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
4264 HikesPacific Crest Trail (PCT) - Hart's Pass to Holman Pass
North Cascades > Pasayten
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Length
- 14.4 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 2,100 feet
-
Highest Point
- 6,900 feet
Stunning section of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). Starts high and stays high, going from Hart's Pass to Windy Pass to Holman Pass.
Monument 78
North Cascades > Pasayten
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Length
- 17.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,580 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,400 feet
Monument 78 can be found along the Pacific Crest Trail at the US-Canadian Border.
Hidden Lakes
North Cascades > Pasayten
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Length
- 34.2 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 2,300 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,800 feet
9.10.26: The trail is closed north of the junction with the East Fork Pasayten Trail 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.
East Fork Pasayten River
North Cascades > Pasayten
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Length
- 10.0 miles, one-way
-
Elevation Gain
- 2,400 feet
-
Highest Point
- 7,000 feet
9.10.26: The trail is closed west of the junction with the Dean Creek trail due to the Ptarmigan Fire.
Connect to Hidden Lakes and/or Larch Creek via this trail and enjoy a walk through lush vegetation and prominent peaks.
Devils Peak
North Cascades > Pasayten
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Elevation Gain
- 5,500 feet
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Highest Point
- 8,081 feet
Devils Peak requires scrambling up the mountain.
Boundary Trail - Pasayten
North Cascades > Pasayten
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Length
- 80.0 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 9,000 feet
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Highest Point
- 7,800 feet
9.10.26: The trail is closed west of the high point on Bunker Hill due to the Ptarmigan Fire.
9.10.26: The trail is closed east of the junction with the Tungsten Trail due to the Sinlahekin Fire.
Hiking the Boundary Trail is an adventure on many a hikers’ bucket list. The trail spans the width of the Pasayten Wilderness and is part of the much larger Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail. The combination of stunning scenery and lack of crowds is one of the BT’s most enticing aspects especially in autumn, when colors are changing, temperatures are cooling and bugs are gone. A number of places along the trail are so special that you’ll have the images etched into your memory for years to come.
Wonderland Trail - Mowich Lake to Sunrise via Spray Park
Mount Rainier Area > NW - Carbon River/Mowich
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Length
- 20.5 miles, one-way
-
Elevation Gain
- 8,000 feet
-
Highest Point
- 6,750 feet
9.10.26: Trails and roads in the White River & Sunrise section of the park are closed due to the Grand Park 2 and Garda Falls fires. There is currently no access from the Carbon River Suspension Bridge to Frozen Lake.
The Fairfax Bridge (3 miles south of Carbonado) is closed to all vehicle and pedestrian traffic until further notice due to safety concerns. The Wonderland Trail is inaccessible from Mowich Lake due to the bridge closure.
This 20-mile section of the longer 93-mile Wonderland Trail covers the northern section of the loop from Mowich to Sunrise, utilizing the Spray Park alternate.
Kayak Point Park
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
The park is closed Sept 14-18 for construction.
Kayak Point Park is a lovely saltwater beach park with a short trail system located along the shores of picturesque Port Susan. It's great for family outings by the shore or an easy night of camping.
Bottle Beach State Park
Olympic Peninsula > Pacific Coast
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Length
- 1.2 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 8 feet
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Highest Point
- 17 feet
The park is closed until Sept 22 for construction.
With 6,000 feet of shoreline and an ADA accessible trail, visitors can travel along the coast and keep an eye out for the numerous species that fill the air.
Big Beaver Trail
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 24.6 miles, one-way
-
Elevation Gain
- 500 feet
-
Highest Point
- 1,980 feet
9.10.26: The trail is closed from Big Beaver stock camp to Stillwell Camp due to the Luna Fire.
Visit one of the best old-growth hikes in the North Cascades, with views of a vivid blue lake and jagged, snowy peaks thrown in for good measure.
Little Beaver Creek
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 35.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 6,213 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,197 feet
9.10.26: The trail is closed from Little Beaver camp to junction with Big Beaver trail due to the Luna Fire.
A trek through the Little Beaver valley in the heart of the North Cascades offers remarkable old-growth forest, phenomenal mountain views and plenty of options for backpackers.
Thunder Creek
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 12.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,300 feet
-
Highest Point
- 1,900 feet
9.10.26: The trail is closed from the junction with Fisher Creek trail to Park Creek Pass until further notice due to the Thunder Creek Fire.
A pale green creek, big old trees, a variety of understory, and peek-a-boo views of snow-capped peaks. Day-hikers should take it easy, as the joy here is in the journey not the destination. Backpackers, however, may disagree. Families and first-time backpackers will enjoy beautiful camps just two miles from the trailhead. Experienced backpackers will note that Thunder Creek is a gateway to an extensive network of trails.
Melakwa Lake
Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass
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Length
- 8.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,700 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,600 feet
The way to Melakwa Lake is like two different trails: first a wide gentle trail through old growth forest beneath an elevated and noisy Interstate freeway. And second, a rocky steep trail that follows a waterfall and a precipitous gorge upstream to get to a pair of clear alpine lakes flanked by rocky peaks. Is it about the journey or the destination? You decide.
Heliotrope Ridge
North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
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Length
- 5.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,400 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,100 feet
If you'd like nose-to-nose access to Mount Baker, this first-rate woodsy walk delivers. Over a relatively short, well-maintained trail with mild elevation gain, you can be glacier-side in no time... if the creek crossings allow.
