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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

4216 Hikes

Palouse to Cascades Trail - Rattlesnake Lake

Snoqualmie Region > North Bend Area
 
Length
11.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
300 feet
Highest Point
1,100 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.20
(15 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Fall foliage
  • Good for kids
  • Mountain views
  • Waterfalls
  • Wildlife

3.20.26: The Palouse to Cascades trail is closed (1) between the Olallie Trail to Homestead Valley trailhead and (2) between the Carter Creek campsite to the west side of the Snoqualmie Tunnel until further notice due to storm damage.

The Palouse to Cascades Trail in Iron Horse State Park provides access to notable North Bend hikes, views of mountains and waterfalls, and a journey back into Washington’s history. Take in the wildlife and cross soaring bridges as you make a level traverse from Rattlesnake Lake to Change and Hall Creeks 5.5 miles to the east.
 
 
 
Length
5.5 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
350 feet
Highest Point
1,607 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.38
(8 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Good for kids
  • Mountain views
  • Old growth
  • Rivers

3.20.26: The Palouse to Cascades trail is closed (1) between the Olallie Trail to Homestead Valley trailhead and (2) between the Carter Creek campsite to the west side of the Snoqualmie Tunnel until further notice due to storm damage.

Hike a short stint on the Palouse to Cascades Trail, crossing high trestle bridges and roaming through old growth forest with expansive views of nearby peaks, just a short drive away from the city.
 
 
 
Length
11.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
480 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.25
(4 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Good for kids

3.20.26: The Palouse to Cascades trail is closed (1) between the Olallie Trail to Homestead Valley trailhead and (2) between the Carter Creek campsite to the west side of the Snoqualmie Tunnel until further notice due to storm damage.

The hike from the Cedar Falls trailhead to the junction with the Change Creek route is one through history. You will walk along a decommissioned railroad passing by the remnants of the line. Starting at the Cedar Falls trailhead, begin your hike just past the outhouse, crossing a paved road, and picking up the gravel path.
 
 

Puyallup Riverwalk Trail

Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
 
Length
8.4 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
413 feet
Highest Point
73 feet
Rating
Average rating:
0.00
(0 votes)
  • Mountain views
  • Rivers
Walk along the Puyallup River on a nature walk without ever leaving the city.
 
 

Johnson Mountain

Snoqualmie Region > Salmon La Sac/Teanaway
 
Length
5.4 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,600 feet
Highest Point
5,220 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.00
(1 vote)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Mountain views
  • Ridges/passes
  • Summits
  • Wildflowers/Meadows

12.19.25: Trail inaccessible due to road closures of 9737 (N Fork Teanaway); 9701 (Jungle Creek Rd); 9737 (along Stafford Creek).

Escape the crowds and access early season views in the Teanaway. Starting on an old forest road and ending on a climbers’ trail, this mostly exposed hike passes through wildflowers and a burn area to reach the Johnson Mountain summit with views of the Enchantments, Rainier, the Teanaway River Valley, and wind farms of eastern Washington.
 
 

Anderson and Watson Lakes

North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
 
Length
6.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,100 feet
Highest Point
4,900 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.36
(22 votes)
  • Established campsites
  • Good for kids
  • Lakes
  • Mountain views
  • Old growth
  • Waterfalls
  • Wildflowers/Meadows

3.20.26: FR 1107 is closed at mile 4 due to storm damage.

This trail features plenty of variety, with destinations spaced perfectly for families or first-time backpackers. Beautiful hemlock forest, meadows dotted with wildflowers, gleaming lakes, mountain views, juicy berries and excellent camping are all available. Wait until later in the hiking season though, as this area is known for its bugs.
 
 

Mount Baker

North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
 
Highest Point
10,778 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.00
(9 votes)
  • Mountain views
  • Summits

3.20.26: Glacier Creek Road is closed at mile 1 due to washouts at mile 3.6 and 3.8.

The dominant feature in the North Cascades is Mount Baker, a glaciated volcano that can be seen on clear days from as far as Seattle and makes a great backdrop for photos of Vancouver, BC. Many hiking trails follow the ridges around Mount Baker and offer stunning views of the summit. Climbing to the summit is done mainly via the Coleman and Easton glaciers and requires technical expertise with high-altitude snow and ice.
 
 

Heliotrope Ridge

North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
 
Length
5.5 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,400 feet
Highest Point
5,100 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.48
(60 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Established campsites
  • Fall foliage
  • Good for kids
  • Mountain views
  • Waterfalls
  • Wildflowers/Meadows

3.20.26: Glacier Creek Road is closed at mile 1 due to washouts at mile 3.6 and 3.8.

