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
1341 HikesNarada Falls to Reflection Lakes
Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
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Length
- 5.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,150 feet
-
Highest Point
- 5,400 feet
Hiking the trail between the Narada Falls viewpoint and Reflection Lakes is pleasant enough. But you can extend the route into a loop featuring an unobstructed view of the Tatoosh Range from a rocky bluff, and an up-close experience of the awe-inspiring whitewater cascades of the Paradise River.
Paradise
Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
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Length
- 25.0 miles of trails
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Highest Point
- 10,080 feet
Paradise provides a gateway to Washington's most iconic mountain, trails to get your heart pumping or just stretch your legs, and in winter, fantastic snowshoe and skiing opportunities for people of all ages.
Ollalie Creek Camp
Mount Rainier Area > SE - Cayuse Pass/Stevens Canyon
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Length
- 5.6 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,600 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,940 feet
Ollalie Creek Camp offers a walk through old growth woodland, colorful blooms and berries to an isolated creekside campsite perfect for solitude or connecting to the stunning Cowlitz Divide and iconic Indian Bar.
Naches Peak Loop
Mount Rainier Area > SE - Cayuse Pass/Stevens Canyon
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Length
- 3.2 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 600 feet
-
Highest Point
- 5,850 feet
This popular hike provides a range of alpine experiences in a short loop. Walk along a hillside above a small valley, pause at a viewpoint overlooking a lake, and stroll through grassy meadows with stunning views of Mount Rainier. In season enjoy an abundance of wildflowers or perhaps a handful of huckleberries.
Nisqually Vista Loop
Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
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Length
- 1.1 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 200 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,400 feet
Follow the trails here to views of Mount Rainier's rocky Nisqually River valley and the much-receded Nisqually Glacier.
High Lakes Loop
Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
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Length
- 3.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 600 feet
-
Highest Point
- 5,425 feet
Reflection Lakes are not just a popular photography stop. From the lakes you can hike to a stunning cliffside view of the lakes and the Tatoosh range. From there you have the option of returning the way you came, or hiking in a loop around the largest of the lakes.
Deer Creek Falls
Mount Rainier Area > SE - Cayuse Pass/Stevens Canyon
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Length
- 1.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 280 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,200 feet
If you don’t have the time or the inclination for the longer hike to Owyhigh Lakes, you can take a bite off the bigger trail and zip down about half a mile to see the charming 62-foot tiered falls of Deer Creek and a pair of footbridges traversing creeks flanked by a dense old forest.
Deadhorse Creek
Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
-
Length
- 3.25 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 800 feet
-
Highest Point
- 5,820 feet
This trail offers a more intimate view of the Nisqually Glacier valley, and connects to the Moraine Trail from the Paradise parking area.
Carter Falls
Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
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Length
- 2.8 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 660 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,650 feet
Cougar Rock to Carter Falls is a moderate and readily accessible segment of the Wonderland Trail that packs stunning mountain vistas, river views, waterfalls, wildflowers, old growth, and edible berries into just 1.3 miles of family-friendly hiking in Mount Rainier National Park.
Box Canyon and Nickel Creek
Mount Rainier Area > SE - Cayuse Pass/Stevens Canyon
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Length
- 1.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 150 feet
-
Highest Point
- 3,400 feet
This little stopover off the road that encircles Mount Rainier is a wonderful, short leg-stretcher with gorgeous views of the dramatic canyon of the Muddy Fork of the Cowlitz River, and a short hike to a box canyon — an unusual feature in this park.
Sunrise Lake
Mount Rainier Area > NE - Sunrise/White River
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Length
- 1.5 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 425 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,150 feet
This short, one-mile, downhill jaunt from the hairpin turn on the road to Sunrise makes a great detour when hiking the Palisades Lakes trail, or a nice warm up before tackling longer hikes like Burroughs or Dege Peak from Sunrise.
Silver Forest - Emmons Vista
Mount Rainier Area > NE - Sunrise/White River
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Length
- 2.5 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 325 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,400 feet
The Silver Forest Trail is a lesser-known and therefore less-crowded alternative at Mount Rainier’s Sunrise. Enjoy mountain, glacier and river valley views along a gentle trail that is mostly out of sight of the bustle of Sunrise.
Mud Mountain Dam - Rim Trail
Mount Rainier Area > Chinook Pass - Hwy 410
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Length
- 4.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 80 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,300 feet
Located on the White River near Mount Rainier, the Mud Mountain Dam is both a flood control dam operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and a recreation facility. This gentle 2-mile trail will take you along the White River.
Owyhigh Lakes
Mount Rainier Area > NE - Sunrise/White River
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Length
- 7.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,650 feet
-
Highest Point
- 5,275 feet
Walk a very pleasant and well-graded trail through old- and new-growth forest. After a moderate elevation gain, the forest opens into meadowlands filled with wildflowers after the snow melts. A pair of shallow but pretty lakes, with a rocky ridge as a backdrop, completes the scene.
Dege Peak
Mount Rainier Area > NE - Sunrise/White River
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Length
- 4.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 600 feet
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Highest Point
- 7,006 feet
Unlike many of the trails out of Sunrise Visitor Center that lead you closer to the hulking presence of Mount Rainier, Dege Peak walks you just far enough away from the mountain to get a little perspective. With stunning 360-degree views ranging from nearby Cowlitz Chimneys to the far-off peaks of Mount St. Helens, Mount Adams, Glacier Peak and Mount Baker, this perch above Sourdough Ridge is terrific for an easy alpine stroll on a clear day.
