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
4255 HikesEasy Pass
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 7.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,800 feet
-
Highest Point
- 6,500 feet
Don’t be fooled by the name — the way to Easy Pass is anything but easy. But the reward for your efforts is an eastside gateway into the stunning North Cascades National Park. At the pass, you’re greeted by trickling streams of snowmelt and views of the peaks of Golden Horn and Mount Hardy to the east. Venturing further west, gaze into the Park, with awe-inspiring glacially carved river valleys, dark gray craggy massifs of Fisher Peak and Mount Logan dotted with snowfields or cloaked by glaciers, and a host of wildflowers.
Palouse to Cascades Trail - Homestead Valley to Mine Creek Trestle
Snoqualmie Region > North Bend Area
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Length
- 5.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 350 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 the forest with expansive views of nearby peaks, just a short drive away from the city.
Rachel Lake
Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass
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Length
- 7.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,200 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,600 feet
7.17.26: Fire responders have asked hikers and recreators to avoid this area as they respond Three Queens Fire, burning 1.5 miles northwest of Little Lake Kachess.
From Rachel Lake you can access further adventures at Rampart Lakes, Lila Lakes and Alta Peak. This hike is a popular weekend overnight destination; so don’t expect to be by yourself in high season.
Ira Spring Trail - Mason Lake
Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass
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Length
- 7.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,420 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,320 feet
Sun drenched ridgelines, blooming trillium, and sparkling alpine waters define this fitting tribute to one of Washington’s greatest trail advocates.
Mount Margaret
Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass
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Length
- 5.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,000 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,459 feet
Hike up an abandoned road, through a logged area, and into mature forest on the edge of the Alpine Lakes wilderness. What the trail lacks in ruggedness is more than made up for by the quantity of berries that line the trail.
Denny Creek
Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass
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Length
- 6.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,345 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,642 feet
A popular trail, thanks to its gentle, family friendly grade with amazing destinations. The natural water slide area at Denny Creek is a must visit for families! Keekwulee Falls offers a stunning viewpoint that is easily accessible. Snowshoe Falls maybe a bit elusive and more difficult to see from the trail, but is also a beautiful natural wonder.
Annette Lake
Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass
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Length
- 7.5 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,800 feet
-
Highest Point
- 3,600 feet
Waterfalls, wildflowers, sheltering forests, mountain views and an alpine lake are offered on this well-maintained trail. At the lake, enjoy the sights and relax for a while. If you backpacked in, stay at the campsites for a sunrise and sunset on the lake.
Mount Catherine
Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass
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Length
- 3.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,330 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,052 feet
Where can you find unobstructed views of Mount Rainier and the mountains of Snoqualmie Pass, see rare butterfly species, and go berry-picking, all in return for a modest 1330-foot elevation gain? Mount Catherine, of course! This off-the-beaten-path hike to the summit of a wintertime ski destination is one of the most rewarding climbs along the southern wall of Snoqualmie Pass.
Cooper River
Snoqualmie Region > Salmon La Sac/Teanaway
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Length
- 7.8 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 400 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,800 feet
Kids will love this hike because there’s so much to see: a rushing river, a lush old-growth forest dotted with wildflowers and, if you’re lucky, plenty of wildlife.
Second Beach
Olympic Peninsula > Pacific Coast
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Length
- 4.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 310 feet
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Highest Point
- 220 feet
Shorter than the hike to Third Beach, the access to Second Beach is also a little more interesting, thanks to the ups and downs and a set of switchbacked stairs leading down to a coastline dotted with seastacks and a hole in the mainland that wind whistles through eerily.
Cascade Pass and Sahale Arm
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 12.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 4,000 feet
-
Highest Point
- 7,570 feet
In Sahale Arm, the forces of nature have conspired to create an improbably gentle, gorgeous landscape. Simply put, this is one of the most beautiful hikes in all of Washington.
Cascade Pass
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 7.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,800 feet
-
Highest Point
- 5,392 feet
At Cascade Pass, the wow factor far exceeds the “ow” factor – perhaps no other trail in the state delivers as much reward for the effort. From the high peaks on either side of the pass, verdant meadows curve down to a saddle that offers sweeping views of nearby valleys, glaciers, mountains, and passing wildlife. Sedately climbing a little less than 1,800 feet in 3.6 miles, it is the perfect hike to show new hikers the extraordinary places their feet can take them.
Kalispell Rock
Eastern Washington > Selkirk Range
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Length
- 5.6 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,490 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,200 feet
Once home to a fire lookout, the granite slabs that make up Kalispell Rock overlook the Priest River drainage.
Indian Henry's Hunting Ground via Tahoma Creek
Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
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Length
- 12.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,520 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,400 feet
You’ll not meet any hunters in Indian Henry’s Hunting Ground these days, but the area is named for one of the most prominent Native American guides in the area, who lived here before it became a national park. Accessible via Longmire or the West Side road, this destination promises abundant wildflowers and berries, as well as excellent up-close views of "The Mountain."
