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
3979 HikesSouth Cascades > Goat Rocks
8.2 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 1600 ft.
Highest Point: 5800 ft.
Rating:
Enjoy a hike to a beautiful subalpine meadow in the Goat Rocks Wilderness. A good destination all on its own, it can also provide a jumping off point for a longer trip.
North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
7.5 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 2200 ft.
Highest Point: 5450 ft.
Rating:
Hikers must pack out their waste on this trail and dispose of it in the receptacles at the trailhead
On Park Butte, hike to an historic fire lookout and come face-to-face with Koma Kulshan. Along with unobstructed panoramic views of Mount Baker, the Twin Sisters, and the rest of the North Cascades, the route to Park Butte offers dedicated campsites, wildflower-filled alpine meadows, rushing waterfalls, and a stunning variety of mushroom species.
Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass
8.6 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 3800 ft.
Highest Point: 5629 ft.
Rating:
In winter the trail up Granite Mountain crosses a large avalanche chute early in the hike. Please have experience navigating avalanche terrain and the proper equipment when hiking this trail in the winter
The astounding views from the summit of the Granite Mountain trail come at a price. A nearly-1000-feet-of-elevation-gain-per-mile price. But views of pointed Kaleetan Peak, deep blue Crystal Lake, the climber-dotted Tooth, and Mount Rainier dominating the skyline to the south make it all worth it.
Snoqualmie Region > North Bend Area
11.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 2300 ft.
Highest Point: 4100 ft.
Rating:
You’re bound to run into all manner of people on the Pratt Lake Trail: trail runners, families, beginning hikers, backpackers hungry for a night out in the woods, even folks looking for fish (in the lakes, not on the trail). All that traffic does a number on the trail, but fortunately WTA work parties have worked hard here, ensuring that all trail users can easily follow the picturesque path to Pratt Lake.
Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass
4.4 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 1600 ft.
Highest Point: 2600 ft.
Rating:
Get a workout and experience rock work completed by Department of Natural Resources and WTA volunteer crews on this hike. Your reward is a rocky overlook from which you can marvel at Mount Kent, McClellan Butte, and Mount Washington, the behemoths forming the south rim of the west entrance to Snoqualmie Pass.
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
3.3 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 775 ft.
Highest Point: 1327 ft.
Rating:
The Leovy Trail, a testament to community land conservation, is a moderate ascent through second-growth Cascade rainforest to the summit of Heybrook Ridge. At the top, take in stunning views of Mount Index, Bridal Veil Falls, and the Skykomish Valley.
Snoqualmie Region > North Bend Area
2.6 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 500 ft.
Highest Point: 1000 ft.
Rating:
Visit a trio (yes, trio) of waterfalls just off I-90 on this sure-to-please short trail, perfect for families.
Puget Sound and Islands > Whidbey Island
7.0 miles, one-way
Gain: 30 ft.
Highest Point: 30 ft.
Rating:
A very rocky hike with breaks of sandy beach along a beautiful coast that's full of marine life between the towns of Oak Harbor and Coupeville on Whidbey Island.
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
2.2 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 220 ft.
Highest Point: 1938 ft.
Rating:
Never go into or climb on top of the Ice Caves.
Mountain Loop Highway is closed from Deer Creek (milepost 24) to Bedal Creek (milepost 36) for the winter.
This is an easy walk on a wide gravel and boardwalk path to views of Big Four Mountain and the caves beneath the snow. Hikers of all ages and abilities can enjoy this trail.
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
7.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 250 ft.
Highest Point: 1800 ft.
Rating:
Never go into or climb on top of the Ice Caves.
Mountain Loop Highway is closed from Deer Creek (milepost 24) to Bedal Creek (milepost 36) for the winter.
While this is a popular location to snowshoe in wintertime, there is high risk in winter from avalanches off the mountain that feeds these caves. Keep to the main trail, and do not venture onto the snowfields at the end of the route.
Snoqualmie Region > North Bend Area
1.4 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 250 ft.
Highest Point: 450 ft.
Rating:
The 0.7-mile interpretive trail from the upper falls viewpoints to the lower falls viewpoint is family- and pet-friendly, good for beginners, teaches the basics of the flora and fauna near Snoqualmie Pass, informs about local Native American culture, and ends with impressive views of a Washington icon.
Snoqualmie Region > Cle Elum Area
1.4 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 100 ft.
Highest Point: 5400 ft.
Rating:
This trail leaves from a forest service road in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest south of Cle Elum and reaches the lake in under a mile. The trail is simple and straightforward and stays nearly level the entire way.
Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast
7.3 miles, one-way
Gain: 641 ft.
Highest Point: 270 ft.
Rating:
The Larry Scott Trail is a regional trail for hikers, bikers, and horseback riders that leaves from the waterfront in Port Townsend. It is also part of the Olympic Discovery Trail.
Central Washington > Potholes Region
12.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 625 ft.
Highest Point: 1200 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.
Issaquah Alps > Tiger Mountain
0.6 miles, one-way
Gain: 305 ft.
Highest Point: 1336 ft.
Rating:
A connector trail on Tiger Mountain. Access to or from West Tiger 3, Nook Trail, and Section Line Trail.
North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
5.5 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 1400 ft.
Highest Point: 5100 ft.