Horse Lake Reserve
Central Washington > Wenatchee
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Length
- 5.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 700 feet
-
Highest Point
- 2,410 feet
Horse Lake Reserve is a 1,500 acre reserve located just west of Wenatchee. Accessing this beautiful section of the Foothills is done from the north end of town on Horse Lake Canyon Road. The trailhead is three miles from where the pavement ends and the climb up the well kept dirt road offers some great views.
Puyallup Loop Trail
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 3.9 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 541 feet
-
Highest Point
- 351 feet
A roughly 4-mile loop near the city of Puyallup, where locals and visitors can get their exercise and spend some time on trail near an urban center.
Palouse to Cascades Trail - The Tunnel
Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass
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Length
- 5.3 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 0 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,100 feet
Washington State has a plethora of amazingly beautiful trails for the avid hiker to tread, but how many take you through an old train tunnel more than two miles long? The Snoqualmie Tunnel is part of the 250-mile Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail (formerly the John Wayne Trail and Iron Horse State Park) and this section is a must do for everyone! Views for most of your trip will be determined by the power of your headlamp, but there will be some sights on the other side. The attraction of this hike is the mysterious, dramatic tunnel itself. However, note that the tunnel is closed November 1st through May 1st, so plan your trip accordingly.
Riser Lake Loop
North Cascades > Methow/Sawtooth
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Length
- 3.75 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 403 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,603 feet
Riser Lake is a short hike just outside of Winthrop that is accessible any time of the year. Enjoy the shrub-steppe and the views of the hills surrounding the Methow Valley.
Monte Cristo Ghost Town
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
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Length
- 8.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 700 feet
-
Highest Point
- 2,800 feet
Mountain Loop Highway is closed from Deer Creek (milepost 24) to Bedal Creek (milepost 36) for the winter.
Hike to an old mining town by heading up a long-closed road along the South Fork Sauk River. This route largely sticks to the old route taken by miners over a century ago.
Robinson Canyon - Ainsley Canyon
Central Washington > Yakima
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Length
- 10.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,200 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,400 feet
This is a gem of a hike, providing you easy access to the best of the best of the rich L. T. Murray State Wildlife Recreation Area.
Palouse to Cascades Trail - Homestead Valley to Mine Creek Trestle
Snoqualmie Region > North Bend Area
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Length
- 5.5 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,077 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,607 feet
Hike a short stint on the Palouse to Cascades Trail, crossing high trestle bridges and roaming through old growth forest with expansive views of nearby peaks, just a short drive away from the city.
Little Si
Snoqualmie Region > North Bend Area
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Length
- 3.7 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,300 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,550 feet
Companion piece to neighbor and big brother Mount Si, the small rocky bluff known as Little Si is a moderate grade 3.7 mile trail located in the hike rich North Bend area. Although relatively steep inclines bookend this hike, this primarily North/South route is perfect for beginners who are looking to get back in shape, while still accommodating veterans with opportunities to cut away on the Boulder Garden Loop (at .3 miles and .5 miles) to merge with the more challenging Mount Si trail. Expect crowds, even in winter, as New Year’s resolutions (the two Si mountains are sometimes colloquially referred to as the “Resolution Peaks” for the deluge of hikers that appear after January 1st), proximity to the city and a degree of refuge from the elements often divert heavy foot traffic to this mini-mountain to keep it busy year round.
American Camp and South Beach
Puget Sound and Islands > San Juan Islands
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Length
- 2.7 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 167 feet
-
Highest Point
- 175 feet
Hike from the site of a historic military occupation down to South Beach, the longest public beach on San Juan Island. Wildlife abounds as guests often encounter red foxes and may see orcas in the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Baker Lake - Maple Grove
North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
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Length
- 8.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 500 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,000 feet
Magnificent old growth forests, stellar views of Mount Baker, turbulent tributaries, and, of course, a beautiful lake make this trail a great path to travel.
Wallace Falls State Park
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
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Length
- 5.6 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,300 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,500 feet
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.
Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge - Dungeness Spit
Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast
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Length
- 11.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 130 feet
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Highest Point
- 130 feet
This narrow strip of land just east of Port Angeles in the Strait of Juan de Fuca is a gorgeous place to explore miles upon miles of sandy beach, spy shorebirds wheeling, and even get a little shot of greenery at the beginning and end of your trip. But remember, while the beach is usually a good place for dogs to get some exercise, this particular one is closed to pups, since it’s a National Wildlife Refuge.
Mount Finlayson
Puget Sound and Islands > San Juan Islands
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Length
- 3.6 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 408 feet
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Highest Point
- 290 feet
With expansive views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca contrasting with deep forest lagoons, the Mount Finlayson loop features the variety of ecosystems that San Juan Island offers in an easy and scenic trail. Options for shorter or longer routes make this a suitable destination for hikers of all ages.
Quillayute River Slough
Olympic Peninsula > Pacific Coast
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Length
- 1.8 miles of trails
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Elevation Gain
- 60 feet
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Highest Point
- 50 feet
Experience a quiet woodland walk while camping at one of Olympic National Park's many campgrounds. Add it on to a day of exploration on the coast, or simply meditate in the cool forest with your morning coffee before heading out for the day.
Boulder River
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
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Length
- 8.6 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 700 feet
-
Highest Point
- 1,550 feet
The Boulder River trail is a nice hike that can be done any time of year. Come in winter while the rain is dripping off the mossy trees, photograph the waterfalls filled with spring snowmelt. Take the kids out for a little picnic in the summer, or leaf collecting in the fall. Come anytime midweek for quiet contemplation.