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 HikesGoat Wall Trail
North Cascades > Methow/Sawtooth
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Length
- 4.4 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,260 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,200 feet
Hike up out of the Methow Valley then follow the rim from Fun Rock, with an option to continue to the Mazama Store.
Monument Park
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
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Length
- 0.25 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 135 feet
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Highest Point
- 135 feet
Venture down to a beach in a small Whatcom County park in Point Roberts.
Geophysical Trails
Eastern Washington > Selkirk Range
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Length
- 6.6 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 210 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,630 feet
The Geophysical Trails are accessible year round, but are primarily used for Nordic skiing in winter (no hiking/snowshoeing on the groomed trails). The trailhead is a SnoPark, so you'll need a Sno-Park permit to park in the winter. For the rest of the year, it's open to non-motorized multi-use.
Antoine Peak Conservation Area - Summit Loop
Eastern Washington > Spokane Area/Coeur d'Alene
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Length
- 5.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 600 feet
Circling the summit allows hikers and their pups to take in all of the views while stretching their legs--the Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, Mount Spokane, and Pleasant Prairie can all be seen along this route.
Mount Spokane State Park - Middle Trail 140
Eastern Washington > Spokane Area/Coeur d'Alene
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Length
- 2.0 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 837 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,921 feet
Trail 140 represents the only “bottom to top” trail experience for Mount Spokane’s summit, but is frequently enjoyed in smaller sections to create loops of various distances. Middle Trail 140 is located in the heart of the park, connecting between Smith Gap and Saddle Junction.
Rainier Woods Park
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 0.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 0 feet
-
Highest Point
- 450 feet
This small park has a playground, picnic area, off-leash dog park and more, as well a short walking trails in a wooded area.
Aasgard Pass
Central Cascades > Leavenworth Area
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Length
- 12.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 4,400 feet
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Highest Point
- 7,800 feet
This “shortcut” to the Enchantments Core Zone refers only to mileage. As far as miles per hour goes, Aasgard may be one of the slowest hikes you attempt. Achieving the pass is a thigh-burning, chest-bursting, eye-popping endeavor that offers as many extraordinary views as beads of sweat that will fall from your brow as you ascend nearly 2,000 feet in just three-quarters of a mile.
Midtown Park
Mount Rainier Area > Chinook Pass - Hwy 410
This forest is located in the heart of Bonney Lake, offering a place to walk on trails beneath the trees.
Lake 22
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
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Length
- 5.4 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,350 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,400 feet
The curiously-named Lake 22 is the center of an oasis of alpine wetland nestled on the northern shoulder of Mount Pilchuck. The hike to the lake combines the best of mountain rainforests, old-growth, wetlands and mountain views, yet it is readily accessible. In winter, the route lends itself to snowshoeing.
Crystal Lakes
Mount Rainier Area > NE - Sunrise/White River
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Length
- 6.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,300 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,828 feet
Take a short but steep hike on a wide trail to visit two lakes in a beautiful craggy setting. It's only three miles to the upper lake, with 2,300 feet of elevation gain. In season find many wildflowers in the basin near the upper lake, and be alert for wildlife sightings.
Larch Mountain
Southwest Washington > Columbia River Gorge - OR
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Length
- 14.4 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 4,000 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,050 feet
The road to Larch Mountain is closed above the snow gate at milepost 10 for the winter. It typically reopens in late spring.
This long trail extends all the way from the base of Multnomah Falls to the summit of Larch Mountain, 7.7 miles away. It’s a popular out and back, and links to many other trails to make loops in the Columbia River Gorge. Because of its length and location, it runs the gamut of quality, from wide and paved to rugged, narrow, and infrequently-maintained. But don’t worry, it’s steep for quite a lot of the length, so you’ll get a workout no matter what.
Wallace Falls - Lake Loop
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
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Length
- 9.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,544 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,844 feet
This fine loop trail gives you scenery, mileage, and some elevation gain, with the bonus of being hikeable year-round. Start by wandering along the Wallace River as it tumbles down from the famous falls. Get your pictures of the falls, then continue your hike by including the large forested Wallace Lake. Return through a green shag carpet of moss, sword ferns and hemlock, following the North Fork Wallace River as it rushes to meet the main Wallace River and your return trail.
Jumbo Peak
South Cascades > Dark Divide
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Length
- 6.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,300 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,801 feet
Jumbo Peak's wide, grassy slopes and seemingly endless trailside views make hikers feel like they're trekking through a storybook landscape. With huge extinct and active volcanoes in your sights, and an unbelievable bounty of flowers in the spring and huckleberries in the fall, Jumbo lives up to its name--big and impressive on a grand scale.
May Creek Trail
Issaquah Alps
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Length
- 3.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 585 feet
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Highest Point
- 398 feet
This pleasant woodland trail follows the historic route of the Seattle-Walla Walla Railroad, which transported coal from the mines once operating in present-day Cougar Mountain Park.
