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
36 HikesAlpine Lookout
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - East
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Length
- 10.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,600 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,235 feet
This is one of the most popular hikes along the US 2 corridor, and it's easy to understand why: a historic and active fire lookout, an enclave for mountain goats, miles of flower-blooming meadows, jaw-slacking views of Lake Wenatchee, Glacier Peak, and hundreds of other peaks. It's amazing there aren't more hikers sunning themselves on this Nason Ridge summit. And being on one of the area's first high peaks to shed its winter snows, Alpine Lookout makes for an excellent early summer adventure.
Dirty Face Lookout and Peak
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - East
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Length
- 9.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 3,950 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,989 feet
Dirty Face Lookout is one of the earliest high Central Cascade trails to melt out. At four miles and with 4000 feet of elevation gain, the trail provides hikers with a very good workout. Along the way, you'll have lots to look at, as the elevation change can roll an entire season of wildflowers into a single hike. Rock roses and paintbrush bob near the trailhead, while avalanche lilys sway in the breeze near the summit. When you aren't looking at the wildflowers, the vistas are outstanding.
Lookout Mountain Lookout
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 9.4 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 4,500 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,719 feet
To get panoramic views of the North Cascades without fighting the crowds at Cascade Pass or Hidden Lake Lookout, look no further than Lookout Mountain, an arduous climb that often gets overlooked by hikers heading to North Cascades National Park. From the fire lookout on the summit, enjoy 360-degree views of Mount Baker, Mount Shuksan, and a panoply of other North Cascades giants.
Hidden Lake Lookout
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 8.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 3,300 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,900 feet
The Hidden Lake trail is one of the crown jewels of hiking in Washington State. No other trail offers so much as Hidden Lake Lookout: forest, wildflowers, a true alpine environment of stark granite well above treeline, breathtaking summit views of the heart of North Cascades National Park, and a fire lookout with a sweeping history almost as big as the mountainous landscape it gazes over.
Heybrook Lookout
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
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Length
- 2.6 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 850 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,700 feet
Heybrook Lookout is a short and moderately steep hike through a fern and moss covered forest to a fun, staircase-ridden lookout with great views of the nearby mountains. If you are introducing someone to hiking, limited on time, or trying to add on another hike or activity in the area, this is the hike for you.
Steliko Lookout
Central Cascades > Entiat Mountains/Lake Chelan
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Length
- 3.4 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,500 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,586 feet
A lookout accessible via a steep Forest Service road. Drive to it in the summer, or get a big workout climbing to it in the winter.
Suntop Lookout
Mount Rainier Area > Chinook Pass - Hwy 410
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Length
- 2.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 473 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,238 feet
Reaching the summit of Suntop can require considerable energy (a 16-mile hike), or it can be a simple 2-mile walk, depending on whether or not the 2 gates are open. Wide views of Mount Rainier and the White River valley below are worth it either way.
Evergreen Mountain Lookout
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
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Length
- 2.8 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,425 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,587 feet
Wildfire: trail closed
A short but stiff climb through an old burn, old growth forest, and alpine meadows to a restored fire lookout standing sentinel over the western flanks of the Wild Sky Wilderness.
Tolmie Peak Lookout - Eunice Lake
Mount Rainier Area > NW - Carbon River/Mowich
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Length
- 7.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,100 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,900 feet
Mowich Lake Road is closed for the season
Hike to an old fire lookout with in-your-face views of Mount Rainier and a sapphire blue lake below. Tolmie Peak and Eunice Lake pack a one-two punch when it comes to scenery, but stopping at the picturesque lake is a perfectly acceptable destination as well.
Fremont Lookout
Mount Rainier Area > NE - Sunrise/White River
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Length
- 5.6 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,200 feet
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Highest Point
- 7,200 feet
The two-story frame cabin of Mount Fremont, built in 1934, provides an opportunity to reminisce about the time when watchmen stood guard over the forest, with an eye out for wildfires.
Clear Lost Trail to Lost Lake Lookout
South Cascades > White Pass/Cowlitz River Valley
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Length
- 14.0 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 3,897 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,316 feet
The trail is currently closed from the Clear Fork Trail junction to the Packwood Lake junction due to the Goat Rocks Fire
This trek to a former lookout site ambles past lakes, up through quiet forest, and into the popular Goat Rocks Wilderness.
Thorp Mountain Lookout via Thorp Creek
Snoqualmie Region > Salmon La Sac/Teanaway
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Length
- 7.4 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,484 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,884 feet
It’s possible to reach the lookout on top of Thorp Mountain four different ways. But this route offers a nice detour to a little lake, where you can have a snack and size up your objective before continuing on your way.
Goat Peak Lookout
North Cascades > Methow/Sawtooth
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Length
- 3.7 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,400 feet
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Highest Point
- 7,001 feet
Views of majestic peaks and the vibrant golden hues of larches come autumn - Goat Peak Lookout offers both, as well as the commanding views you'd expect of a working fire lookout. Though steep at times, the trail's short length makes it a perfect hike to introduce kids and newer hikers to the grandeur of the Methow and North Cascades.
Red Mountain Lookout
South Cascades > Mount Adams Area
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Length
- 6.4 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,660 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,968 feet
Near the famous Indian Racetrack in the Indian Heaven Wilderness, Red Mountain Lookout makes an excellent addition to any outing here. Hike there, or make it a quick stop from the road -- either way, it's a must-see.
