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
4204 HikesGrand Park via Lake Eleanor
Mount Rainier Area > NE - Sunrise/White River
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Length
- 8.7 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,460 feet
-
Highest Point
- 5,630 feet
The classic approach (via Sunrise) to this sea of meadows and wildflowers at the base of Mount Rainier is long and tough, putting Grand Park out of reach for most casual dayhikers. Instead, try this "backdoor" approach via Lake Eleanor to enjoy this stunning destination.
Railroad Park and Centennial Log Pavilion
Snoqualmie Region > North Bend Area
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Length
- 1.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 0 feet
-
Highest Point
- 400 feet
Though a short one, this hike around Historic Snoqualmie and the old railway is a very unique hike that's great for the whole family (and even wheelchairs and strollers!).
Sam's River Loop (Queets Campground)
Olympic Peninsula > Pacific Coast
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Length
- 2.8 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 50 feet
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Highest Point
- 300 feet
The Queets Campground Loop is a quintessential rainforest experience. At just under three miles, it provides visitors with a generous variety of nature. Giant spruce and hemlock rise above great galleries of fern and oxalis. The wind whispers the memories of abandoned homesteads in the grasses of shrinking meadows. Owls hoot and frogs croak the song of an ancient melody. One stands here often and wonders.
Beach 1
Olympic Peninsula > Pacific Coast
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Length
- 0.2 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 60 feet
-
Highest Point
- 60 feet
Beach 1 is a short but scenic trail that ends on a wild beach on the Pacific Ocean. Photogenic spruce burls can be seen on a unique nature loop that adds minimal time. However, access to the beach is typically over a jam of drift logs that require care to cross.
Raptor Ridge Trail
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
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Length
- 8.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,500 feet
The Hemlock Trail is a main east-west arterial of the Chuckanut Mountain trail system that connects the popular (and mostly flat) Interurban Trail with the Pine and Cedar Lakes area. The Raptor Ridge trail is found along this artery, and takes you to a lovely viewpoint over the forested hills of Chuckanut.
Madrone Crest Trail
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
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Length
- 6.8 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,290 feet
-
Highest Point
- 1,390 feet
This hike takes you through a lush area of the Chuckanuts that offers solitude and an experience of primal setting getting you away from the old logging roads turned trails that are close by. Going to the crest via the Salal trail is enhanced by thick undergrowth of Oregon grape, a variety of ferns and mosses and of course salal. The route winds through huge glacial erratics and an overstory of cedar, Douglas fir, hemlock, red maple and bigleaf maple.
Larrabee State Park - Double Diamond Trail
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
A nice hike to some ridgelines in Larrabee State Park. Connect to Fragrance Lake Trail, South Lost Lake Trail, Clayton Beach Trail, and Interurban Trail. This is also a very popular downhill mountain biking trail, so if you venture onto it, please keep an eye out for bikers.
Jefferson Ridge
Olympic Peninsula > Hood Canal
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Length
- 4.8 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,832 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,832 feet
7.30.25: This trail is closed until further notice due to the Hamma Fire.
In an area known for rhododendrons and stunning mountain views, find a relatively easy hike to a high ridgeline that used to house a fire lookout tower.
Bear Creek Mountain
South Cascades > Goat Rocks
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Length
- 7.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,237 feet
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Highest Point
- 7,337 feet
This short hike offers access to a stunning Goat Rocks summit, but you'll work for it. With more than 1000 feet of elevation gain in the last 0.9 mile push to the top, you'll be gasping for breath...and that's before the view renders you speechless.
Robin Hill Farm
Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast
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Length
- 6.0 miles of trails
-
Elevation Gain
- 150 feet
-
Highest Point
- 300 feet
Include a visit to this multi-use, frontcountry trail network on your next road trip to the Northern Olympic Peninsula!
Vanson Ridge
South Cascades > White Pass/Cowlitz River Valley
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Length
- 3.3 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 1,730 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,100 feet
Vanson Ridge is a 3.3-mile connector trail between the Goat Mountain and Green River trails in Mount St. Helens National Monument. A welcome respite for many thru-hikers traveling the Goat Mountain loop route, it is also popular with mountain bikers as an exciting offshoot of the Green River trail.
North Butte
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
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Length
- 6.12 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 910 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,178 feet
An extension of the Lily Lake trail that leads to the Lily Lake Campsite. It's pretty uphill, but worth the view once you get there. You can get to this trail by several means: The Lily Lake/Lizard Lake Trailhead, Larry Reid/Max's Shortcut/Lily Lake route, or from the Oyster Dome trail from the West.
White Chuck Mountain
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
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Length
- 4.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,100 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,989 feet
White Chuck Mountain (Northwest Route) is a Class III scramble that requires basic gear, route finding skills, and extreme caution to negotiate successfully and safely. Those who make the hour long trek down a gravel road, deal with a bit of overgrowth and route finding, and brave the scree and chossy rock will be significantly rewarded with phenomenal views of Thornton Lake and nearby peaks Pugh, Sloan and Glacier
Deer Park
North Cascades > Pasayten
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Length
- 6.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,325 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,135 feet
Often used as a connector to create larger loops, the Deer Park trail ventures through an old fire area into the wild Pasayten wilderness.