Larrabee State Park - Chuckanut Falls
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
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Length
- 2.6 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 640 feet
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Highest Point
- 540 feet
Take a short hike to a pleasant waterfall tucked away on the northeast corner of Larrabee State Park.
Green River Natural Area
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 4.32 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 500 feet
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Highest Point
- 500 feet
The 1,000-acre Green River Natural Area is a wonderful gateway to the middle stretch of the Green River. Composed of steep valley walls and a broad valley floor, the natural area provides trails for hiking and horseback riding as well as access to the most dynamic reach of the Green River in King County.
Ryan Lake
South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
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Length
- 0.7 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 165 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,465 feet
What was once a nice, short loop hike for families on the east side of Mount St. Helens National Volcanic monument has been lost to downed trees and heavy brush. Thankfully, the lake is still visible from an overlook partway up.
Quartz Creek Big Trees
South Cascades > White Pass/Cowlitz River Valley
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Length
- 0.4 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 15 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,000 feet
An almost-completely-forgotten nature loop near Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. You won’t see the mountain here, but two giant trees remain from time gone by, and are impressive enough for a visit if you’re in the area.
Norway Pass
South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
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Length
- 4.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 860 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,500 feet
Witness the destructive force and the restorative power of nature on this hike in the blast zone of Mount St. Helens’ 1980 eruption. The rocky ash and treeless areas are testaments to the devastation caused by the explosion, while wildflowers and shrubs signal the return of vegetation to the denuded landscape.
Mount Margaret
South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
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Length
- 11.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,820 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,780 feet
On maps, Mount Margaret doesn’t seem impressive enough to warrant its namesake Mount Margaret Backcountry. It is not the tallest nor the most majestic peak in the area. However, it is easily summited and it offers clear unobstructed views of Mount Rainier, Mount Adams, and Mount St. Helens (in three different directions), and expansive views of much more, including legendary Spirit Lake.
Iron Creek Campground Loop
South Cascades > White Pass/Cowlitz River Valley
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Length
- 1.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 0 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,200 feet
Lose yourself amid ancient giants on this 1.5 mile flat loop around the Iron Creek Campground.
Green River
South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
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Length
- 11.6 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 940 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,850 feet
Walk in the deep shade of towering, ancient Douglas-firs and western redcedars and become humbled in the presence of these survivors of volcanic eruption.
Ghost Lake
South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
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Length
- 5.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 640 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,000 feet
Hike to a lovely, glittering, quiet little lake that at Mount St. Helens that few visit. You’ll have to work for it, of course. But it’s a neat little treat to share with friends, or head to it solo for some solitude.
Goat Mountain and Deadman's Lake
South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
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Length
- 11.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,400 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,025 feet
Hike along a lofty ridge at the demarcation of the blast zone. Look south at blown-down and toppled forests and a series of sparkling alpine lakes surrounded by silver snags. Look north at alpine meadows flush with wildflowers and hillsides cloaked in verdant old-growth canopies. One of the best trails for comparing before and after the eruption landscapes, Goat Mountain is also one of the best for views.
Plains of Abraham - Windy Pass Loop
South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
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Length
- 9.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,000 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,850 feet
This hike is closed (except for the Loowit Trail segment) all M-F between May 15 and Oct 31 through the end of 2027. The trail will remain open on all weekends and federal holidays.
Hike a challenging loop outside of the Windy Ridge area of Mount St. Helens, including a route-finding scramble to the pass. For your efforts, you’re rewarded with expansive, ever-changing views of one of the world’s most dynamic landscapes.
Mosquito Meadows
South Cascades > Dark Divide
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Length
- 2.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 350 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,350 feet
This mile-long gentle climb in the Dark Divide brings you to the Boundary Trail, where you can turn left towards Badger Lake or right towards Mount St. Helens.
Windy Trail
South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
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Length
- 1.0 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 200 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,300 feet
This trail is closed through all M-F between May 15 and Oct 31 through the end of 2027. The trail will remain open on all weekends and federal holidays.
A short trail accessible from the Windy Ridge area of Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, the Windy Trail makes it possible for hikers to loop up a variety of trails in the blast zone.
Windy Ridge and Plains of Abraham
South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
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Length
- 8.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,000 feet
-
Highest Point
- 4,850 feet
This trail is closed through all M-F between May 15 and Oct 31 through the end of 2027. The trail will remain open on all weekends and federal holidays.
Climb to really excellent views of Rainier, Adams and Mount St. Helens via an exposed ridgeline before traversing east through hillside wildflowers, and ending at junction with the Loowit Trail in the center of the Plains of Abraham.
Miners Car Interpretive Site
South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
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Length
- 0.3 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 15 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,600 feet
The site is closed for the season.
Hike a short paved trail to the remains of a vehicle that was subject to the 1980 blast when Mount. St. Helens erupted.
Meta Lake
South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
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Length
- 0.6 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 0 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,625 feet
This very short and flat interpretive trail offers a wonderful way to take in the sights and sounds of a small lake still recovering from the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens.