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 HikesSherman Overlook
Eastern Washington > Okanogan Highlands/Kettle River Range
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Length
- 0.25 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 35 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,262 feet
This short, paved interpretive trail provides scenic vistas of surrounding peaks, as well as a look into how fire helped shape the landscape. In the fall, the western larches turn to gold.
Camp Brown
Snoqualmie Region > North Bend Area
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Length
- 0.45 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 0 feet
Located approximately eleven miles down the Middle Fork Road, this gently meandering half-mile loop trail, built following Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards, provides scenic views of the congressionally-designated Wild and Scenic Middle Fork Snoqualmie River.
Palouse to Cascades Trail - The Tunnel
Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass
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Length
- 5.3 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 0 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,100 feet
Washington State has a plethora of amazingly beautiful trails for the avid hiker to tread, but how many take you through an old train tunnel more than two miles long? The Snoqualmie Tunnel is part of the 250-mile Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail (formerly the John Wayne Trail and Iron Horse State Park) and this section is a must do for everyone! Views for most of your trip will be determined by the power of your headlamp, but there will be some sights on the other side. The attraction of this hike is the mysterious, dramatic tunnel itself. However, note that the tunnel is closed November 1st through May 1st, so plan your trip accordingly.
Nolte State Park
Mount Rainier Area > Chinook Pass - Hwy 410
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Length
- 1.45 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 0 feet
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Highest Point
- 791 feet
The expansive acreage of this park allows for a wide variety of activities, including hiking, biking, boating, fishing, swimming, bird and wildlife viewing, even lawn games such as horseshoes! The hiking trail is a lovely loop around Deep Lake.
Sherman Pass Tie Trail
Eastern Washington > Okanogan Highlands/Kettle River Range
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Length
- 0.8 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 230 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,464 feet
This short trail leads through the forest from the Sherman Overlook Campground to the Kettle Crest Trailhead and it makes a pleasant hike on its own.
Swan Lake
Eastern Washington > Okanogan Highlands/Kettle River Range
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Length
- 2.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 350 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,730 feet
Whether you’re camping nearby or just out for a day, the trail around peaceful Swan Lake makes a beautiful outing. Loons and beavers make this place home.
Fish Lake
Eastern Washington > Okanogan Highlands/Kettle River Range
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Length
- 1.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 85 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,281 feet
Stretch your legs on this easy jaunt between two peaceful mountain lakes or use the trail for access to fly fishing locations along the west side of Fish Lake.
Glasses Lake
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - East
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Length
- 10.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 700 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,682 feet
This is a beautiful small lake tucked immediately under Grizzly Peak and the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). Where Heather Lake is often shared with a number of hiking and camping groups, you are pretty much assured to have lunch by yourself at Glasses. Only a half a dozen trip reports have been filed in the last decade, this is a good predictor of solitude.
Wildside Connector
Issaquah Alps > Cougar Mountain
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Length
- 1.4 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 200 feet
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Highest Point
- 800 feet
The Wildside Trail runs through the northwest corner of Cougar Mountain Park and offers many connections to other trails.
Yakima Sportsman State Park
Central Washington > Yakima
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Length
- 2.0 miles, roundtrip
Visit this 247 acre park on the floodplain of the Yakima River. With two miles of hiking trails, it's a great place to explore if you happen to be camping nearby. With fall foliage, wildflowers, and fishing, it's a delightful destination at any time of the year.
Pratt River Trail
Snoqualmie Region > North Bend Area
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Length
- 13.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,500 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,240 feet
This entry describes the most direct approach to the Pratt River Trail, which starts by fording the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River.
Snowshoe Trail
North Cascades > Pasayten
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Length
- 2.0 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 600 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,400 feet
Goodenough Peak
North Cascades > Pasayten
Nestled deep in the Pasayten, in this area hikers are few and far between, which means you get the expansive display of wildflowers all to yourself when you choose to go.
Coleman Ridge
North Cascades > Pasayten
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Length
- 27.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 3,400 feet
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Highest Point
- 7,400 feet
This difficult to follow ridge trail was burned in the 2003 Farewell Fire and is no longer maintained. For those with good navigation skills, it provides access to Remmel Mountain.
Windy Peak Loop
North Cascades > Pasayten
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Length
- 14.8 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 3,830 feet
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Highest Point
- 8,060 feet
This loop takes you into the high country of the Pasayten wilderness to Sunny Pass, the to another pass through Horsehoe Mountain and Pick Peak, and over Windy Peak.
