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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

Frog Mountain

Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
 
Length
7.4 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
2,166 feet
Highest Point
4,852 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.24
(17 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Mountain views
  • Summits
  • Wildflowers/Meadows

12.13.25 Trailhead inaccessible via FR 23 (Index-Galena Rd.) due to a washout.

Built with the help of many WTA work parties, the Frog Mountain trail is the newest trail on the Skykomish Ranger District. It offers views of the Skykomish Valley from the summit and a great shoulder-season hike.
 
 

Jumpoff Ridge

Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
 
Length
8.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,800 feet
Highest Point
2,600 feet
Rating
Average rating:
1.00
(2 votes)
  • Fall foliage
  • Mountain views
  • Ridges/passes

12.12.25 Trailhead inaccessible - road closed due to flooding and water over Index-Galena Road

A brushy hike up an abandoned logging road to Jumpoff Ridge.
 
 

Trout Creek

Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
 
Length
3.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
500 feet
Highest Point
1,400 feet
Rating
Average rating:
2.00
(2 votes)

12.12.25 Trailhead inaccessible - road closed due to flooding and water over Index-Galena Road

This is a walk up an old mining and logging road that follows beautiful Trout Creek up to the old Sundown Mine.
 
 

Troublesome Mountain

Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
 
Highest Point
5,433 feet
Rating
Average rating:
0.00
(0 votes)

12.12.25 Trailhead inaccessible - Index-Galena Road is washed out near Troublesome Creek.

Troublesome Mountain is a modest peak scramble that can be reached via the Index-Galena Road.
 
 

Troublesome Creek Nature

Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
 
Length
1.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
104 feet
Highest Point
1,420 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.60
(5 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Established campsites
  • Good for kids
  • Old growth
  • Rivers
  • Waterfalls

12.12.25 Trailhead inaccessible - Index-Galena Road is washed out near Troublesome Creek.

A short but scenic nature trail that begins and ends at the Troublesome Creek Campground. Hikers and campers will enjoy the walk along and over the turquoise creek, which indeed could be troublesome without the bridges spanning the shores.
 
 

Quartz Creek

Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
 
Length
8.4 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,500 feet
Highest Point
4,000 feet
Rating
Average rating:
2.40
(5 votes)
  • Mountain views
  • Old growth
  • Rivers
  • Wildflowers/Meadows

12.13.25 Trailhead inaccessible via FR 23 (Index-Galena Rd.) due to a washout. Via FR 25 (Beckler River Road), there is a washout about 1/4 mile before the Blanca Lake Trailhead.

Hike through shady forest, accompanied by the sound of Quartz Creek, little waterfalls, wildflowers and interesting things to see (and eat) on this trail.
 
 

Pass Creek

Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
 
Length
7.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,000 feet
Highest Point
3,250 feet
Rating
Average rating:
2.40
(5 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Old growth
  • Rivers
  • Waterfalls

12.13.25 Trailhead inaccessible via FR 23 (Index-Galena Rd.) due to a washout. Via FR 25 (Beckler River Road), there is a washout about 1/4 mile before the Blanca Lake Trailhead.

Pass Creek is an easy access point to the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) and provides opportunities for longer loop hikes open to stock when conditions permit.
 
 

West Cady Ridge to Benchmark Mountain

Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
 
Length
14.4 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
3,700 feet
Highest Point
5,816 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.70
(10 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Wildflowers/Meadows

12.13.25 Trailhead inaccessible via FR 23 (Index-Galena Rd.) due to a washout. Via FR 25 (Beckler River Road), there is a washout about 1/4 mile before the Blanca Lake Trailhead.

Climb through rich, old growth forest to miles of some of the finest ridge walking available in Washington, where alpine meadows and jaw-dropping views abound.
 
 

North Fork Skykomish River

Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
 
Length
10.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,000 feet
Highest Point
4,000 feet
Rating
Average rating:
2.88
(8 votes)
  • Established campsites
  • Mountain views
  • Old growth
  • Ridges/passes
  • Rivers
  • Summits
  • Wildflowers/Meadows

12.13.25 Trailhead inaccessible via FR 23 (Index-Galena Rd.) due to a washout. Via FR 25 (Beckler River Road), there is a washout about 1/4 mile before the Blanca Lake Trailhead.

This hike is a tree hugger's paradise. Huge old growth Douglas firs and hemlocks soar into the sky from a lush green forest floor dotted with woodland flowers. The trail gently ascends only 700 feet in the first four miles, and the slope you hike up is laced by many clear flowing streams bridged by old puncheons.
 
 

Blanca Lake

Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
 
Length
8.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
3,400 feet
Highest Point
4,600 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.45
(160 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Established campsites
  • Lakes
  • Mountain views
  • Old growth
  • Summits
  • Waterfalls

12.13.25 Trailhead inaccessible via FR 23 (Index-Galena Rd.) due to a washout. Via FR 25 (Beckler River Road), there is a washout about 1/4 mile before the Blanca Lake Trailhead.

Visit one of the most striking lakes in the Henry M. Jackson wilderness. The vibrant blue of the glacier-fed lake provides the perfect rest stop for hikers who have braved the thirty-odd, steep switchbacks that lead to the lake.
 
 

Wallace Falls - Lake Loop

Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
 
Length
9.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,544 feet
Highest Point
1,844 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.54
(26 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Established campsites
  • Lakes
  • Rivers
  • Waterfalls
This fine loop trail gives you scenery, mileage, and some elevation gain, with the bonus of being hikeable year-round. Start by wandering along the Wallace River as it tumbles down from the famous falls. Get your pictures of the falls, then continue your hike by including the large forested Wallace Lake. Return through a green shag carpet of moss, sword ferns and hemlock, following the North Fork Wallace River as it rushes to meet the main Wallace River and your return trail.
 
 

Jumbo Peak

South Cascades > Dark Divide
 
Length
6.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,300 feet
Highest Point
5,801 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.20
(5 votes)
  • Mountain views
  • Summits
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
Jumbo Peak's wide, grassy slopes and seemingly endless trailside views make hikers feel like they're trekking through a storybook landscape. With huge extinct and active volcanoes in your sights, and an unbelievable bounty of flowers in the spring and huckleberries in the fall, Jumbo lives up to its name--big and impressive on a grand scale.
 
 

May Creek Trail

Issaquah Alps
 
Length
3.5 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
585 feet
Highest Point
398 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.38
(8 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Fall foliage
  • Good for kids
  • Rivers
This pleasant woodland trail follows the historic route of the Seattle-Walla Walla Railroad, which transported coal from the mines once operating in present-day Cougar Mountain Park.
 
 

Larrabee State Park - Chuckanut Falls

Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
 
Length
2.6 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
640 feet
Highest Point
540 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.62
(8 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Fall foliage
  • Good for kids
  • Mountain views
  • Waterfalls
  • Wildlife
Take a short hike to a pleasant waterfall tucked away on the northeast corner of Larrabee State Park.
 
 

Green River Natural Area

Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
 
Length
4.32 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
500 feet
Highest Point
500 feet
Rating
Average rating:
2.45
(11 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Fall foliage
  • Good for kids
  • Rivers
  • Wildlife
The 1,000-acre Green River Natural Area is a wonderful gateway to the middle stretch of the Green River. Composed of steep valley walls and a broad valley floor, the natural area provides trails for hiking and horseback riding as well as access to the most dynamic reach of the Green River in King County.
 
 

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.