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 HikesJumbo Mountain
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
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Length
- 8.0 miles, roundtrip
-
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.
Hamilton Buttes
South Cascades > Dark Divide
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Length
- 2.57 miles, roundtrip
-
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
-
Elevation Gain
- 0 feet
-
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
-
Elevation Gain
- 4,770 feet
-
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
-
Elevation Gain
- 652 feet
-
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
-
Elevation Gain
- 3,500 feet
-
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
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,900 feet
-
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
-
Elevation Gain
- 0 feet
-
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
-
Elevation Gain
- 5,400 feet
-
Highest Point
- 6,600 feet
Amon Basin Natural Preserve
Central Washington > Tri-Cities
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Length
- 1.9 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 79 feet
-
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
-
Elevation Gain
- 60 feet
-
Highest Point
- 60 feet
Ruby Beach offers several miles of beach exploration, with unique rock formations and swirling sun-bleached driftwood.
Yacolt Burn State Forest - Bear Grass Trail
Southwest Washington > Lewis River Region
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Length
- 3.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 527 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,397 feet
Hike a rolling trail to a large open meadow with views and the chance to connect to the Tarbell Trail, a long trail with lots of options to extend your hike.
Wynoochee Falls
Olympic Peninsula > Olympia
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Length
- 0.5 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 62 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,136 feet
Wynoochee Falls will entice you to spend more time than you’d expect on a half-mile round-trip hike. The falls are pretty, and the pool at the bottom is nice for wading. There is a gravel bar that is perfect for picnics, and there are some good rock scrambling options.
Mount Angeles
Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast
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Length
- 6.25 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,100 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,454 feet
A scramble up Mount Angeles just off the Klahhane Ridge hike in Olympic National Park.
South Ship Canal Trail
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 3.8 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 103 feet
-
Highest Point
- 40 feet
A paved walkway follows an abandoned railroad grade trail along the Seattle Ship Canal with views of the water and extensive Ballard maritime industry.
Little Joe Lake
Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass
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Length
- 3.6 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,130 feet
-
Highest Point
- 4,700 feet
This short, but steep, hiker-only trail leads to a small, forested lake with a large campsite. The trail is mostly covered in forest duff due to the limited foot traffic, making the climb much more pleasant, as do the berries in late summer.
Capitol State Forest Fuzzy Top
Olympic Peninsula > Olympia
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Length
- 1.2 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 240 feet
-
Highest Point
- 1,760 feet
This trail is one of the few trails designated as hiker-only, although it is only 0.6 mile one-way. Consider that this is a long drive to a short trail when deciding if it’s worth it to make a trip here.
Big Flat Habitat Management Unit
Central Washington > Tri-Cities
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Length
- 4.8 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 220 feet
-
Highest Point
- 504 feet
Get away from the crowds and explore miles of trails through meadows and groves along the
lower Snake River. Watch and listen for songbirds, waterfowl, raptors, deer, coyotes,
wildflowers, tall grass, and sage.
Goat Creek Loop
South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
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Length
- 20.2 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 3,200 feet
-
Highest Point
- 5,250 feet
Escape the crowds on this two-day backpacking adventure into the less-traveled areas on the north side of Mount St. Helens.
White Bluffs - Central Slope
Central Washington > Tri-Cities
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Length
- 6.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 500 feet
On this hike you’ll walk a long string of sand dunes or explore the nooks and crannies of a recent landslide, all beside the last free-flowing stretch of the Columbia River with panoramic views up and down the river, north to the Saddle Mountains, and across the Hanford Nuclear Site to the distant Cascade Mountains.
Bird Mountain Loop
South Cascades > Mount Adams Area
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Length
- 10.25 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,875 feet
-
Highest Point
- 5,230 feet
No less than five picturesque lakes, wide panoramas of South Cascades peaks and oodles of seasonal wildflowers and berries make this an ideal long day hike or weekend backpack.
Burnt Bridge Creek - Middle Section
Southwest Washington > Vancouver Area
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Length
- 7.6 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 120 feet
-
Highest Point
- 190 feet
The middle section of the Burnt Bridge Creek trail extends from Devine Road to Leverich Park. In this section of the trail, the character becomes more urban and passes close to houses and soccer fields. Nonetheless, the trail passes through some open grassy areas where you may spot a raptor looking for lunch.
Tiffany Mountain via Freezeout Ridge
North Cascades > Pasayten
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Length
- 4.2 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,685 feet
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Highest Point
- 8,245 feet
Start at one of the higher trailheads in the state (6560 feet) and follow the trail even higher. In early summer, if the thinner air doesn't take your breath away, the flowers and views will.
Gordy Jolma Family Natural Area
Southwest Washington > Vancouver Area
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Length
- 2.6 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 20 feet
-
Highest Point
- 35 feet
The Gordy Jolma Family Nature Area is 118-acre open green space — previously a golf course — opened to the public in fall 2022. Combined with the nearby Salmon-Morgan Creeks Nature Area, this area in Clark County is a great place to spend time surrounded by nature without needing to drive far.
Lower Falls Creek Trail
Southwest Washington > Columbia River Gorge - WA
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Length
- 3.4 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 600 feet
-
Highest Point
- 1,410 feet
Discover a waterfall utopia with triple the falls and a wonderful place to put down your pack, enjoy some snacks and snap some incredible photos.
Huffman Peak
Southwest Washington > Lewis River Region
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Length
- 15.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 5,272 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,160 feet
While nearby higher elevations are still covered in snow, the 9.6-mile Huffman Peak Trail connects the lower Siouxon Creek Trail to FR 6403 and provides access to Huffman and Siouxon Peaks. This route once held two fire lookouts and continues to offer standout views of Swift Reservoir to the north, four stratovolcanoes and nearby Mount Mitchell.
Washington Park Arboretum
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 5.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 50 feet
-
Highest Point
- 150 feet
The 230-acre Washington Park Arboretum offers miles of trails that wind through forests of maples, magnolias, oaks, salmonberry, and the famous Azalea Way. Visit the Pacific Connections Gardens to see a variety of plant life from various countries that border the Pacific Ocean, or lose yourself in the many groves of trees that line the paths in the park.
Finch Arboretum
Eastern Washington > Spokane Area/Coeur d'Alene
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Length
- 1.25 miles, roundtrip
The Finch Arboretum is a 65-acre park found just minutes southwest of downtown Spokane. The site is an extensive botanical and tree garden with more than 2,000 labeled ornamental trees, shrubs, and flowers.