Winds of Change
South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
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Length
- 0.3 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 50 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,100 feet
Although this trail is short, take time to savor the broad views across the Mount St. Helens volcanic blast zone while interpretive signs help you contemplate the forces that created it.
Jumbo Mountain
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
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Length
- 8.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 4,500 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,840 feet
Summit scramble off Squire Creek Trail on Mountain Loop Highway. Gear and expertise required.
Ross Dam Trail
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 1.6 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 500 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,100 feet
This forested trail in the North Cascades National Park Complex leads down to Ross Lake and the network of trails in the Ross Lake National Recreation Area. Look out over both Ross Lake and Ross Dam before making your way down to Ross Dam itself
Hamilton Buttes
South Cascades > Dark Divide
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Length
- 2.57 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 772 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,756 feet
Hamilton Buttes boasts panoramic views of the South Cascades volcanoes despite a short hike up to its relatively isolated summit.
Green Lake
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 2.8 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 0 feet
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Highest Point
- 164 feet
The quintessential Seattle walk around the perimeter of a 50,000 thousand-year-old glacial lake, this trail is accessible to folks of all ages and abilities. It continues to be a preserve for hundreds of species of trees and plants, as well as numerous birds and waterfowl.
Buttermilk Ridge
North Cascades > Methow/Sawtooth
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Highest Point
- 8,272 feet
The route to Buttermilk Ridge is a Class 3 and involved exposed scrambling. Gear and expertise are recommended.
Pot Peak
Central Cascades > Entiat Mountains/Lake Chelan
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Length
- 8.9 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 4,770 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,670 feet
If you are looking for heart-pumping elevation gain and solitude outside of the city of Chelan, Pot Peak is your trail. Best hiked in the early hours due to exposure, this multi-use connector near Twenty-Five Mile Creek State Park rises above Lake Chelan on a climbing ridge walk with views of Stormy Mountain, the Chelan Valley and southern peaks of the Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness.
Glines Canyon Overlook Trail
Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast
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Length
- 7.15 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 652 feet
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Highest Point
- 802 feet
Formerly a short, two-mile trail, the washout of the Elwha River Road has made this a 7.15 mile roundtrip hike. Luckily, it's mostly flat road, and you're even allowed to take a bike the whole way, if you don't mind a rough ride.
Phelps Creek
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
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Length
- 7.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 3,500 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,500 feet
Phelps Creek Trail offers relatively easy access to the remote Glacier Peak Wilderness, particularly Spider Meadows and the larch-ridden Carne Mountain.
Chikamin Tie ORV
Central Cascades > Entiat Mountains/Lake Chelan
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Length
- 7.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,900 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,230 feet
This multi-use trail offers hikers and bikers alike sweeping views of Chikamin Ridge and peaks nearby starting right from the road to the trailhead.
Magnuson Park
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 3.0 miles of trails
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Elevation Gain
- 0 feet
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Highest Point
- 15 feet
If you’ve been to Magnuson it is likely that you have walked a section of the trail on the way to a sporting event. However, it is well worth taking the time to explore all the meandering paths – less frequently known as Frog Pond Trail. If you have time to kill while your kid warms up before a game, or if you just want to sneak away for a moment of silence at halftime, these paths are perfect for a calming wander, no matter how much time you have.
Castle Pass
North Cascades
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Length
- 18.9 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 5,400 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,600 feet
Amon Basin Natural Preserve
Central Washington > Tri-Cities
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Length
- 1.9 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 79 feet
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Highest Point
- 548 feet
Stroll in a peaceful slice of nature tucked into south Richland, enjoying old-growth sagebrush, wildflowers, willows, and cattails. Bring your binoculars to watch birds and riparian wildlife.
Evergreen Arboretum and Gardens
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
This arboretum is located in northern Everett and is free and open to the public. From the arboretum entrance visitors will connect to a series of looping and intersecting paths that go past the different themed areas: a fern garden, a maple grove, a rock garden, and many others.
Ruby Beach
Olympic Peninsula > Pacific Coast
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Length
- 6.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 60 feet
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Highest Point
- 60 feet
Ruby Beach offers several miles of beach exploration, with unique rock formations and swirling sun-bleached driftwood.