Lake Serene
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
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Length
- 8.2 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 2,000 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,521 feet
Lake Serene and Bridal Veil Falls compete for attention on this hike. Either would be a worthy destination by themselves and combined they are a great day on the trail.
Thompson Lake via Granite Creek Trail
Snoqualmie Region > North Bend Area
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Length
- 14.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 3,400 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,200 feet
Hike a well-built trail to a beautiful, quiet, forested lake at the edge of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness.
Mount Si
Snoqualmie Region > North Bend Area
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Length
- 8.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 3,150 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,900 feet
There are many reasons – besides its proximity to Seattle – why Mount Si is the most popular hike in the state: beautiful views, wildlife (some of it not so wild), old-growth forest and a dramatic summit worthy of a more remote peak. Rising dramatically above the Snoqualmie Valley, it serves as a literal and figurative gateway to the Cascades for thousands of hikers.
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.
Lodge Lake
Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass
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Length
- 3.75 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 950 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,500 feet
Snoqualmie Pass grows ever more developed each year. Condos go up left and right, the ski area plans new ski lifts (or replacements for existing chairs), and hotels pop up east and west. But even with the development, these are still mountains and there is still stunning mountain scenery to enjoy, even on the fringes of the developed areas. Lodge Lake stands as proof.
Burroughs Mountain
Mount Rainier Area > NE - Sunrise/White River
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Length
- 9.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,500 feet
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Highest Point
- 7,828 feet
Burroughs Mountain can be described as a "mountain against a mountain." At over 7,800 feet, Burroughs Mountain sets right up against the northeastern face of Mount Rainier, hugging the Winthrop Glacier. It offers one of the most dramatic views of Washington's largest volcano.
Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) Section L - Rainy Pass to Manning Park
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 60.2 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 15,300 feet
-
Highest Point
- 7,100 feet
7.24.26: The PCT north of Methow Pass (to the northern terminus) is closed until further notice due to the Ptarmigan Fire.
This last leg of the Pacific Crest Trail (or first depending on whether you're north- or southbound) offers breathtaking views as it passes along the eastern edge of the North Cascades and into the Pasayten Wilderness. Note that as of 2025, hikers are no longer allowed to cross the border into Canada.
Hart's Pass to Rainy Pass
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 30.6 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 3,800 feet
-
Highest Point
- 6,900 feet
7.24.26: The PCT north of Methow Pass (to the northern terminus) is closed until further notice due to the Ptarmigan Fire.
Walk along the Pacific Crest Trail through some of the most stunning landscape Washington has to offer. Traverse the treeline as you enjoy sweeping views and mountain passes.
Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) - Hart's Pass to Holman Pass
North Cascades > Pasayten
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Length
- 14.4 miles, one-way
-
Elevation Gain
- 2,100 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,900 feet
7.24.26: The PCT north of Methow Pass (to the northern terminus) is closed until further notice due to the Ptarmigan Fire.
Stunning section of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). Starts high and stays high, going from Hart's Pass to Windy Pass to Holman Pass.
Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) Section I - White Pass to Snoqualmie Pass
South Cascades > White Pass/Cowlitz River Valley
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Length
- 99.0 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 17,771 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,530 feet
Starting in well-protected sub-alpine wilderness and descending into heavily-logged, privately-owned land, this stretch of the PCT offers a dramatic illustration of the effects of public land protection and private industry on Washington's landscape.
Green Mountain (Camas)
Southwest Washington > Vancouver Area
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Length
- 3.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 576 feet
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Highest Point
- 804 feet
A 3-mile roundtrip trail to the Green Mountain (Camas) summit, through a mixed fir and maple forest. A moderate grade hike.
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.
Heather Lake (near Lake Wenatchee)
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - East
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Length
- 7.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,350 feet
-
Highest Point
- 3,950 feet
Heather Lake is a moderate day hike to an attractive lake just below the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), particularly good for families. There are huckleberries in season and a dive into the lake will refresh hikers in the warmth of August.
Heather Lake
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
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Length
- 5.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,034 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,430 feet
Hike to a small scenic lake on the flanks of Mount Pilchuck. The trail is a bit rough, but its ease of access, short mileage and modest elevation gain make this one of the easier hikes on the Mountain Loop Highway
Hidden Lakes
North Cascades > Pasayten
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Length
- 34.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,300 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,800 feet
7.24.26: The trail is closed from its junction with the Tatoosh Butte trail and its junction with the Boundary Trail until further notice due to the Ptarmigan Fire.
The Hidden Lakes are the jewels of the Pasayten Wilderness. Tucked high within the Wilderness, these lakes provide backpackers with opportunities to fish, swim, relax, and view wildlife and wildflowers.
Tatoosh Buttes
North Cascades > Pasayten
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Length
- 10.2 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 2,900 feet
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Highest Point
- 7,200 feet
7.24.26: The trail is closed until further notice due to the Ptarmigan Fire.
Explore one of the most popular trails in the Pasayten Wilderness by climbing ridges, enjoying sweeping views of peaks, and walking through meadows full of wildflowers. Use this trail to connect between the Hidden Lakes trail and Robinson Creek trail.