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
784 HikesAnderson Point
Olympic Peninsula > Kitsap Peninsula
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Length
- 1.4 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 250 feet
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Highest Point
- 250 feet
Enjoy a short hike to one of the best beaches in Kitsap County.
Margaret Lake
Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass
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Length
- 6.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,800 feet
-
Highest Point
- 5,100 feet
Logging paid for most of the trails in the Cascades, so sometimes hikers must expect to hike the terrain that provided that rich stock of timber. This trail starts on an old logging road, leads through old clearcuts—now nicely regrown as lush berry meadows and forest stands—and enters lush old second-growth forest. It’s a great way to experience both the natural and human history of the area, while enjoying some remarkable wild country around a pristine alpine lake.
Foothills Trail - Wilkeson to Carbonado
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 8.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 400 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,200 feet
Running between Wilkeson and Carbonado, this branch off the Foothills Trail is an old railroad grade with a wide path that loops through second growth woodland to gain 400 feet of elevation between the two towns.
UW Bothell-Cascadia Community College Wetlands
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 1.0 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 32 feet
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Highest Point
- 36 feet
This short connector trail runs through the UW Bothell-Cascadia Community College campus, with views of a large reclaimed wetland area.
Pioneer Park - Mercer Island
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 1.25 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 200 feet
-
Highest Point
- 300 feet
This Mercer Island park offers a dense network of forest trails with tall trees and a lot of moss, ferns and some seasonal wildflowers. All the trails are open to hikers and bicyclists; some also are designated for use by equestrians.
Squilchuck State Park
Central Washington > Wenatchee
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Length
- 4.0 miles of trails
This state park provides plenty of green space for many different outdoor activities just a short drive from Wenatchee.
Kendall Katwalk
Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass
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Length
- 12.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,600 feet
-
Highest Point
- 5,400 feet
If the name Kendall Katwalk conjures up an image of a narrow pathway blasted out of a steeply sloped rock face, that’s part of it. But the whole package includes old growth forest, gorgeous wildflowers, and stunning views into the Alpine Lakes Wilderness from both sides of the pass below Kendall Peak, where the Katwalk begins.
Kraus Ridge
South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
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Length
- 6.2 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,570 feet
-
Highest Point
- 2,370 feet
Krause Ridge Trail offers a textbook example of a Pacific Northwest forest nearing succession climax. Whether you are a jaded forest trekker or an ecologist, this is a classical forest with big trees towering as a sunshade with a lush understory and an easy day hike.
Squak Mountain Traverse
Issaquah Alps > Squak Mountain
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Length
- 7.8 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 1,650 feet
-
Highest Point
- 2,025 feet
Cross one of the three major peaks in the Issaquah Alps. You'll see forest, an historic fireplace, and, if you use Trailhead Direct to do this hike, you won't have to look for parking!
Cora Lake
Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
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Length
- 6.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 400 feet
-
Highest Point
- 3,800 feet
Enjoy this easy hike through massive trees with great views of a lovely lake and an impressive lookout towering over it all.
Antoine Peak - Robbins Road Snowshoe Loop
Eastern Washington > Spokane Area/Coeur d'Alene
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Length
- 1.65 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 321 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,947 feet
Ascend the west flank of Antoine Peak via an old logging road that switchbacks up the moderate grade, offering occasional views of the Foothills of Mount Spokane to the north before entering a recovering forest. Return via a trail winding through an open hillside offering good views toward the Spokane Valley.
Old Stage Trail No. 1
Eastern Washington > Okanogan Highlands/Kettle River Range
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Length
- 5.6 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 2,100 feet
-
Highest Point
- 6,050 feet
Currently a nonmotorized recreation trail, historically this trail was the original stagecoach route and first State Highway in Washington, connecting the town of Marcus on the Columbia River to Marblemount in the North Cascades over the Kettle Crest.
Swauk Forest Discovery Trail
Central Cascades > Blewett Pass
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Length
- 2.45 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 660 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,530 feet
This popular summer trail offers a wonderful place to learn about woodland ecosystems with 25 different interpretive stops. Wandering just under three miles through woods and meadows near the summit of Blewett Pass, With five log benches throughout providing fascinating views. It also gives insight into an area recovering after a burn towards the end of the trail.
Salmon-Morgan Creeks Natural Area
Southwest Washington
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Length
- 1.5 miles, roundtrip
Take some easy to moderate trails along soft terrain in a forested area home to some wildlife, mostly birds. The trails weave in and out of each other, dividing into a maze of smaller trails as they lead to creeks.
Swan Creek Park
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 4.8 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 325 feet
Featuring a wooded canyon and forested hills, a salmon-bearing stream and new community garden, Swan Creek Park is a 290-acre greenspace which lies on the boundary between East Tacoma and Pierce County. Trails, both paved and soft-surface, as well as those for mountain bikes weave over the property.
Shedroof Divide
Eastern Washington > Selkirk Range
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Length
- 22.8 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 5,300 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,600 feet
Wildfire: Trail closed
The Shedroof Divide offers some of the best views in northeast Washington as it traverses the wild high country of the Salmo-Priest Wilderness.