Dalles River
Mount Rainier Area > Chinook Pass - Hwy 410
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Length
- 1.8 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 150 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,200 feet
Dalles River is a short trail branching off of the Dalles Campground and meandering along the White River. It is known for the fallen 9.5-foot diameter Douglas fir at the trailhead, one of the largest trees in the Snoqualmie Ranger District.
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
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.
Headlee Pass and Vesper Lake
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
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Length
- 7.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,700 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,950 feet
Vesper Lake is squeezed, like a thumbprint in clay, deep in the saddle between the twin summits of Sperry Peak and Vesper Peak. Rarely is a lake situated so close and steeply below two summits like this; its unique setting gives you remarkably up-close (and straight-up) views of mountainous terrain.
Mount Pilchuck
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
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Length
- 5.4 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,300 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,327 feet
Despite its intermediate difficulty, hikers flock to Mount Pilchuck for its historic restored fire lookout with grand panoramic views of Mount Baker, Mount Rainier and the Olympics.
Burke-Gilman Trail
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 20.0 miles, one-way
This trail is a main thoroughfare through Seattle and beyond. It is popular with cyclists, runners and walkers.
Cashmere Canyons Preserve
Central Cascades > Leavenworth Area
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Length
- 12.0 miles of trails
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Elevation Gain
- 1,800 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,259 feet
Thanks to the generosity of the land owners, this privately-owned area is open to hikers, but managed primarily for wildlife habitat and wilderness conservation. Because of this, dogs and mountain biking are not allowed here, and the area may close at various times throughout the year in order to protect wildlife. Please respect any and all closures.
Granite Creek Trail to Granite Lakes
Snoqualmie Region > North Bend Area
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Length
- 8.8 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 2,270 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,070 feet
Granite Creek courses through the gorge between Mailbox Peak and Russian Butte. Ascend through the creek’s ravine, immersed in mountain rainforest, alongside whitewater rapids, waterfalls, wildflowers and mushrooms, while you take in majestic views of the mountains of the Middle Fork Valley. Seasonal treats include berries and fall colors.
Hurricane Hill
Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast
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Length
- 3.2 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 650 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,757 feet
Whether you need a day hike for the whole family or the perfect trail to round out your first visit to Olympic National Park, Hurricane Hill is the answer. You can even use this trail as the jumpoff (or ending point) to a variety of longer hikes out of the Elwha River Valley.
Snoqualmie Valley Trail
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
-
Length
- 32.0 miles, one-way
Walk along an old railroad grade that climbs gently though forested hillsides. In summer, look for wildflowers: blackberry, elderberry, pea, daisy, buttercup and wild rose.
Coal Creek Trail
Issaquah Alps > Cougar Mountain
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Length
- 6.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 550 feet
-
Highest Point
- 600 feet
The Red Cedar (Coal Creek Parkway) trailhead is closed for King County’s Coal Creek Sewer Upgrade Project. Sections of the trail near the trailhead are also closed. Please follow posted trail detours and stay out of fenced construction areas. Other trailheads such as the Forest Drive; Coal Creek Family YMCA; Cinder Mine; and Red Town trailheads are open.
Rich in historical artifacts, lush foliage, wooden bridges, and waterfalls, the well-groomed and well-traveled Coal Creek Trail is a satisfying hike for families, trail runners, history buffs, and avid hikers.
Cross Kirkland Corridor Trail
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 11.5 miles, roundtrip
This trail uses the old North Pacific Railroad grade as a quiet place for Kirkland residents to stretch their legs, and is a part of the partially-completed 42-mile Eastrail.
East Lake Sammamish Trail
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 10.5 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 393 feet
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Highest Point
- 136 feet
This regional trail runs along the eastern shore of Lake Sammamish, connecting Redmond and Issaquah.
Sammamish River Trail
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 9.5 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 317 feet
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Highest Point
- 75 feet
The Sammamish River Trail is a 9.5-mile trail with one end at Marymoor Park in Redmond, passing through Woodinville, and the other end at Blythe Park in Bothell. At Blyth Park, it connects with the Burke-Gilman Trail and continues another 18.8 miles ending at Golden Gardens in Seattle.
Summerland - Panhandle Gap
Mount Rainier Area > NE - Sunrise/White River
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Length
- 12.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,950 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,800 feet
Begin in old-growth forest, climb up to one of Mount Rainier's most spectacular wildflower meadows, then continue along the highest section of the Wonderland Trail to reach the alpine world of Panhandle Gap. Along the way be alert for marmots and goats, and it is not unusual to see a black bear.
Hannegan Pass and Peak
North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
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Length
- 10.4 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 3,100 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,200 feet
The wide-open trail to Hannegan Pass and Hannegan Peak offers spectacular mountain views, glorious alpine wildflowers, waterfalls and glaciers. Choose to hike to 5050 foot Hannegan Pass (about 8 miles roundtrip) or press on to the 6,200 foot summit of Hannegan Peak — 10.6 miles roundtrip.
Granite Mountain
Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass
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Length
- 8.6 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 3,800 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,629 feet
In winter the trail up Granite Mountain crosses a large avalanche chute early in the hike. Please have experience navigating avalanche terrain and the proper equipment when hiking this trail in the winter.
The astounding views from the summit of the Granite Mountain trail come at a price. A nearly-1000-feet-of-elevation-gain-per-mile price. But views of pointed Kaleetan Peak, deep blue Crystal Lake, the climber-dotted Tooth, and Mount Rainier dominating the skyline to the south make it all worth it.
