Now You Can Search by Pass in WTA's Hiking Guide

Hikers can now filter hikes by parking and entry passes (like the Discover Pass and Northwest Forest Pass) when you search for hikes on wta.org. This means you’ll be able to find your perfect hike on the public lands you already have a pass for.

Searching for which pass you need just got a whole lot easier. Yay. Photo by Nisarg Patel.

In addition to added convenience when planning your hikes, we hope this update will help boost hikers’ trail smarts. Now, you’ll can see where you can use that interagency pass, and which Sno-Parks require a permit.

You can even find hikes that don’t require a pass, though you may still need a permit to camp in the wilderness. In some cases, you need both: Passes are for your car, backcountry permits are for you while you're on trail. Luckily, permits are usually free. 

Next time you're heading out on a hike, use the new pass search in the hiking guide to find where you can use your pass. 

Why it Matters

Though passes and permits can be confusing, it’s important to know how they work when it comes time to vote or take action on key legislation. Knowing where you like to hike is crucial to maintaining access to our public lands. If there’s a proposed cut to the state budget, you'll want to know if it’ll will affect your access to places like Mount Si or Riverside State Park.

A healthy trail system requires consistent funding. Many hikers ensure they’re always prepared by buying all the passes. If you can, that’s still a good idea, since the money spent on passes goes to maintaining the trail and parking lot facilities. But with this new tool, you’ll know which one to have displayed when you head on down the trail.

more Advanced Searching & Sorting tools on wta.org

• Want to find a low-elevation, 5-7 mile hike to a waterfall. Try combining different filters like mileage ranges, high point and trail features to narrow in on your perfect hike.
• Did you know you can search trip reports by month? This is handy for planning trips for a certain month or when trying to figure out snow levels or weather for a trail in, say, April.
• You can sort trip reports by how recently they were hiked, or for the freshest reports submitted.

Have suggestions for updates?

Wish you could search the hiking guide or trip reports in a different way?

As a nonprofit organization that relies on member donations to keep our website up-to-date and free for everyone, it is super helpful to hear what's working for you and what's not. That way, we can invest wisely when we make updates or roll out new features.

• Have an idea or feedback? Send your suggestions and ideas our way
• Want to support the site and our mission? Make a donation

Photo by Sharon K Philpott.