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 HikesHeather - Maple Pass Loop
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 7.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,020 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,650 feet
Highway 20 is closed between Ross Dam trailhead (milepost 134) and Porcupine Creek (milepost 156.8).
If ever there was a hike to satisfy all a hiker's desires, this one comes as close as any. A loop hike with many fabulous changing faces throughout the seasons, Heather-Maple Pass features ridgelines blanketed in wildflowers in summer, lakes ringed with golden larches in fall, and before the highway closes for the season, a dramatic place to experience early winter’s snows.
Little Jack Mountain
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 13.6 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 3,935 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,896 feet
Highway 20 is closed between Ross Dam trailhead (milepost 134) and Porcupine Creek (milepost 156.8).
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
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Length
- 15.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 3,000 feet
-
Highest Point
- 6,800 feet
Highway 20 is closed between Ross Dam trailhead (milepost 134) and Porcupine Creek (milepost 156.8).
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.
Happy-Panther
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 12.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,200 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,100 feet
Highway 20 is closed between Ross Dam trailhead (milepost 134) and Porcupine Creek (milepost 156.8).
Enjoy some fine ‘forest bathing’ on a quiet trail just off the busy highway. No grand views, but soft green moss, little creeks and large noisy waterfalls will be your reward. It’s nice anytime, but in spring before the highway opens or fall when the vine maple is turning would be a prime time for this one.
Happy Creek Nature Trail
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 2.6 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 570 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,780 feet
Hikers can choose from an easy loop partially along Happy Creek, or a longer hike to Happy Creek Falls, site of an old sawmill that supported the mining in the late 1800's.
Fourth of July Pass via Panther Creek
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 11.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,000 feet
-
Highest Point
- 3,500 feet
Highway 20 is closed between Ross Dam trailhead (milepost 134) and Porcupine Creek (milepost 156.8).
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.
Fisher Creek
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 14.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 4,000 feet
-
Highest Point
- 6,560 feet
Highway 20 is closed between Ross Dam trailhead (milepost 134) and Porcupine Creek (milepost 156.8).
Following a meandering path along a valley floor and then steeply up to a broad pass, the Fisher Creek Trail is part of a 14 mile traverse of breathtaking high mountain scenery through the eastern side of the North Cascades National Park.
Easy Pass
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 7.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,800 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,500 feet
Highway 20 is closed between Ross Dam trailhead (milepost 134) and Porcupine Creek (milepost 156.8).
Don’t be fooled by the name — the way to Easy Pass is anything but easy. But the reward for your efforts is an eastside gateway into the stunning North Cascades National Park. At the pass, you’re greeted by trickling streams of snowmelt and views of the peaks of Golden Horn and Mount Hardy to the east. Venturing further west, gaze into the Park, with awe-inspiring glacially carved river valleys, dark gray craggy massifs of Fisher Peak and Mount Logan dotted with snowfields or cloaked by glaciers, and a host of wildflowers.
East Creek
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 18.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 4,500 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,500 feet
Highway 20 is closed between Ross Dam trailhead (milepost 134) and Porcupine Creek (milepost 156.8).
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.
East Bank Ross Lake
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 31.0 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 800 feet
Highway 20 is closed between Ross Dam trailhead (milepost 134) and Porcupine Creek (milepost 156.8).
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
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Length
- 43.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 13,000 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,980 feet
Highway 20 is closed between Ross Dam trailhead (milepost 134) and Porcupine Creek (milepost 156.8).
Dry, subalpine ridges, old growth forest, massive flower packed meadows, and glaciated peaks makes this trip a nonstop North Cascades life-list backpack!
Cutthroat Pass via the Pacific Crest Trail
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 10.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,000 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,800 feet
Highway 20 is closed between Ross Dam trailhead (milepost 134) and Porcupine Creek (milepost 156.8).
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.
Chancellor
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 13.8 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 3,500 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,300 feet
Highway 20 is closed between Ross Dam trailhead (milepost 134) and Porcupine Creek (milepost 156.8).
Climb most of the way up Center Mountain along this trail as you enter the Pasayten Wilderness.
Canyon Creek
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 6.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,994 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,732 feet
Highway 20 is closed between Ross Dam trailhead (milepost 134) and Porcupine Creek (milepost 156.8).
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
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Length
- 24.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 5,000 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,500 feet
Highway 20 is closed between Ross Dam trailhead (milepost 134) and Porcupine Creek (milepost 156.8).
High ridge traverse from Gold Hill Mine to North American Mine, connects East Creek to Canyon Creek.
Willow Lake Trail
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 23.5 miles, one-way
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Highest Point
- 2,880 feet
Highway 20 is closed between Ross Dam trailhead (milepost 134) and Porcupine Creek (milepost 156.8).
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.
Twisp Pass via Dagger Lake
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 15.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 3,320 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,060 feet
Highway 20 is closed between Ross Dam trailhead (milepost 134) and Porcupine Creek (milepost 156.8).
Take a walk in the forest on this trail as it climbs past a shallow lake and continues nearly to treeline at Twisp Pass. The upper half of the trail is flowered in summer and the power of avalanches is evident in the pick-up-sticks debris field shortly before Dagger Lake. At Twisp Pass in an intersection with many informal trails for further exploration.
Thunder Woods Nature Trail
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 1.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 350 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,200 feet
Hiking the North Cascades is a treat for all ages. This short nature trail gives a taste of moss-draped old growth with moderate elevation gain.
Lost Creek Ridge
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
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Length
- 14.0 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 5,000 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,700 feet
A rugged trail that offers stunning views and access to several beautiful backcountry lakes.
Source Lake
Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass
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Length
- 4.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,000 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,100 feet
In winter the trail to Source Lake crosses a large avalanche chute early in the hike. Please have experience navigating avalanche terrain and the proper equipment when hiking this trail in the winter.
If you want to see the headwaters of the mighty Snoqualmie River, head for the source. Source Lake, that is. It's a modest pond, but the setting is remarkable. Craggy peaks ring this pool, found along the way to one of the state's most popular alpine lake -- Snow Lake.
Olallie Lake via Pratt Lake Trail
Snoqualmie Region > North Bend Area
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Length
- 6.9 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,446 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,880 feet
Olallie Lake is a wonderful first-time destination for hikers or backpackers just beginning to discover trails.
Mailbox Peak
Snoqualmie Region > North Bend Area
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Length
- 9.4 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 4,000 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,822 feet
While still relatively steep, this new route up Mailbox Peak, built in part with help from WTA volunteers, offers a safer and more easily navigable way for folks to summit this formidable peak than the old trail.
Elwha - Olympic Hot Springs Road
Olympic Peninsula
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Length
- 10.6 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 3,898 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,201 feet
With the washout of the Olympic Hot Springs road, the Elwha Valley past the Madison Falls trailhead is now only accessible to hikers (and especially adventurous bicyclists). The Glines Canyon Overlook provides a great stopping spot for day hikers, or backpackers can continue the full 10.8 miles to the national park boundary.
Artist Point Snowshoe
North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
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Length
- 4.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,000 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,100 feet
Artist Point is the top competitor for best viewpoint in the state. The beautifully shaped Mount Shuksan is the star of the area, with a gorgeous summit pyramid and several impressive glaciers. This relatively easy snowshoe is an excellent winter destination with a virtual guarantee of good snow coverage.
Rattlesnake Trail
Mount Rainier Area > Chinook Pass - Hwy 410
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Length
- 6.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 300 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,000 feet
A mostly abandoned trail along (and sometimes in) Rattlesnake Creek that has been washed out in many places due to its numerous crossings of the creek.
Rattlesnake Ledge
Snoqualmie Region > North Bend Area
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Length
- 4.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,160 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,078 feet
This is a fine hike on a well maintained, albeit busy trail through a cool forest with views of the Cedar River watershed, Mount Si, Mount Washington, Rattlesnake Lake and Chester Morse Lake.
Monte Cristo Ghost Town
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
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Length
- 8.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 700 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,800 feet
Hike to an old mining town by heading up a long-closed road along the South Fork Sauk River. This route largely sticks to the old route taken by miners over a century ago.
Raptor Trail
Southwest Washington > Columbia River Gorge - WA
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Length
- 0.3 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 284 feet
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Highest Point
- 527 feet
On this short trail, admire the Columbia River view and in season, catch soaring turkey vultures around the cliffside, enjoy blooming wildflowers or, on clear days, spot Mount Hood in the distance.
Cowen and Ravenna Parks
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 4.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 115 feet
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Highest Point
- 200 feet
Cowen and Ravenna Parks form a contiguous urban nature area and green space, containing Ravenna Ravine and Ravenna Creek, in the middle of North Seattle. They contain 4.5 miles of trails that traverse a 0.75-mile stretch of Ravenna Ravine.
Taylor River - Otter Falls
Snoqualmie Region > North Bend Area
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Length
- 8.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,150 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,750 feet
Lose yourself in second-growth forest as you traverse an old logging road that heads into quiet wilderness just an hour from the urban sprawl of Puget Sound. Enjoy the sounds of water rushing and birds singing. Explore mossy boulders and cross multiple burbling creeks, even do a small amount of cross-country travel on the way to the piece de resistance – a 1,200 foot waterfall that streams into tiny Lipsy Lake before draining to the Taylor River.