Leecher Mountain Lookout
North Cascades > Methow/Sawtooth
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Length
- 2.4 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 531 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,996 feet
"Lightning" Bill Austin from the Goat Peak Lookout had a brief stint here in 2014, but was moved back to Goat Peak before the end of the summer. Hikers to Leecher may or may not find into a ranger staffing the lookout at the summit, but the views from the 40-foot tower are sublime either way.
Jumpoff Lookout
Central Washington > Yakima
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Length
- 10.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,531 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,749 feet
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.
Red Top Lookout
Central Cascades > Blewett Pass
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Length
- 1.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 350 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,360 feet
Red Top Lookout, built in 1952, restored in 1997, and still operational today, provides a fine bang for your hiking buck. A short, steep trail leads to the functioning fire lookout as well as magnificent 360 degree views of the Stuart Range, Teanaway Ridge, Chelan and Entiat Mountains, Mount Rainier, and even Mount Adams on a clear day.
Tyee Lookout
Central Cascades > Entiat Mountains/Lake Chelan
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Length
- 8.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,160 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,640 feet
It is possible to drive all the way to the top of Tyee Ridge for majestic views of the land below. But the last 4 miles of the road to the top is extremely rough, so visitors can make that section a short hike with fabulous views.
Lookout Mountain Forest Preserve
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
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Length
- 6.5 miles of trails
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Elevation Gain
- 1,000 feet
Several hiking trails exist in the Lookout Mountain Forest Preserve, part of the Whatcom County Park system, including a 2.2-mile loop with a one mile viewpoint spur trail, a quick waterfall trail, and lower loop trail. Alternatively, head up and up to Lookout Mountain on an eight mile service road.
Lookout Mountain Preserve - Camp 2
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
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Length
- 8.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,600 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,767 feet
A trail to the summit of Lookout Mountain from an access point on the southeast corner of Lookout Mountain. This route crosses private property in a couple of sections and is not recommended to access the summit.
Lookout Ridge
North Cascades > Methow/Sawtooth
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Length
- 10.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,500 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,350 feet
High above the Twisp River Valley, this long-lost trail ambles lonely along a dry ridgeline. For the hardy explorer faints bits of trail may be found periodically through this ponderosa and grassland hilltop. This trail most likely once served the Black Pine Lake area, but it has been largely forgotten and returned to open country.
Lookout Mountain Lookout - Methow
North Cascades > Methow/Sawtooth
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Length
- 2.6 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,100 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,518 feet
This scenic hike can be done in under two hours, and along the way you'll enjoy panoramic views, lush forest, wildflowers, and a historic lookout tower that ups the coolness factor.
Lookout Mountain Snowshoe - Methow
North Cascades > Methow/Sawtooth
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Length
- 11.4 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 3,140 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,515 feet
Lookout Mountain is a strenuous snowshoe trip with few places to park your car. but once you hit the summit, you'll enjoy grand views from a lonely peak.
Lookout Tree
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
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Length
- 0.6 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 200 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,200 feet
The Lookout Tree trail a short, no longer maintained section of trail off of the Mountain Loop Highway. Hikers who want to visit should use caution. The trail used to be connected to the Beaver Lake trail, but it is now separated by a slide into Sauk River.
Chiliwist Lookout Trail
Central Washington > Wenatchee
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Length
- 7.0 miles, (type not yet set)
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Elevation Gain
- 1,576 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,078 feet
Hiking through the sagebrush steppe is generally wide open: huge vistas of rolling hills, faraway mountains, endless sage and bitterbrush. The trail here can vary in length due to seasonal closures. Nearly the entire trail is an old roadbed which served a USFS fire lookout from 1934-58. Though the first few miles are very much a road the openness of the terrain makes this easy to forget. The last mile or more has long been abandoned and is quickly being reclaimed.
Purcell Lookout
South Cascades > White Pass/Cowlitz River Valley
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Length
- 8.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,600 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,442 feet
Though the road to Purcell Lookout is long washed-out, and the trail can be rugged and hard to follow, those who head here will be rewarded with incredible panoramic views of the stunning South Cascades.
North Mountain Lookout
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
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Length
- 2.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 600 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,956 feet
North Mountain is home to a network of mountain bike trails which can be accessed at many points along the North Mountain road, but the lookout tower is a destination in itself.
Tatoosh Lookout
South Cascades > White Pass/Cowlitz River Valley
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Length
- 10.4 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 4,100 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,400 feet
The lookout is gone, but the stunning views remain. To the north is Mount Rainier with a turquoise tarn and rugged rock ridges in the foreground. A clear day reveals three other volcanos to the south and west.
South Point Lookout
South Cascades > White Pass/Cowlitz River Valley
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Length
- 7.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,900 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,980 feet
Like most lookouts, South Point offers excellent views at a price. A trail that sees little maintenance on a remote ranger district, you'll expend a little sweat getting to this gorgeous vista.
Red Mountain Lookout
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
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Length
- 2.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 700 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,800 feet
This seldom-used trail within Glacier Peak Wilderness leads through an old-growth forest with magnificent, large trees to the site of an old fire lookout build in the 1930s.