12 fun hikes for the fall and spooky season, from Phantom Lake to Crooked Tree Trail
It’s the fall season — also known as the falling leaves season, apple pie season and spooky season! If you’re looking to embrace autumn and early winter with some outdoor time, check out some of these (particularly appropriate) hikes for this time of year.
Apple Capital Recreation Loop Trail
Location: Central Washington > Wenatchee
Length: 10 miles, roundtrip
Elevation gain: 600 feet
Golden colors coat the trail. Photo by ZhuckYu.
A few things we love: caramel apples, bobbing for apples and accessible trails in late fall and winter! This paved trail is great all year round for hikers, runners and bikers of all ages. The trail takes you along the Wenatchee and Columbia rivers, so it’s also a great place for a waterfront picnic on a warmer fall day.
> Plan your hike on the Apple Capital Recreation Loop Trail using WTA's Hiking Guide
Candy Mountain Trail
Location: Central Washington > Tri-Cities
Length: 3.6 miles, roundtrip
Elevation gain: 555 feet
Great views of Badger Mountain from the summit. Photo by RichP.
Trick or treat! This volunteer-built trail is relatively mild up to the top of the sweetly-named mountain. In exchange for hiking up to the top, you’ll get views of the Tri-Cities area and Badger Mountain just next door. Please take care to stay on the trail as the mountain suffered a fire in 2017 and the terrain is very sensitive.
> Plan your hike on the Candy Mountain Trail using WTA's Hiking Guide
Candy Point Trail
Location: Central Washington > Grand Coulee
Length: 1.8 miles, roundtrip
Elevation gain: 800 feet
Looking down on the Grand Coulee Dam. Photo by Geoff Winslow.
Trick or treat… again! Another treat-named Central Washington trail, you’ll experience all that coulee country has to offer on this hike. You’ll have to work for it — hiking up many a rock step — but you’ll get high enough to catch some sweet views of the Grand Coulee Dam.
> Plan your hike on the Candy Point Trail using WTA's Hiking Guide
Upper and Lower Wolf Trails
Location: Eastern Washington > Selkirk Range
Length: 2.5 miles of trails
Elevation gain: 107 feet
Tall trees tower over hikers in this trail network. Photo by Holly Weiler.
You won’t find any werewolves on this trail, but you’ll find warm fall foliage in autumn and snow in the winter. Just outside of Newport, this well-marked trail network is great fun all through the year, whether that be in your hiking boots or snowshoes.
> Plan your hike on the Upper and Lower Wolf Trails using WTA's Hiking Guide
Fort Townsend Historical STate Park
Location: Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast
Length: 6.5 miles of trails
Elevation gain: varies
Some spooky old structures await hikers here. Photo by ejain.
This historical state park still has several structures from the original fort, built in 1856 by the U.S. Army. Walking through the park on a gloomy day, the old remnants leave a bit of an eerie vibe, reminiscent of a ghost town. Hikers can learn more about the military history in this area through a self-guided tour on an interpretive trail.
> Plan your hike at the Fort Townsend Historical State Park using WTA's Hiking Guide
Roslyn Urban Forest - Crooked Tree Trail
Location: Snoqualmie region > Salmon La Sac/Teanaway
Length: 3.8 miles, roundtrip
Elevation gain: 1,310 feet
A gloomy day and some creaky trees. Photo by Tiffany Chou.
You might see a few creepy crooked trees along this trail, but you’ll also see snow-capped peaks across I-90 and sweeping views of the Teanaway if you make it all the way to the end of the trail. The trail network here in Roslyn Urban Forest is extensive, so you’ll also have plenty of options if you’re hoping to extend your hike.
> Plan your hike on the Crooked Tree Trail using WTA's Hiking Guide
Silver Shadow Loop
Location: Southwest Washington > Vancouver area
Length: 4.6 miles, roundtrip
Elevation gain: 994 feet
Fall reds at the top of the trail. Photo by Windwave.
It’s unlikely you’ll run into any shadowy figures lurking in the dark here — instead, expect open forests with trees in all stages of growth. This area has had its timber harvested in the past and is in the process of being replanted and regrown. For hikers, that means a lot of open air on this hike and likely only a few tree shadows here and there. Note that this trail gets snow in the winter — consider starting the loop at Rock Creek Campground, a few hundred feet lower than the Tarbell trailhead.
> Plan your hike on the Silver Shadow Loop using WTA's Hiking Guide
Fallen Leaf Lake
Location: Southwest Washington > Vancouver area
Length: 1.4 miles, roundtrip
Elevation gain: 500 feet
The lake is beautiful on a cloudy or sunny day. Photo by todash19.
Don’t be surprised if you run into many a fallen leaf at this Camas urban park in autumn! The trail system takes you next to the lake and connects to the Lacamas Heritage or Round Lake trails. Bring a guidebook and binoculars if wildlife watching or plant identification are your things — there’s plenty of flora and fauna to check out here.
> Plan your hike around Fallen Leaf Lake using WTA's Hiking Guide
Melmont Ghost Town
Location: Mount Rainier area > NW - Carbon River/Mowich
Length: 6 miles, roundtrip
Elevation gain: 100 feet
Some old structures still stand at the ghost town. Photo by davechir.
Put on your waterproof boots and take to the Carbon River Corridor to hit up the remnants of this old mining town. At the ghost town, you’ll be able to find artifacts from an old hotel and school. Be sure to follow Leave No Trace principles here and treat the historical site and structures with care.
> Plan your hike at the Melmont Ghost Town using WTA's Hiking Guide
Ladder Creek Falls
Location: North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Highway 20
Length: 0.5 mile, roundtrip
Elevation gain: 359 feet
At night, these falls light up! Photo by Bob and Barb.
What better season for some “falls” than fall? This short hike — get ready for some stairs — takes you to these three-tiered falls. A suspension bridge allows hikers to cross the Skagit River from Newhalem to the trail that leads to the falls, and the falls are lit up with colored lights at night — a somewhat spooky but very pretty sight!
> Plan your hike to Ladder Creek Falls using WTA's Hiking Guide
Layser Cave
Location: South Cascades > White Pass/Cowlitz River Valley
Length: 0.25 mile, roundtrip
Elevation gain: 100 feet
Watch your head in this cave! Photo by Eric Katanaboy.
This short interpretive trail takes hikers into a cave — don’t worry, it’s more interesting than dank and creepy! — with some bonus views of the Cispus Valley, Mount Adams and the Dark Divide. The cave itself is incredibly small, so explore it yourself, then move on to allow others to enjoy it as well.
> Plan your hike at Layser Cave using WTA's Hiking Guide
Phantom Lake Loop
Location: Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma area
Length: 3.2 miles, roundtrip
Elevation gain: 130 feet
A clear brisk day at the lake. Photo by Anna 9300.
No phantoms to be found here, just a beautiful lake within Bellevue’s city limits. When the fog is out in the morning, the lake certainly gives off an eerie vibe, but no matter the time of day or year, the trail that goes around the lake is a great urban hike for all ages and experience levels. The trail also takes you past Lake Hills Park, which has a playground, picnic area and play fields.
> Plan your hike on the Phantom Lake Loop using WTA's Hiking Guide