Manastash Ridge - Westberg Trail
Central Washington > Yakima
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Length
- 4.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,800 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,560 feet
Named after and built in honor of an Ellensburg wrestling coach, this trail provides the sought-after combination of great workout and big views. But its exposed; you'll want to be up here in spring or fall, because the direct sun of summer and lack of water can make this one a burner (literally).
Holder Knob
Issaquah Alps > Taylor Mountain
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Length
- 3.28 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 500 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,050 feet
A good short day hike with the best views on Taylor Mountain.
Bridal Veil Falls
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
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Length
- 4.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,000 feet
-
Highest Point
- 1,600 feet
A beautiful waterfall flows out of Lake Serene and cascades below the rugged east wall of Mount Index at the end of a trail on the west side of Bridal Veil Creek. Take time to see and enjoy a stunning view of Bridal Veil Falls and climb flights of steps paralleling the falls.
Clear Lost Trail to Lost Lake Lookout
South Cascades > White Pass/Cowlitz River Valley
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Length
- 14.0 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 3,897 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,316 feet
This trek to a former lookout site ambles past lakes, up through quiet forest, and into the popular Goat Rocks Wilderness.
Licorice Fern Trail
Issaquah Alps > Cougar Mountain
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Length
- 3.8 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 200 feet
-
Highest Point
- 700 feet
Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park is the largest “urban wild land” in the United States, with more than 3,000 acres of forest riddled with 38 miles of hiking trails. The Licorice Fern Trail is a great choice for Cougar Mountain veterans looking for a fresh approach to Far Country Falls.
Iceberg Point
Puget Sound and Islands > San Juan Islands
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Length
- 3.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 50 feet
A short loop hike to rock cliffs, with fantastic views out towards the Olympic Peninsula, and back toward other parts of Lopez.
Lime Kiln State Park
Puget Sound and Islands > San Juan Islands
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Length
- 1.35 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 276 feet
-
Highest Point
- 207 feet
Lime Kiln State Park is one of the more scenic spots on an already beautiful island. Sometimes called “Whale Watch Park,” it is not uncommon to see orcas or other marine life playing in the water as you wander along the rocky edges of the Salish Sea. The hike described here provides plenty of opportunity for spotting killer whales, while also allowing you to explore the upland environment and see the historic lime kiln.
Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge - Dungeness Spit
Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast
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Length
- 11.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 130 feet
-
Highest Point
- 130 feet
This narrow strip of land just east of Port Angeles in the Strait of Juan de Fuca is a gorgeous place to explore miles upon miles of sandy beach, spy shorebirds wheeling, and even get a little shot of greenery at the beginning and end of your trip. But remember, while the beach is usually a good place for dogs to get some exercise, this particular one is closed to pups, since it’s a National Wildlife Refuge.
CCC Road: Blowout Creek Trailhead
Snoqualmie Region > North Bend Area
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Length
- 7.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 620 feet
-
Highest Point
- 1,520 feet
The Blowout Creek Trailhead offers a more secluded adventure than the CCC Road: Lower Section, despite its route along an old road. Climb a moderate grade alongside Blowout Creek for almost a mile before arriving at the CCC Road Trail, then hike to a beautiful waterfall.
Zig Zag Trail
Snoqualmie Region > North Bend Area
This is not an official Forest Service trail. The route is not maintained and requires route-finding skills to navigate. There is no designated parking area and may lead into a private watershed area where hiking is prohibited.
Catherine Creek - Tracy Hill Loop
Southwest Washington > Columbia River Gorge - WA
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Length
- 6.1 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,715 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,870 feet
7.21.25: This trail is closed due to the Burdoin Fire.
The Tracy Hill Loop at Catherine Creek is a popular route, but the eastern-most portion of it crosses a parcel of tribal land not open to the public. Visitors are encouraged to use the WTA-built Catherine Creek loop, which starts and ends from the main parking area for Catherine Creek.
Catherine Creek Loop
Southwest Washington > Columbia River Gorge - WA
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Length
- 5.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,424 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,332 feet
7.21.25: This trail is closed due to the Burdoin Fire.
This route at Catherine Creek takes hikers past a natural arch and into the higher country around the meadows at Catherine Creek.
Paradise Glacier
Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
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Length
- 5.6 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,495 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,409 feet
This trail takes hikers out of the maze of trails at Paradise and up onto one of the many glaciers on Washington's most iconic mountains.
Woodard Bay Conservation Area
Olympic Peninsula > Olympia
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Length
- 3.5 miles of trails
With five miles of shoreline in South Puget Sound, the Woodard Bay Conservation Area includes forests, wetlands of freshwater, as well as historic and cultural resources that are a valuable diversion in the area.
Lookout Mountain Preserve - Camp 2
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
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Length
- 8.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,600 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,767 feet
A trail to the summit of Lookout Mountain from an access point on the southeast corner of Lookout Mountain. This route crosses private property in a couple of sections and is not recommended to access the summit.
Catherine Creek - Universal Access Trail
Southwest Washington > Columbia River Gorge - WA
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Length
- 1.5 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 120 feet
-
Highest Point
- 300 feet
7.21.25: This trail is closed due to the Burdoin Fire.
Beautiful views, amazing wildflowers, oak woodlands, open grasslands—this short hike is the perfect way to sample the best of the Catherine Creek area. More than 90 varieties of wildflowers bloom here, making this a favorite springtime destination.