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
4205 HikesKendall Peak Lakes
Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass
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Length
- 7.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 2,030 feet
-
Highest Point
- 4,500 feet
Popular in the winter as a beginner snowshoeing route, Kendall Peak Lakes is less-frequently visited in the summertime. But if you're OK with hiking a Forest Service road, then navigating a somewhat faint route to your destination, you can enjoy a short and sweet hike with good views of Snoqualmie Pass.
Dwight's Way
Issaquah Alps > Tiger Mountain
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Length
- 0.8 miles, one-way
-
Elevation Gain
- 190 feet
-
Highest Point
- 1,250 feet
Detour off the Lingering Trail and amble through forest to junctions with the Preston Trail or the Bootleg Trail.
Columbia Hills State Park - Horsethief Butte
Southwest Washington > Columbia River Gorge - WA
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Length
- 1.2 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 200 feet
-
Highest Point
- 498 feet
Horsethief Butte, one part of the expansive Columbia Hills State Historical Park, is composed of hexagonal columns of Wanapum basalt flows that were scoured by the Ice Age floods some 10,000 years ago. Rock climbers are attracted to the sheer cliff faces but hikers and scramblers will find a marked route to the summit.
By Pass Trail
Issaquah Alps > Cougar Mountain
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Length
- 0.2 miles, one-way
-
Elevation Gain
- 50 feet
-
Highest Point
- 1,256 feet
A short access trail from the Clay Pit Road that connects with the Cave Hole Trail and others to make endless loop options on Cougar Mountain.
Lake Whatcom Park - Hertz Trail
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
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Length
- 6.2 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 100 feet
Enjoy lakeside views and the surrounding hills plus waterfalls and giant old Douglas-fir trees from an old railroad grade of the Bellingham Bay & Eastern Railway that borders the southeast shore of Lake Whatcom.
Domerie Divide Trail
Snoqualmie Region > Cle Elum Area
This steep, unmaintained trail provides a link between the Easton Ridge and the Domerie Peak Trail
Jove Peak
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - East
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Highest Point
- 6,007 feet
With steep, broad slopes and no maintained trail to the summit, Jove Peak is a popular winter destination, but is attainable year round. Climbing experience recommended.
Anderson Pass
Olympic Peninsula > Hood Canal
-
Highest Point
- 4,480 feet
A variety of different loop routes in this area pass through Anderson Pass, making it a well-travelled revolving door in the mountainous terrain of the Olympics.
Jolly Mountain
Snoqualmie Region > Salmon La Sac/Teanaway
-
Length
- 13.9 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 4,000 feet
-
Highest Point
- 6,440 feet
Rising close to 4,000 feet out of the Cle Elum River Valley to meet the Yellow Hill Trail, the Jolly Mountain Trail presents a vigorous climb to a rambunctious ridgeline and perky panoramic summit with breathtaking mountain range views for miles of West Teanaway, the Enchantments, Alpine Lakes Wilderness, Glacier Peak, Mount Rainier and Mount Adams that you are likely to have all to yourself.
Cramer Lake
South Cascades > White Pass/Cowlitz River Valley
-
Length
- 3.4 miles, one-way
-
Elevation Gain
- 950 feet
-
Highest Point
- 5,067 feet
The south end of the William O. Douglas Wilderness is rolling country swathed in mature forest that is interrupted by dozens of named, and many more unnamed, lakes. A visit to scenic Cramer Lake, with its clear water, good fishing, and comfortable campsites will leave you wanting to explore deeper into the Tumac Plateau.
West Peak
Issaquah Alps > Squak Mountain
A half mile shortcut from the Chybinski Loop Trail to the junction with the Bullitt Gorge Trail on Squak Mountain.
Hidden Forest Trail
Issaquah Alps > Tiger Mountain
-
Length
- 7.4 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 2,650 feet
-
Highest Point
- 2,340 feet
Hike a short, steep little-used trail deep within the Tigers. In winter, descend past ghostly leafless trees. In summer, appreciate areas of exuberant moss and greenery. And, with luck, you might have the trail all to yourself.
Burfoot County Park
Olympic Peninsula > Olympia
-
Length
- 3.0 miles of trails
-
Elevation Gain
- 150 feet
-
Highest Point
- 200 feet
A charming little escape on Budd Inlet, just north of the City of Olympia.
