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
1721 HikesOlympic Peninsula -- Hood Canal
6.4 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 4550 ft.
Highest Point: 5050 ft.
Rating:
Tunnel Creek Trail has two trailheads.The south side trailhead is on the Dosewallips Road, but its notoriously steep grade to 5050 Pass means it is seldom used. Try it and you’ll find out why.
Central Cascades -- Stevens Pass - West
6.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 700 ft.
Highest Point: 2800 ft.
Rating:
Take a hike through railroad history. The old tunnels, rusting relics, cement snow sheds and the big red caboose should appeal to kids of all ages, and the complex history of the railroad and those who built it, as well as the avalanche that wiped everything away will appeal to history buffs.
Snoqualmie Region -- North Bend Area
8.8 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 2270 ft.
Highest Point: 3070 ft.
Rating:
Granite Creek courses through the gorge between Mailbox Peak and Russian Butte. Ascend through the creek’s ravine, immersed in mountain rainforest, alongside whitewater rapids, waterfalls, wildflowers, and mushrooms, while you take in majestic views of the mountains of the Middle Fork valley. Seasonal treats include berries and fall colors.
Central Washington -- Wenatchee
2.5 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 0 ft.
Highest Point: 640 ft.
Rating:
Horan offers two miles of graveled trails and 15 viewing stations where visitors can watch local wildlife and learn about the flora and fauna that surround them.
Puget Sound and Islands -- Bellingham Area
2.6 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 200 ft.
Highest Point: 200 ft.
Rating:
A fine little park with beach access, camping, a boat launch and trails. A popular park in the summer, this is a great place for a quiet off-season hike. On this loop trail, there are views, a forest walk, birding and beachcombing.
Puget Sound and Islands -- Whidbey Island
5.6 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 260 ft.
Highest Point: 260 ft.
Rating:
Perched on a bluff overlooking majestic Puget Sound is the unique acreage of Ebey’s Landing. In addition to the Bluff Trail, visitors can experience the seaport town of Coupeville, observe working farms, and get their fill of wildlife viewing, all in a tiny National Park on Whidbey Island.
Puget Sound and Islands -- Whidbey Island
7.0 miles of trails
Gain: 275 ft.
Highest Point: 300 ft.
Rating:
Greenbank Farm was saved from becoming a housing community by partnerships with local land officials and the Trust for Public Land. Thanks to protection from Island County and the Nature Conservancy, hikers can explore the many trails that web the more than 500 acres of fields that surround the expansive property of Greenbank.
North Cascades -- North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
3.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 20 ft.
Highest Point: 125 ft.
Rating:
Explore a beautiful state park near the Skagit River with an extensive trail network and beautiful campsites.
Issaquah Alps -- Cougar Mountain
4.75 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 450 ft.
Highest Point: 1380 ft.
Rating:
Hike a loop around Anti-Aircraft Peak in the Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park. Hike past sites associated with coal and clay mining, and a former 1950s-era anti-aircraft missile installation. Enjoy good forest trails, some seasonal wildflowers, and a million-dollar view.
Issaquah Alps -- Squak Mountain
6.6 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 1684 ft.
Highest Point: 2024 ft.
Rating:
This forested park, a wilderness with glimpses of Issaquah below, has miles of winding trails alongside bubbling creeks and narrow ravines. There are several trail loop options on this 2,024-foot-high mountain. With multi-use trails and a natural area, hikers have plenty to explore in this quiet sanctuary outside of Issaquah.
Issaquah Alps -- Cougar Mountain
4.2 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 489 ft.
Highest Point: 1122 ft.
Rating:
A moderate, year round loop trail in the Issaquah Alps that is popular with hikers, dog walkers and trail runners. Entering the large parking area at the Red Town trailhead (one of several in this 3,100-acre regional park) it’s hard to imagine that what is today a lush green forest was once a busy coalmine operation. Now all that remains are nearly forgotten place names, a few carefully preserved artifacts and caution signs warning of the hazards of travel off established trails.
Issaquah Alps -- Cougar Mountain
1.5 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 150 ft.
Highest Point: 800 ft.
Rating:
Hike easy, very green trails in the northwest corner of Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park. View artifacts from the coal mining era. As optional hike extensions, look in on Far Country Falls, or check out the ongoing downstream Coal Creek Trail.
Snoqualmie Region -- North Bend Area
8.4 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 2120 ft.
Highest Point: 3100 ft.
Rating:
This hike on Rattlesnake Mountain near North Bend follows good trails through second-growth forest, with possible wildlife sightings. It leads to some outstanding high viewpoints. In spite of the name, there are no rattlesnakes here.
North Cascades -- Mountain Loop Highway
10.5 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 3400 ft.
Highest Point: 5250 ft.
Rating:
Perry Creek proves you can have it all in a single hike – old-growth forest, wildflowers, waterfalls, meadows, expansive mountain views, even lakes! Tread lightly, though-due to its unparalleled diversity of native plants, the area between the summits of Stillaguamish Peak, Mount Forgotten, and Mount Dickerman is a research natural area that could (in theory) be closed to all uses but scientific study.
North Cascades -- Mountain Loop Highway
7.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 250 ft.
Highest Point: 1800 ft.
Rating:
Trail closed: The bridge over the Stillaguamish River has been removed for repairs rendering the Big Four Ice Caves inaccessible
Never go into or climb on top of the Ice Caves
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.
North Cascades -- Mountain Loop Highway
8.2 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 3950 ft.
Highest Point: 5760 ft.
Rating:
If the best views come to those who earn them, Mount Dickerman offers the fairest vantage along the Mountain Loop. You’ll huff and puff through 4,000 feet of elevation on your way to the summit; in return, you’ll get a superb panorama of nearly every peak in the Mountain Loop. In late summer, it also rewards the intrepid with a bounty of mountain blueberries.
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.
Puget Sound and Islands -- San Juan Islands
2.4 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 550 ft.
Highest Point: 688 ft.
Rating:
A collaboration between Skagit Land Trust and Washington Trails Association created this 1.2-mile trail up Guemes Mountain, offering views of the surrounding San Juan Islands. A treat year round, you'll also see unique prairie habitat and forest, in addition to those gorgeous views.
Snoqualmie Region -- North Bend Area
11.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 480 ft.
Rating:
The hike from the Cedar Falls trailhead to the junction with the Change Creek route is one through history. You will walk along a decommissioned railroad passing by the remnants of the line. Starting at the Cedar Falls trailhead, begin your hike just past the outhouse, crossing a paved road, and picking up the gravel path.
Eastern Washington -- Selkirk Range
3.0 miles, roundtrip
Highest Point: 3714 ft.
Rating:
Enjoy this short day hike with views of Chewelah and the surrounding valley and mountains.
Central Washington -- Yakima
10.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 2531 ft.
Highest Point: 5749 ft.
Rating:
Hiking to Jumpoff Lookout may not be for everybody, but if you make the trek, it has a lot to offer. From a family-friendly lake to a more challenging climb to a fire lookout.
Mount Rainier Area -- Chinook Pass - Hwy 410
1.45 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 0 ft.
Highest Point: 791 ft.
Rating:
The expansive acreage of this park allows for a wide variety of activities, including hiking, biking, boating, fishing, swimming, bird and wildlife viewing, even lawn games such as horseshoes! The hiking trail is a lovely loop around Deep Lake.
Central Washington -- Yakima
5.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 550 ft.
Highest Point: 1200 ft.
Rating:
Gingko Petrified Forest State Park presents a unique look at Central Washington's shrub–steppe. The real experience comes from exploring its backcountry.
Puget Sound and Islands -- Seattle-Tacoma Area
1.2 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 40 ft.
Highest Point: 390 ft.
Rating:
Hike an almost level forest loop trail along a creek in this Snohomish County park. It's a welcome break from the surrounding suburbia, and offers large trees and ferns, plus a few wildflowers and birds. Optionally, check out a more urbanized trail that continues on far to the south.
Southwest Washington -- Long Beach Area
2.9 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 60 ft.
Highest Point: 35 ft.
Rating:
A walk through the coastal forest and tidal flats of Leadbetter Point State Park, the Dune Forest Loop is a nice way to see this low-lying peninsula, but the conditions on trail are heavily dependent on the tides and recent rainfall. Come prepared to wade through at least a little bit of water, and don’t be surprised to find yourself navigating deeper stuff. Bring a tide table, and try to visit at low tide for the driest conditions.
Southwest Washington -- Columbia River Gorge - WA
5.4 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 1290 ft.
Highest Point: 1900 ft.
Rating:
Oregon white oak woodlands with open ridgetop meadows, wildflowers, and views of the White Salmon Valley make this a delightful hike that is off the beaten track.
Central Washington -- Grand Coulee
9.25 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 800 ft.
Highest Point: 2200 ft.
Rating:
Explore lakes, wetlands, and the shrub-steppe landscape on this tour of BLM property west of Spokane.
South Cascades -- Mount Adams Area
9.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 1700 ft.
Highest Point: 5900 ft.
Rating:
Stagman Ridge is a long spine reaching out southwest from Mount Adams, and the hike through the pleasing forest is never overly steep.
North Cascades -- Methow/Sawtooth
19.8 miles, one-way
Rating:
The Methow Community Trail runs along the Methow River valley between the towns of Mazama and Winthrop. It is a multi-use trail that provides countless connections to other trails like the Sun Mountain trail system and beyond.
Eastern Washington -- Spokane Area/Coeur d'Alene
2.2 miles, one-way
Gain: 660 ft.
Highest Point: 2788 ft.
Rating:
The Philips Creek trailhead and Flying L Trail provide access to the Glenrose Unit of the Dishman Hills Conservation Area from the Spokane Valley.