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
4202 HikesEast Creek
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
-
Length
- 18.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 4,500 feet
-
Highest Point
- 6,500 feet
Highway 20 is closed between the Ross Dam trailhead (milepost 134) and Silver Star gate (milepost 171) for the winter season.
East Creek has long been unmaintained, but with the construction of a bridge over East Creek in summer of 2025, the Forest Service has resumed maintenance. It may take time for the trail to be returned to a totally hikable state, but at one time, the trail, at its full length, connected to the Pacific Crest Trail.
Cutthroat Pass via the Pacific Crest Trail
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
-
Length
- 10.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 2,000 feet
-
Highest Point
- 6,800 feet
Highway 20 is closed between the Ross Dam trailhead (milepost 134) and Silver Star gate (milepost 171) for the winter season.
Cutthroat Pass is a stunner no matter which way you access it. This way, you'll enjoy a wider, more well-maintained trail, and you're more likely to share it with Pacific Crest Trail thru-hikers.
Wing Lake
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
Highway 20 is closed between the Ross Dam trailhead (milepost 134) and Silver Star gate (milepost 171) for the winter season.
A challenging offshoot trail from the Heather Maple Pass loop that traverses a large talus field to arrive at two stunning alpine lakes.
Chancellor
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
-
Length
- 13.8 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 3,500 feet
-
Highest Point
- 6,300 feet
Highway 20 is closed between the Ross Dam trailhead (milepost 134) and Silver Star gate (milepost 171) for the winter season.
Climb most of the way up Center Mountain along this trail as you enter the Pasayten Wilderness.
Little Jack Mountain
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
-
Length
- 13.6 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 3,935 feet
-
Highest Point
- 5,896 feet
Highway 20 is closed between the Ross Dam trailhead (milepost 134) and Silver Star gate (milepost 171) for the winter season.
This summit off of Highway 20 offers gorgeous views of the craggy North Cascades and a great workout.
Jackita Ridge
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
-
Length
- 15.2 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 3,000 feet
-
Highest Point
- 6,800 feet
Highway 20 is closed between the Ross Dam trailhead (milepost 134) and Silver Star gate (milepost 171) for the winter season.
With views of Crater and Jack Mountains, the Jackita Ridge trail takes you up a challenging incline to the top of a ridge above the timberline. It features wildflowers and unobstructed views. Many hikers use it to connect to the Devil's Dome loop or to reach Crater Mountain.
Fourth of July Pass via Panther Creek
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
-
Length
- 11.5 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 2,000 feet
-
Highest Point
- 3,500 feet
Highway 20 is closed between the Ross Dam trailhead (milepost 134) and Silver Star gate (milepost 171) for the winter season.
Panther Creek is a small gem in a setting of big gems. The North Cascades boasts some of the biggest, finest views in the country, and quiet, contemplative hikes like Panther Creek can get lost in the mix. Nevertheless, it’s well worth hikers’ time to venture into these forests and meadows to ascend Fourth of July Pass.
East Bank Ross Lake
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
-
Length
- 31.0 miles, one-way
-
Elevation Gain
- 800 feet
Highway 20 is closed between the Ross Dam trailhead (milepost 134) and Silver Star gate (milepost 171) for the winter season.
You'll enjoy moderate elevation gain and fabulous views on this lakeside trail that stretches more than 30 miles north -- nearly to Canada.
Devil's Dome Loop
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
-
Length
- 43.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 13,000 feet
-
Highest Point
- 6,980 feet
Highway 20 is closed between the Ross Dam trailhead (milepost 134) and Silver Star gate (milepost 171) for the winter season.
Dry, subalpine ridges, old growth forest, massive flower packed meadows, and glaciated peaks makes this trip a nonstop North Cascades life-list backpack!
Canyon Creek
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
-
Length
- 6.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,994 feet
-
Highest Point
- 2,732 feet
Highway 20 is closed between the Ross Dam trailhead (milepost 134) and Silver Star gate (milepost 171) for the winter season.
When looking for solitude or a quiet, cool creek to ramble along, look no further than Canyon Creek. This trail’s gentle tread and easy grade were cut long ago for horse-pack trains. Along this old supply route to the mines there are numerous babbling brooks, and other natural wonders to keep you entertained. Once this river trail could be followed all the way to Chancellor and then into the Pasayten Wilderness or towards Harts Pass. Alas, wash outs now close the trail five miles in at Mill Creek.
Boulder Creek
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
-
Length
- 24.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 5,000 feet
-
Highest Point
- 6,500 feet
Highway 20 is closed between the Ross Dam trailhead (milepost 134) and Silver Star gate (milepost 171) for the winter season.
High ridge traverse from Gold Hill Mine to North American Mine, connects East Creek to Canyon Creek.
Ruby Creek
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
-
Length
- 6.4 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,230 feet
-
Highest Point
- 1,935 feet
Highway 20 is closed between the Ross Dam trailhead (milepost 134) and Silver Star gate (milepost 171) for the winter season.
Ruby Creek is a short, mellow river ramble that is often traveled as a part of the longer Devils Dome Loop.
Willow Lake Trail
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
-
Length
- 23.5 miles, one-way
-
Highest Point
- 2,880 feet
Highway 20 is closed between the Ross Dam trailhead (milepost 134) and Silver Star gate (milepost 171) for the winter season.
The Willow Lake Trail is part of the East Bank Trail in the North Cascades National Park. Willow Lake is a small lake along the route and sits on the north end of Ross Lake.
McGregor Mountain
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
-
Length
- 16.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 6,200 feet
-
Highest Point
- 8,122 feet
The most prominent peak in the Stehekin Valley, McGregor Mountain offers commanding views of the valley, Lake Chelan and a wide swath of the North Cascades, in addition to a high alpine environment that is equaled by few other trails anywhere. Though long and challenging, the trail is moderate in pitch, gaining a little over 6,000 feet in elevation over a measured eight miles, until the final scramble to the summit.
