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
4235 HikesBuckner Orchard Walk
Central Cascades > Entiat Mountains/Lake Chelan
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Length
- 1.6 miles, roundtrip
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Highest Point
- 1,200 feet
Take a walk around the historic (and still operational) apple orchard in the Stehekin valley.
Boulder Creek
Central Cascades > Leavenworth Area
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Length
- 17.25 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 4,850 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,310 feet
Boulder River leads to magnificent views of Napeequa Valley and the Glacier Peak Wilderness.
Upper Stehekin Valley Road Trail
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 11.4 miles, one-way
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,100 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,400 feet
Once upon a time, the road in Stehekin extended all the way to Cottonwood Camp, more than ten miles further into the lush green valley. But strong river activity due to snowmelt and rain events washed the road out frequently, and for one final time in 2003. Now it's accessible by foot only, and many of the trails found along this route are some of your best chance for solitude in the state.
Swamp Lake
Mount Rainier Area > Chinook Pass - Hwy 410
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Length
- 9.4 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,400 feet
-
Highest Point
- 5,000 feet
Despite its name, Swamp Lake is a lovely little destination in the William O. Douglas wilderness near Mount Rainier. It's popular with fishermen and backpackers, though it can be extremely buggy in early summer.
Pacific Crest Trail - Stehekin to Rainy Pass
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 18.7 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 3,600 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,900 feet
Connect between the Stehekin River and Rainy Pass on this section of the Pacific Crest Trail. Views of peaks in every direction capture the hiker's attention as you walk through the beautiful North Cascades.
Stehekin River Trail
Central Cascades > Entiat Mountains/Lake Chelan
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Length
- 7.6 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 100 feet
-
Highest Point
- 1,200 feet
If you’re overnighting in the Stehekin Valley and just want a riverside ramble to while away the hours, try the Stehekin River Trail. It’s an easy forested walk along the mighty Stehekin River on a side of the valley that few visitors get to see.
Bonanza Peak
Central Cascades > Entiat Mountains/Lake Chelan
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Length
- 14.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 6,300 feet
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Highest Point
- 9,511 feet
The route to Bonanza Peak is a Class 4 and involves exposed scrambling. Gear and experience recommended.
Copper Creek
Olympic Peninsula > Hood Canal
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Length
- 5.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 2,400 feet
-
Highest Point
- 3,200 feet
7.7.25: This trail and FR 24 are closed until further notice due to the Bear Gulch Fire.
Whatever you like most about hiking, this trail has something for you, whether it’s a quick ascent, a period of more level ground, a peek-a-boo view, a quintessential Olympic Peninsula rain forest, or a ridge top.
Oneonta Gorge
Southwest Washington > Columbia River Gorge - OR
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Length
- 3.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 425 feet
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Highest Point
- 385 feet
This lovely trail loops around Oneonta Gorge and takes you behind Ponytail Falls.
Snoqualmie Valley Trail
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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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.
Palouse to Cascades Trail - Easton
Snoqualmie Region > Cle Elum Area
A segment of the cross-state Palouse to Cascades Trail
Puyallup Riverwalk Trail
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 8.4 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 413 feet
-
Highest Point
- 73 feet
Walk along the Puyallup River on a nature walk without ever leaving the city.
Anderson and Watson Lakes
North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
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Length
- 6.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,100 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,900 feet
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
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Highest Point
- 10,778 feet
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
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Length
- 5.5 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,400 feet
-
Highest Point
- 5,100 feet
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
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Length
- 10.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 2,400 feet
-
Highest Point
- 4,500 feet
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.
Lord Hill Regional Park
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 6.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,000 feet
-
Highest Point
- 633 feet
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
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Length
- 3.5 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 620 feet
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Highest Point
- 660 feet
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.
Coyote Wall
Southwest Washington > Columbia River Gorge - WA
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
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Length
- 2.75 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 10 feet
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Highest Point
- 225 feet
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
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Length
- 0.5 miles of trails
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.
Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 5.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 10 feet
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Highest Point
- 10 feet
Formerly known as the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge and renamed to honor the memory of a noted activist, this an excellent year-round destination for wildlife viewing and photography.
Roundup Park
Eastern Washington > Okanogan Highlands/Kettle River Range
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Length
- 1.6 miles of trails
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Elevation Gain
- 10 feet
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Highest Point
- 775 feet
This short loop trail visits a riparian island rich with birdlife and beavers in this forgotten corner of the Okanogan River.
Wild Horses Monument
Central Washington > Yakima
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Length
- 0.4 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 150 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,300 feet
Witness up close one of the most frequently viewed public artworks in the state of Washington, while admiring a broad view of the Columbia River and the tiny hamlet of Vantage.
Monte Carlo
South Cascades > Mount Adams Area
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Length
- 10.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,560 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,360 feet
Get a good workout on this trail that climbs to a summit with views of the south Cascade range. Continue on to make it a longer hike, continuing down into deep forest to the south trailhead.
West Elwha
Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast
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Length
- 7.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,400 feet
-
Highest Point
- 650 feet
Take a short but very scenic hike starting from the Altair campground in Olympic National Park. Traverse along the edge of the Elwha River, recently free-flowing thanks to the removal of the Glines Canyon Dam.
Steptoe Butte State Park Heritage Site
Eastern Washington > Palouse and Blue Mountains
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Highest Point
- 3,612 feet
Fans of geology, history and, of course, nature can enjoy this 168-acre day-use park. The top of the butte has magnificent views from above the Palouse Hills, and you can learn more about the area’s unique geology from interpretive panels at the summit.
Divide Camp
South Cascades > Mount Adams Area
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Length
- 5.8 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,400 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,100 feet
The Divide Camp Trail features dense forests, glacial creeks and wildflower-strewn meadows. It also sees less traffic than the nearby Killen Creek Trail – the standard approach to High Camp.
Beacon Rock State Park - Equestrian Trail
Southwest Washington > Columbia River Gorge - WA
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Length
- 7.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,750 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,300 feet
Explore the back door to Hamilton Mountain on the double-track Equestrian Trail. Former logging roads now act as service roads for the park staff and multi-use trails for hikers, bicycles and equestrians to reach the park’s backcountry trails.
Royal Basin via Royal Lake
Olympic Peninsula > Hood Canal
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Length
- 16.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,650 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,700 feet
You will see plenty in the first 7.2 miles of this trip that take you to the shores of Royal Lake, but you should plan your hike to have the time — and energy — to enjoy the wildflower-dotted alpine basin and its milky blue tarns in Upper Royal Basin about three-quarters of a mile past the lake.