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 HikesTradition Lake Loop
Issaquah Alps > Tiger Mountain
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Length
- 2.9 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 150 feet
-
Highest Point
- 540 feet
Hike a series of short, nearly level trails that offer views of two lakes and of some swampy areas, and pass one of the largest trees in the Tigers. Appreciate the forest vegetation and wildflowers. Along the way, hear and perhaps see a variety of song birds and waterfowl.
Meadowbrook Farm
Snoqualmie Region > North Bend Area
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Length
- 4.85 miles of trails
Featuring loop trails ranging from a few hundred feet to 2.25 miles, Meadowbrook Farm makes a wonderful spot to stop in the Snoqualmie Valley. Bring your kids, or just yourself and come explore this sweet little parcel of land off Highway 202.
Tatoosh Lakes
South Cascades > White Pass/Cowlitz River Valley
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Length
- 6.6 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 3,400 feet
-
Highest Point
- 5,750 feet
Tatoosh Lakes are not open to camping any more, but they are much easier to get to than they used to be, and still a good bet for solitude and the peaceful sounds of nature.
South Tiger Summit
Issaquah Alps > Tiger Mountain
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Length
- 6.1 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,600 feet
-
Highest Point
- 2,100 feet
The South Tiger Summit Trail starts on the South Tiger Traverse Trail, passes the south summit of South Tiger Mountain and ends at the north summit. The trail was built in 2023 after the area was logged in years 2018 and 2019.
Circle Peak
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
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Length
- 16.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,800 feet
-
Highest Point
- 5,983 feet
A lovely-but-rough hike that uses established trail and old logging roads, the Circle Peak Trail has seen a lot of maintenance from the Darrington Ranger District in the past several summers.
Capitol State Forest - Porter Falls
Olympic Peninsula > Olympia
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Length
- 2.2 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 450 feet
Hike along a gentle grade as it climbs along Porter Creek and crosses it, traveling west on the other side, keeping the road you arrived on in view. As you reach the confluence of Porter Creek and the West Fork of Porter Creek, you also reach the waterfall, your destination.
Hall Point
Snoqualmie Region > North Bend Area
This is not an official Forest Service trail. The route is not maintained and requires route-finding skills to navigate.
Lake Laura Backdoor
Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass
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Length
- 3.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,000 feet
-
Highest Point
- 4,800 feet
A short, beautiful, but very steep unofficial bootpath to Lake Laura and Lake Lillian, this route gets you there in a quarter of the time, but breathing just as hard.
Irene Rinehart Riverfront Park
Central Washington > Yakima
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Length
- 2.2 miles of trails
-
Highest Point
- 1,500 feet
This park is just outside the city of Ellensburg along the Yakima River. The park is a long, narrow parcel that stretches between the river and I-90 with a parking area at both ends.
Guemes Mountain
Puget Sound and Islands > San Juan Islands
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Length
- 2.4 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 550 feet
-
Highest Point
- 688 feet
A collaboration between Skagit Land Trust and Washington Trails Association created this 1.2-mile trail up Guemes Mountain, offering views of the surrounding San Juan Islands. A treat year round, you'll also see unique prairie habitat and forest, in addition to those gorgeous views.
Nosh Nosh Wahtum
Snoqualmie Region > Salmon La Sac/Teanaway
-
Length
- 5.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,500 feet
-
Highest Point
- 4,850 feet
Get a taste of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness on this short climb to a small but scenic lake. The trail winds from a lush meadow into old growth forest. Whether as a short day trek or a first-time overnight, a hike to Nosh Nosh Wahtum is worth the long road in.
Alpine Lookout
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - East
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Length
- 10.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 2,600 feet
-
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.
Mount Muller
Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast
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Length
- 12.7 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 3,350 feet
-
Highest Point
- 3,748 feet
Mount Muller offers breathtaking views from a breathtaking trail -- it's a steep climb, but those who make it to the lofty ridgeline are rewarded with a panorama that includes the Strait of Juan de Fuca, massive Mount Olympus, and sapphire, sparkling Lake Crescent.
Sourdough Mountain
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 10.4 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 4,870 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,985 feet
The trail from the trailhead to the lookout is closed until further notice due to damage from the Sourdough and Stetattle fires.
The mountainous views that once inspired beatnik poets continue to inspire modern-day hikers who take on this strenuous yet rewarding challenge.
Mudhole Lake
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 8.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 4,000 feet
-
Highest Point
- 6,550 feet
With an ominous name like Mudhole Lake, it would be easy to set low expectations for this destination. Don’t be fooled though. This infrequently-visited route provides a steep ascent on good trail with expansive views and good berries in season. After just a couple of miles, a hidden pond, nestled in among larches in a high mountain cirque, will be all yours.
Grand Park via Lake Eleanor
Mount Rainier Area > NE - Sunrise/White River
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Length
- 8.7 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,460 feet
-
Highest Point
- 5,630 feet
The classic approach (via Sunrise) to this sea of meadows and wildflowers at the base of Mount Rainier is long and tough, putting Grand Park out of reach for most casual dayhikers. Instead, try this "backdoor" approach via Lake Eleanor to enjoy this stunning destination.
Railroad Park and Centennial Log Pavilion
Snoqualmie Region > North Bend Area
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Length
- 1.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 0 feet
-
Highest Point
- 400 feet
Though a short one, this hike around Historic Snoqualmie and the old railway is a very unique hike that's great for the whole family (and even wheelchairs and strollers!).
Sam's River Loop (Queets Campground)
Olympic Peninsula > Pacific Coast
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Length
- 2.8 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 50 feet
-
Highest Point
- 300 feet
The Queets Campground Loop is a quintessential rainforest experience. At just under three miles, it provides visitors with a generous variety of nature. Giant spruce and hemlock rise above great galleries of fern and oxalis. The wind whispers the memories of abandoned homesteads in the grasses of shrinking meadows. Owls hoot and frogs croak the song of an ancient melody. One stands here often and wonders.
Beach 1
Olympic Peninsula > Pacific Coast
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Length
- 0.2 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 60 feet
-
Highest Point
- 60 feet
Beach 1 is a short but scenic trail that ends on a wild beach on the Pacific Ocean. Photogenic spruce burls can be seen on a unique nature loop that adds minimal time. However, access to the beach is typically over a jam of drift logs that require care to cross.
Raptor Ridge Trail
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
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Length
- 8.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,500 feet
The Hemlock Trail is a main east-west arterial of the Chuckanut Mountain trail system that connects the popular (and mostly flat) Interurban Trail with the Pine and Cedar Lakes area. The Raptor Ridge trail is found along this artery, and takes you to a lovely viewpoint over the forested hills of Chuckanut.
Madrone Crest Trail
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
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Length
- 6.8 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,290 feet
-
Highest Point
- 1,390 feet
This hike takes you through a lush area of the Chuckanuts that offers solitude and an experience of primal setting getting you away from the old logging roads turned trails that are close by. Going to the crest via the Salal trail is enhanced by thick undergrowth of Oregon grape, a variety of ferns and mosses and of course salal. The route winds through huge glacial erratics and an overstory of cedar, Douglas fir, hemlock, red maple and bigleaf maple.
Larrabee State Park - Double Diamond Trail
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
A nice hike to some ridgelines in Larrabee State Park. Connect to Fragrance Lake Trail, South Lost Lake Trail, Clayton Beach Trail, and Interurban Trail. This is also a very popular downhill mountain biking trail, so if you venture onto it, please keep an eye out for bikers.
Bear Creek Mountain
South Cascades > Goat Rocks
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Length
- 7.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,237 feet
-
Highest Point
- 7,337 feet
This short hike offers access to a stunning Goat Rocks summit, but you'll work for it. With more than 1000 feet of elevation gain in the last 0.9 mile push to the top, you'll be gasping for breath...and that's before the view renders you speechless.
Robin Hill Farm
Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast
-
Length
- 6.0 miles of trails
-
Elevation Gain
- 150 feet
-
Highest Point
- 300 feet
Include a visit to this multi-use, frontcountry trail network on your next road trip to the Northern Olympic Peninsula!
Vanson Ridge
South Cascades > White Pass/Cowlitz River Valley
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Length
- 3.3 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 1,730 feet
-
Highest Point
- 4,100 feet
Vanson Ridge is a 3.3-mile connector trail between the Goat Mountain and Green River trails in Mount St. Helens National Monument. A welcome respite for many thru-hikers traveling the Goat Mountain loop route, it is also popular with mountain bikers as an exciting offshoot of the Green River trail.
North Butte
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
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Length
- 6.12 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 910 feet
-
Highest Point
- 2,178 feet
An extension of the Lily Lake trail that leads to the Lily Lake Campsite. It's pretty uphill, but worth the view once you get there. You can get to this trail by several means: The Lily Lake/Lizard Lake Trailhead, Larry Reid/Max's Shortcut/Lily Lake route, or from the Oyster Dome trail from the West.
White Chuck Mountain
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
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Length
- 4.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 2,100 feet
-
Highest Point
- 6,989 feet
White Chuck Mountain (Northwest Route) is a Class III scramble that requires basic gear, route finding skills, and extreme caution to negotiate successfully and safely. Those who make the hour long trek down a gravel road, deal with a bit of overgrowth and route finding, and brave the scree and chossy rock will be significantly rewarded with phenomenal views of Thornton Lake and nearby peaks Pugh, Sloan and Glacier
Deer Park
North Cascades > Pasayten
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Length
- 6.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,325 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,135 feet
Often used as a connector to create larger loops, the Deer Park trail ventures through an old fire area into the wild Pasayten wilderness.
Manastash Ridge - Westberg Trail
Central Washington > Yakima
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Length
- 4.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,800 feet
-
Highest Point
- 3,560 feet
Named after and built in honor of an Ellensburg wrestling coach, this trail provides the sought-after combination of great workout and big views. But its exposed; you'll want to be up here in spring or fall, because the direct sun of summer and lack of water can make this one a burner (literally).
Holder Knob
Issaquah Alps > Taylor Mountain
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Length
- 3.28 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 500 feet
-
Highest Point
- 1,050 feet
A good short day hike with the best views on Taylor Mountain.