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
4216 HikesSunrise Point Trail
Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast
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Length
- 0.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 0 feet
A short dead end trail coming off the High Ridge trail at Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park.
Blazed Ridge
Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass
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Length
- 6.8 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,800 feet
-
Highest Point
- 5,500 feet
Walk along a high ridge which connects to several other trails in the Manastash Ridge area, with views out to the Enchantment Range as well as Mount Daniel and Mount Hinman.
Rose Creek Nature Preserve
Eastern Washington > Palouse and Blue Mountains
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Length
- 1.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 60 feet
Stroll though a remnant of Palouse prairie, wetland and steppe ecosystem.
Capitol State Forest - Rock Candy Mountain
Olympic Peninsula > Olympia
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Length
- 5.5 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,000 feet
-
Highest Point
- 1,500 feet
Capitol State Forest offers hikers a quick getaway fix and an opportunity to stretch their legs during the winter months.
Springboard Trail
Eastern Washington > Okanogan Highlands/Kettle River Range
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Length
- 2.6 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 540 feet
-
Highest Point
- 3,637 feet
This loop hike in a popular recreation area offers a good mix of forest and meadow, with just enough elevation gain to work your legs and lungs.
Aiston Preserve
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
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Length
- 3.0 miles, roundtrip
There is a small network of trails at the south end of Lummi Island with lovely views to explore!
Baldy Mountain
Central Washington > Yakima
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Length
- 5.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,972 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,212 feet
This hike in the Yakima River Canyon is an excellent conditioning hike for anyone looking to train in the winter months. It reaches one of the highest points on the east side of the river in the Canyon.
Hope Island Marine State Park - Skagit County
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
The trails on Hope Island have been permanently closed and decommissioned by Washington State Parks to protect the Natural Area Preserve. Primitive camping is still open to the public at the north part of the island.
Gatton Creek
Olympic Peninsula > Pacific Coast
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Length
- 1.2 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 200 feet
-
Highest Point
- 400 feet
The Gatton Creek Trail is a short but delightful segment of the larger Quinault National Recreation Trail System. The well-maintained trail gets hikers close to nature as it travels beneath towering conifers through a lush rainforest ecosystem. As either a short stroll or part of a longer journey, this trail is well worth exploring.
Rainbow Falls State Park
Southwest Washington > Lewis River Region
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Length
- 3.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 200 feet
-
Highest Point
- 450 feet
Rainbow Falls State Park is an island remnant of exquisite old growth forest in the upper Chehalis Valley, with a small cascade as the centerpiece of the park. Surrounding a half-mile stretch of the Chehalis River, this fragile patch of stunning Douglas fir, western hemlock, and western redcedar is among the last, albeit diminished, stores of Washington heritage to pass onto the future forest of the region.
Kendall Katwalk
Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass
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Length
- 12.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,600 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,400 feet
If the name Kendall Katwalk conjures up an image of a narrow pathway blasted out of a steeply sloped rock face, that’s part of it. But the whole package includes old growth forest, gorgeous wildflowers, and stunning views into the Alpine Lakes Wilderness from both sides of the pass below Kendall Peak, where the Katwalk begins.
Middle Fork to Salmon La Sac Traverse
Snoqualmie Region > North Bend Area
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Length
- 31.0 miles, one-way
-
Elevation Gain
- 3,200 feet
-
Highest Point
- 5,000 feet
Miles of riverside rambling, alpine wandering, a beautiful lonely lake, and high desert hiking, as well as all the planning and logistics that goes into a long-distance hike – this will satisfy your thruhiking cravings (at least for a month or so).
Deering Wildflower Acres
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 2.0 miles of trails
A little piece of wilderness tucked away in the middle of civilization, originally established in 1968 as a survey site for Western Washington University. Now open to the public and maintained by the City of Marysville.
Desolation Peak
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 9.4 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 4,400 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,102 feet
Trek a dry, strenuous trail to a famous fire lookout. Jack Kerouac stayed here as a lookout and used the experience to inspire Desolation Angels and Dharma Bums. The historic lookout is no longer accessible to the public, but you can still trek to the location and appreciate the view.
Long Lake
Eastern Washington > Okanogan Highlands/Kettle River Range
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Length
- 1.5 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 218 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,329 feet
You’re not likely to find other hikers on this trail around lovely, peaceful Long Lake. You may not find the trail itself either! Sections are lost in thickets of alder, willow, and wild roses.
Sherman 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
-
Elevation Gain
- 350 feet
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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.