Howard Lake
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
-
Length
- 3.3 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 600 feet
-
Highest Point
- 2,180 feet
Just behind the High Bridge Guard Station at the end of the road in Stehekin, a trail leads to a quiet little lake nestled in lush, vibrant forest. This trail is primarily used by hikers heading to the summit of McGregor Mountain, the most prominent peak towering over the Stehekin Valley, but Howard Lake is a nice destination in and of itself, if you don’t have the time or the desire to tackle the 16 mile roundtrip hike up McGregor.
Agnes Gorge
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
-
Length
- 5.5 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 300 feet
-
Highest Point
- 2,000 feet
This easy day hike is a great destination for families staying in the Stehekin Valley. Huckleberries line the slopes in the fall, and the 200-foot deep gorge you hike along provides thrills at any time of year. Plus, it's a relatively short hike in a valley of miles-long trails.
Upper Stehekin Valley Road Trail
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
-
Length
- 11.4 miles, one-way
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,100 feet
-
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.
Kamiak Butte
Eastern Washington > Palouse and Blue Mountains
-
Length
- 3.5 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 900 feet
-
Highest Point
- 3,600 feet
Hikers who venture to the summit of Kamiak Butte are rewarded with a rolling patchwork of green and yellow fields in every direction, and bright blue skies overhead.
Chambers Creek Canyon
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
-
Length
- 2.5 miles of trails
-
Elevation Gain
- 500 feet
Chambers Creek Canyon is a deeply incised, forested stream corridor between Lakewood and University Place in the South Puget Sound region.
Julia Butler Hansen National Wildlife Refuge for the Columbian White-Tailed Deer
Southwest Washington > Long Beach Area
-
Length
- 5.6 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 0 feet
-
Highest Point
- 20 feet
The 5-mile Center Road trail is closed between Oct 1 and May 31 each year.
Julia Butler Hansen was the first woman to serve on the Cathlamet City Council and to head an appropriations subcommittee in the Washington Legislature. This wildlife refuge is an excellent way to honor and experience what Butler Hansen held dear: protecting our nations natural resources.
Number Two Canyon Trails
Central Washington > Wenatchee
All trails in this area are closed from Dec 1 to April 15 due to a seasonal wildlife closure.
While mostly used by mountain bikers, the over-20-mile trail system is open to hikers and equestrians as well.
Cleman Mountain - Waterworks Canyon Loop
Central Washington > Yakima
-
Length
- 6.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 2,000 feet
-
Highest Point
- 3,582 feet
The area closes between early Dec and April 30 to protect wintering elk herds.
Great views, a canyon beneath spectacular cliffs, buttresses and pinnacles of weathered basalt, wildflowers in the spring, color and wildlife in the autumn, and sunshine through most of the day in the winter make the Point 3582-Waterworks Canyon loop on Mount Cleman a great hike.
Steptoe Butte State Park Heritage Site
Eastern Washington > Palouse and Blue Mountains
-
Highest Point
- 3,612 feet
The park is closed due to road washout. It is anticipated to reopen on Dec. 29.
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.
Mystery Bay State Park
Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast
-
Length
- 0.1 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 0 feet
-
Highest Point
- 5 feet
A nice spot on Marrowstone Island for a picnic, birding or a very short walk on a beach.
Middle Fork Connector Trail
Snoqualmie Region > North Bend Area
-
Length
- 0.5 miles, one-way
-
Elevation Gain
- 40 feet
-
Highest Point
- 1,150 feet
Enjoy Garfield Mountain from the Taylor River, spot Stegosaurus Butte through the trees, enjoy the lush moss, and get a quick dose of nature on this short ramble.
Garfield Ledges
Snoqualmie Region > North Bend Area
-
Length
- 2.2 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 830 feet
-
Highest Point
- 1,860 feet
Built with the help of Washington Trails Association and Mountains to Sound Greenway crews, the trail to Garfield Ledges will offer visitors expansive views of the Middle Fork valley and a short but steep workout.
Sage Hills
Central Washington > Wenatchee
-
Length
- 5.5 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 650 feet
-
Highest Point
- 800 feet
Just adjacent to the equally popular Horse Lake Reserve, the Sage Hills is home to great trails for hiking, running, or mountain biking. The rolling hills found at Sage Hills offer wonderful views of the Columbia River, the Wenatchee Valley and the North Cascades. Springtime brings vibrant color to the area with wild sage, yellow arrowleaf balsamroot, Indian paintbrush and purple lupine abound.
Dry Creek Falls
Southwest Washington > Columbia River Gorge - OR
-
Length
- 4.6 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 860 feet
-
Highest Point
- 870 feet
The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) runs from Mexico to the Canadian border through the Columbia Gorge. While it is well-known for traveling along the waterfall-filled Eagle Creek Trail, purists know that it is an alternate route; the actual trail runs a bit south closer to the Bridge of The Gods. Here, the PCT leads you to the secluded gem of Dry Creek Falls just a few miles away from the noise and bustle of I-84.
Rampart Ridge Loop
Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
-
Length
- 4.5 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,300 feet
-
Highest Point
- 4,080 feet
This short loop out of Longmire makes for a great, quick way to get some elevation gain, some forest views, and a fantastic vista of Mount Rainier, all in less than five miles!
Headlee Pass and Vesper Lake
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
-
Length
- 7.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 2,700 feet
-
Highest Point
- 4,950 feet
The Mountain Loop Highway is closed between Deer Creek and Bedal Campground for the winter season.
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. And all that comes after the former mining trail that provides incredible scenery along the way.