Bloedel Reserve
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
-
Length
- 2.4 miles of trails
-
Elevation Gain
- 100 feet
-
Highest Point
- 230 feet
This 140-acre public garden has trails, a reflection pool, a Japanese garden and more. Visitors must obtain a timed ticket in advance online.
Mount Howard (Oregon)
Southwest Washington > Columbia River Gorge - OR
-
Length
- 2.5 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 400 feet
Hike up to the summit of Mount Howard, or take the gondola to the top.
Hat Point Lookout
Southwest Washington > Columbia River Gorge - OR
-
Length
- 0.5 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 84 feet
-
Highest Point
- 7,008 feet
This short loop hike showcases the dry Hells Canyon environment and a pretty cool fire lookout tower.
Hunter Falls
Southwest Washington > Columbia River Gorge - OR
-
Length
- 0.8 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 240 feet
-
Highest Point
- 5,200 feet
Hunter Falls is a narrow, deep cataract. The crashing waters turn an otherwise dry environment into a burst of white water and greenery.
Red Pass
Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass
-
Elevation Gain
- 2,300 feet
-
Highest Point
- 5,300 feet
An abandoned trail in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness.
Grace Lakes
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
-
Length
- 4.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 500 feet
-
Highest Point
- 4,700 feet
Take a short hike up to these lakes in the Stevens Pass Ski Area.
Bear Lake
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
-
Length
- 0.8 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 75 feet
If the rugged trek to Pinnacle Lake is too much, but you still want a nice hike to an alpine lake, try Bear Lake. The Pinnacle Lake trail passes Bear Lake, which makes a great destination for new hikers, or those who just want a short stroll.
Squire Creek
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
-
Length
- 8.5 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 2,566 feet
A route-finding bushwhack to beautiful views and berries in the summertime in the North Cascades
Round Mountain
South Cascades > Goat Rocks
-
Length
- 5.2 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,700 feet
-
Highest Point
- 5,970 feet
This short and sweet little hike to Round Mountain offers nice views, and a good half-day hike for those looking to explore the Goat Rocks Wilderness while staying at a nearby resort. Alternatively, you can tack it onto a longer day, make it a thru-hike, or even a side trip while hiking the PCT. For such a low-key destination, it’s remarkably accessible.
Nike Horse Trail
Issaquah Alps > Cougar Mountain
-
Length
- 0.3 miles, one-way
-
Elevation Gain
- 39 feet
-
Highest Point
- 1,223 feet
A way from the Sky Country Trailhead on Cougar Mountain to access the Cave Hole Trail via a loop with Old Man's Trail.
Miller Peninsula-Thompson Spit
Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast
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Length
- 6.5 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 880 feet
-
Highest Point
- 360 feet
This wooded walk enters a lush ravine lined with remnant old-growth and gives way to an isolated beach with views of Protection Island.
Surprise Lake Snowshoe
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
-
Length
- 8.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 2,300 feet
-
Highest Point
- 4,500 feet
Heading to Surprise Lake in the winter can be rewarding, but be sure you know your avalanche warning signs before heading up.
Frasier Creek and Ridgeline Trail
Southwest Washington > Lewis River Region
-
Length
- 5.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 800 feet
-
Highest Point
- 950 feet
Hike through the forest on this small trail system near Yale Lake and Amboy.
North Coast Route
Olympic Peninsula > Pacific Coast
-
Length
- 30.0 miles, one-way
-
Elevation Gain
- 200 feet
-
Highest Point
- 200 feet
Hike through and alongside coastal forest, rocky cliffs and the wild Pacific coast on a relatively well-maintained route.
Lookout Mountain Lookout - Methow
North Cascades > Methow/Sawtooth
-
Length
- 2.6 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,100 feet
-
Highest Point
- 5,518 feet
This scenic hike can be done in under two hours, and along the way you'll enjoy panoramic views, lush forest, wildflowers, and a historic lookout tower that ups the coolness factor.
Chain and Doelle Lakes
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - East
-
Length
- 24.6 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 5,000 feet
-
Highest Point
- 6,200 feet
A steep and rough-at-times trail leads hikers into some of the loneliest, yet most stunning, lake basins within the Alpine Lakes Wilderness.
West Tiger 2
Issaquah Alps > Tiger Mountain
-
Length
- 7.8 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 2,300 feet
-
Highest Point
- 2,757 feet
This is a great close to Seattle option of creating lots of loops and getting your exercise.