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.
 
 

Coal Pass Snowshoe

North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
 
Length
10.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
2,400 feet
Highest Point
4,500 feet
Rating
Average rating:
2.50
(2 votes)
  • Mountain views
  • Ridges/passes

3.20.26: Glacier Creek Road is closed at mile 1 due to washouts at mile 3.6 and 3.8.

Following a series of winding, snow-covered forest roads, the route to Coal Pass culminates in sweeping views of Mount Baker’s glaciated northwest flank.
 
 

Silent Swamp Loop

Issaquah Alps > Tiger Mountain
 
Length
8.8 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
600 feet
Highest Point
1,780 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.00
(10 votes)
  • Fall foliage
  • Good for kids
  • Mountain views
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Wildlife
Hike a restored trail in the southeast corner of the Tigers, through an area that is very green, with impressive moss cover and with many huge, decaying stumps remaining from logging a century ago.
 
 

Quick Link

Issaquah Alps > Tiger Mountain
 
Length
0.5 miles, one-way
Elevation Gain
163 feet
Highest Point
2,657 feet
Rating
Average rating:
0.00
(0 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Fall foliage
  • Good for kids
The Quick Link Trail is a short segment in the middle of the east tiger trail system. Combine this trail with others to form any number of loop hikes, including a trip to the east tiger summit.
 
 

Iverson Railroad Trail

Issaquah Alps > Tiger Mountain
 
Length
3.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
850 feet
Highest Point
1,750 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.07
(15 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Mountain views
Take a hike on the east side of Tiger Mountain along an old railroad grade.
 
 

Inside Passage

Issaquah Alps > Tiger Mountain
 
Length
6.2 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,600 feet
Highest Point
2,150 feet
Rating
Average rating:
1.00
(1 vote)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Fall foliage
  • Rivers
  • Wildlife
This 1.6-mile section of trail is located in the Tiger Mountain State Forest. It is popular with mountain bikers and hikers.
 
 

East Side Road

Issaquah Alps > Tiger Mountain
 
Length
6.5 miles, one-way
Elevation Gain
200 feet
Highest Point
1,400 feet
Rating
Average rating:
2.25
(4 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Fall foliage
  • Wildlife
The East Side Road is an access road on Tiger Mountain that is closed to vehicle traffic and open to hikers. The road roughly parallels the eastern boundary of Tiger Mountain and connects with several other trails.
 
 

Custer's Bridge - Middle Tiger Loop

Issaquah Alps > Tiger Mountain
 
Length
11.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,600 feet
Highest Point
2,607 feet
Rating
Average rating:
0.00
(0 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Fall foliage
  • Mountain views
  • Summits
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Wildlife
Hike the forested Iverson Railroad Trail and the little-used middle section of the main Tiger Mountain Trail (TMT). Look in on the site of a 1925 logging train wreck. Continue on to remote Custer's Bridge, and return via a loop over Middle Tiger Mountain, including views south-side hikers miss.
 
 

Crosshaul

Issaquah Alps > Tiger Mountain
 
Length
0.4 miles, one-way
Elevation Gain
98 feet
Highest Point
2,278 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.00
(1 vote)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
The Crosshaul Trail is a short segment within the East Tiger Mountain trail network that connects with many other trails.
 
 

Tiger Mountain Road

Issaquah Alps > Tiger Mountain
 
Rating
Average rating:
3.60
(5 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Fall foliage
  • Wildlife
Tiger Mountain Road is a gravel road that starts at the East Tiger Mountain Summit Parking Lot and winds up near the summit.
 
 

Lord Hill Regional Park

Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
 
Length
6.5 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,000 feet
Highest Point
633 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.46
(28 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Fall foliage
  • Good for kids
  • Lakes
  • Mountain views
  • Old growth
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Wildlife
Lord Hill Park is a wonderful wild park and an excellent place to hike, covering about 1,463 acres of wetland and forest. Hikers can roam all day on the network of trails leading through the forest, down to the Snohomish River and up to views of the Cascades and Snohomish Valley.
 
 

Elowah and Upper McCord Creek Falls

Southwest Washington > Columbia River Gorge - OR
 
Length
3.5 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
620 feet
Highest Point
660 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.33
(3 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Mountain views
  • Waterfalls
This hike is actual a twofer, forking to two paths each leading to a waterfall – go up to Upper McCord Creek’s twin waterfalls, or down to the towering Elowah Falls. Each waterfall has its own character and it is worth visiting both of them.
 
 

Rockport State Park

North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
 
Length
3.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
250 feet
Highest Point
750 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.94
(18 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Good for kids
  • Old growth

1.7.26: The ADA and Evergreen trail are closed until further notice due to flood damage.

The family friendly trails of 670-acre Rockport State Park explore an ancient forest where dappled sunlight illuminates mossy trees and lush ferns — perfect for a springtime stroll.
 
 

Wiley Slough - Fir Island

Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
 
Length
2.5 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
49 feet
Highest Point
15 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.00
(5 votes)
  • Coast
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Wildlife
Take a waterside walk along Wiley Slough in the Skagit Wildlife area on Fir Island.
 
 

Coyote Wall

Southwest Washington > Columbia River Gorge - WA
 
Rating
Average rating:
2.75
(4 votes)
Thanks to an extensive planning process in this popular area, this formerly user-created trail has been re-routed and improved to make it enjoyable for hikers and mountain bikers, and sustainable for the land it is on.
 
 

Mima Mounds

Olympic Peninsula > Olympia
 
Length
2.75 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
10 feet
Highest Point
225 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.00
(16 votes)
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Good for kids
  • Mountain views
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
These mysterious mounds inspire imagination and speculation among visitors. With a half-mile ADA accessible path and another two miles of more rugged wandering, the Mima Mounds are a great destination for many hikers.
 
 

Parkland Prairie

Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
 
Length
0.5 miles of trails
Rating
Average rating:
3.00
(1 vote)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Good for kids
  • Wildflowers/Meadows

The preserve is closed until late 2026 for a trail resurfacing project.

This neighborhood park has a short loop trail that takes visitors through a prairie ecosystem brimming with interesting trees, flowers and grasses.
 
 

Ruby Mountain

North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
 
Length
17.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
6,300 feet
Highest Point
7,408 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.80
(10 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Established campsites
  • Mountain views
  • Ridges/passes
  • Summits

3.19.26: Highway 20 is closed at (and east of) Colonial Creek Campground until further notice due to a rock fall.

Ruby Mountain is a 7,408-foot peak in the center of the North Cascades. It has one of the best panoramic views of the lakes, snow-capped peaks and glaciers of the North Cascades National Park.
 
 

Ross Dam Trail

North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
 
Length
1.6 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
500 feet
Highest Point
2,100 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.25
(4 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Good for kids
  • Lakes
  • Old growth
  • Rivers
  • Wildflowers/Meadows

3.19.26: Highway 20 is closed at (and east of) Colonial Creek Campground until further notice due to a rock fall.

This forested trail in the North Cascades National Park Complex leads down to Ross Lake and the network of trails in the Ross Lake National Recreation Area. Look out over both Ross Lake and Ross Dam before making your way down to Ross Dam itself
 
 

Pierce Mountain Trail

North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
 
Length
9.9 miles, one-way
Elevation Gain
4,500 feet
Highest Point
5,965 feet
Rating
Average rating:
0.00
(0 votes)
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Established campsites
  • Lakes
  • Mountain views
  • Ridges/passes
  • Summits

3.19.26: Highway 20 is closed at (and east of) Colonial Creek Campground until further notice due to a rock fall.

Pierce Mountain Trail is a gentle trail up Sourdough Mountain from the Big Beaver trail.
 
 

Happy-Panther

North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
 
Length
12.5 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,200 feet
Highest Point
2,100 feet
Rating
Average rating:
2.67
(3 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Fall foliage
  • Rivers
  • Waterfalls
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Wildlife

3.19.26: Highway 20 is closed at (and east of) Colonial Creek Campground until further notice due to a rock fall.

Enjoy some fine ‘forest bathing’ on a quiet trail just off the busy highway. No grand views, but soft green moss, little creeks and large noisy waterfalls will be your reward. It’s nice anytime, but in spring before the highway opens or fall when the vine maple is turning would be a prime time for this one.
 
 

Happy Creek Nature Trail

North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
 
Length
2.6 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
570 feet
Highest Point
2,780 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.11
(9 votes)
  • Good for kids
  • Old growth
  • Rivers
  • Waterfalls

3.19.26: Highway 20 is closed at (and east of) Colonial Creek Campground until further notice due to a rock fall.

Hikers can choose from an easy loop partially along Happy Creek, or a longer hike to Happy Creek Falls, site of an old sawmill that supported the mining in the late 1800's.
 
 

Big Beaver Trail

North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
 
Length
24.6 miles, one-way
Elevation Gain
500 feet
Highest Point
1,980 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.27
(11 votes)
  • Established campsites
  • Good for kids
  • Lakes
  • Mountain views
  • Old growth
  • Rivers
  • Waterfalls

3.19.26: Highway 20 is closed at (and east of) Colonial Creek Campground until further notice due to a rock fall.

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.