up one steep canyon and down another. A trip around this loop is a step back in time to an era when trails built through rock were cut primarily with sweat and muscle.