Rating:
The road to this trailhead is washed out. Closure is anticipated to last until January 2023
If you'd like nose-to-nose access to Mount Baker, this first-rate woodsy walk delivers. Over a relatively short, well-maintained trail with mild elevation gain, you can be glacier-side in no time... if the creek crossings allow.
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
9.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 2300 ft.
Highest Point: 3750 ft.
Rating:
A local favorite, McDonald Mountain offers great views from the summit and a good workout on the way there. But it borders the Green River Watershed, so please stay on trail to avoid accidentally entering the watershed, which is closed to the public.
Issaquah Alps > Tiger Mountain
9.6 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 2830 ft.
Highest Point: 2948 ft.
Rating:
If you are bored at the thought of another hike up West Tiger #3, here is an option for a more ambitious hike. First, the route will take you to Poo Poo Point, a knoll on a shoulder of West Tiger Mountain, for the view and perhaps to see paragliders launching into the sky. Then, you'll continue via a sequence of short trails to reach and traverse all three numbered summits of West Tiger Mountain before returning to your trailhead.
Olympic Peninsula > Kitsap Peninsula
2.5 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 140 ft.
Highest Point: 140 ft.
Rating:
The park is closed until further notice for facility repairs. (Estimated reopening in May 2023.)
Found on the shores of Puget Sound is the marine and camping Penrose Point State Park. The park consists of 237 acres and nearly two miles of shoreline, including Mayo Cove and Carr Inlet.
Olympic Peninsula > Kitsap Peninsula
2.6 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 100 ft.
Highest Point: 180 ft.
Rating:
Providing a cool forest walk even on warm summer day, Hansville Greenway is an extensive network of trails encompassing the community of Hansville on the Kitsap peninsula.
Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast
4.8 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 500 ft.
Highest Point: 1900 ft.
Rating:
Heart O' the Forest campground and trail will be closed from 3/1 - 5/12/23.
This trail is a really nice accompaniment to your morning coffee, but bring a thermos -- it's long enough that the coffee might get cold by the time you reach the end!
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
1.8 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 1000 ft.
Highest Point: 1800 ft.
Rating:
There are many names for this short little hike. Mount Pete, Mount Peak, Pinnacle Peak Park, Cal Magnusson Trail.
Snoqualmie Region > Salmon La Sac/Teanaway
9.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 2500 ft.
Highest Point: 6500 ft.
Rating:
There's no question why Ingalls Lake is one of the most popular destinations in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. It is a stunning blue lake, set high in a basin beneath rocky peaks, showcasing striking Mount Stuart as its backdrop. The trail to this treasure is filled with delights, both for the summer adventurer as well as for those hikers who appreciate fall colors. Views of the craggy Esmeralda Peaks, a walk through beautiful Headlight Basin plus a pretty picture of the imposing Stuart Range are just a few of the wonders along the way.
Olympic Peninsula > Hood Canal
0.6 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 100 ft.
Highest Point: 100 ft.
Rating:
This is a lovely trail year-round. If you don’t live in the area, it makes an excellent quick stop if you’re in the vicinity of the Hood Canal Bridge.
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
5.6 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 1300 ft.
Highest Point: 1500 ft.
Rating:
An accessible hike for seasoned veterans and neophytes alike, Wallace Falls provides visitors with breathtaking views of the Wallace River and the surrounding falls on a relatively low difficulty, scenic 5.6 mile round-trip. Although well attended and often busy, the trail stands as a true showcase of the diversity and majestic beauty that the Central Cascades can offer to hikers who journey into the heart of this sublime mountain range.
Olympic Peninsula > Hood Canal
4.3 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 850 ft.
Highest Point: 1850 ft.
Rating:
This low-key loop in the shadow of Mount Ellinor makes for a great respite on a hot summer day or a low-country winter ramble when it's rainy.
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
6.6 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 0 ft.
Highest Point: 15 ft.
Rating:
Spencer Island is part of a larger area known as the Snohomish River Estuary and is a stop on the Washington State Great Birding Trail. The mix of saltwater from Possession Sound and fresh water from the Snohomish River create a unique ecosystem, making it one of the best birding spots in Puget Sound. On this walk, you don’t want to forget your binoculars!
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
3.4 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 550 ft.
Highest Point: 1100 ft.
Rating:
The Two Dollar Trail is one of three approaches to Fragrance Lake. It is popular with runners, bikers and hikers alike because of its good surface throughout. It traverses a west facing ridge through a forest of cedar, Douglas fir, hemlock, bigleaf maple and red maple with views out to the Salish Sea. The trail wanders through a groundcover of salal, Oregon grape and a variety of ferns and a small waterfall whose configuration changes with the seasons.
Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast
5.0 miles, one-way
Gain: 250 ft.
Highest Point: 700 ft.
Rating:
Hop aboard the Spruce Railroad Trail for a scenic and historic hike along the sparkling shores of massive Lake Crescent. With a microclimate of warmer and drier conditions than areas just a few miles away, this trail is a good hiking choice on an overcast afternoon.
Snoqualmie Region > Cle Elum Area
Highest Point: 2500 ft.
Rating:
The Crystal Springs Sno-Park is a hub for winter recreation. The trails here are open to snowmobilers, cross-country skiers and snowshoers. Some routes are groomed, while others are unmaintained.