Sharpe Park - Sares Head
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
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Length
- 2.1 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 440 feet
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Highest Point
- 490 feet
This hike just south of Anacortes offers superb views of the ocean and islands from a pair of high vantage points, and it has some fine trails through mixed forest along the way.
Perry Creek
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
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Length
- 10.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 3,400 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,250 feet
Mountain Loop Highway is closed from Deer Creek (milepost 24) to Bedal Creek (milepost 36) for the winter.
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.
Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) Section J - Snoqualmie Pass to Stevens Pass
Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass
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Length
- 74.7 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 16,000 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,988 feet
Crossing through the stunning Alpine Lakes wilderness, this section is a must-do for serious Washington backpackers. This 75-mile section leads through some of the most beautiful, remote and varied surroundings along the PCT.
North Fork Sullivan Creek
Eastern Washington > Selkirk Range
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Length
- 5.7 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 3,600 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,600 feet
Tucked deep into the heart of the infrequently-visited Colville National Forest is the North Fork Sullivan Trail. This trail has no trailhead of its own, but climbs steadily from its junction with the Halliday and Red Bluff Trails to Crowell Ridge, where you'll enjoy expansive views of the surrounding area.
Notch Pass
Olympic Peninsula > Hood Canal
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Length
- 8.6 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 2,700 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,500 feet
Believed to be a former Native American trading route through the Olympics, this historic trail was rebuilt by the Civilian Conservation Corps (the CCC) in the 1930s. It was relocated in the early 2000s and is a popular WTA volunteer work party site to this day.
Red Mountain
Snoqualmie Region > Cle Elum Area
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Length
- 12.6 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 3,900 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,722 feet
Connect between the Kachess Ridge trail and FS Road 46 as you climb up and over Red Mountain and past Little Joe Lake. The trail climbs steeply up the slopes through a bit of brush and a few places that are hard to follow, but the views along the way will make you forget about the challenge. Pass an old logging road, mine, lookout site, and over ridges that provide sweeping views of the Kachess and Cle Elum Lake areas to the south, and Alpine Lakes Wilderness to the north.
West Crater
South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
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Length
- 1.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 430 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,131 feet
Hike to a small lava dome with an associated summit crater in southern Washington.
Twisp Pass
North Cascades > Methow/Sawtooth
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Length
- 9.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,460 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,064 feet
Twisp Pass is a stunner in summer and autumn. Though it is a bit of a drive to get there from almost anywhere in the state, it's well worth it!
Tunnel Creek
Olympic Peninsula > Hood Canal
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Length
- 9.4 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,450 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,050 feet
Tunnel Creek Trail has two trailheads. Nearly all hikers access the trail from the north side where for the first three miles the moderately easy grade is often within earshot of Tunnel Creek. After crossing the South Fork of Tunnel Creek, the route rises at a steeper but manageable grade past Harrison Lakes to 5050 Pass and some nearby viewpoints. The south side trailhead is on the Dosewallips Road. This segment’s notoriously steep grade to 5050 Pass means it is seldom used. Try it and you’ll find out why.
Mount Spokane State Park - Trail 130
Eastern Washington > Spokane Area/Coeur d'Alene
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Length
- 12.0 miles, roundtrip
If you're looking for the best workout in the park, you'd be hard-pressed to find something better than this, the longest trail. Circumnavigate the park's namesake peak by following trail 130 "round-the-mountain" for nearly 12 miles of forested trail punctuated by the occasional open meadow, or opt to turn around at any time for a shorter stroll.
Mount Townsend
Olympic Peninsula > Hood Canal
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Length
- 8.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 3,010 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,260 feet
Mount Townsend offers rhododendrons in May and June, wildflowers June through August, then berries in August and September and fall colors in, well, fall. Add in old growth, some tucked away waterfalls, and a windswept, turtleback summit with views north across the Strait and San Juans, west and south into and along the Olympics and east across the Sound to the Cascades, and you've got the perfect year-round hike.
Klickitat Trail
South Cascades > White Pass/Cowlitz River Valley
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Length
- 17.1 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,000 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,500 feet
A former Native American route into the high country of the South Cascades, the Klickitat Trail traverses a ridgetop between Kilborn Creek to Elk Peak. Views of Mount Adams and the south Cascades are breathtaking on clear days. From the ridgeline, hikers can spot Castle Butte, Jackpot Lake, St. Michaels Lake, and St. John Lake.
Mica Peak
Eastern Washington > Spokane Area/Coeur d'Alene
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Length
- 45.0 miles of trails
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Elevation Gain
- 2,000 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,800 feet
The conservation area on the west slopes of Mica Peak afford visitors of all types a healthy workout close to the city of Spokane.
Mount Spokane State Park - Trail 131
Eastern Washington > Spokane Area/Coeur d'Alene
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Length
- 1.0 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 550 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,119 feet
A year-round hike, Trail 131 is the main snowshoe access trail to Bald Knob Campground and connecting trails.