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
4203 HikesCinnamon Trail
South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
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Length
- 8.6 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 2,900 feet
-
Highest Point
- 4,000 feet
The trail is closed until further notice due to damage from the Kalama Fire.
This long, meandering trail in the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument makes for a lovely out-and-back, or as part of a big loop hike.
Chybinski Loop
Issaquah Alps > Squak Mountain
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Length
- 7.7 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,100 feet
-
Highest Point
- 1,800 feet
The Chybinski Loop is located in the Cougar/Squak Mountain Corridor, and has many connecting trails and loop options.
Church Mountain
North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
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Length
- 8.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 3,750 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,100 feet
The rewards for this strenuous hike are vast alpine meadows and a wide panorama of North Cascades peaks.
Larrabee State Park - Chuckanut Ridge Trail
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
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Length
- 8.9 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,154 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,801 feet
Traverse across beautiful Chuckanut Mountain in Larrabee State Park. Enjoy views of Puget Sound, as well as Mount Baker along this high trail.
Chiwawa River
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - East
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Length
- 12.6 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,100 feet
-
Highest Point
- 4,800 feet
The Chiwawa River Trail offers hikers the rugged scenery that's the signature of the Glacier Peak Wilderness but for less effort than other hikes nearby. Try this trail to enjoy solitude while basking in sublime mountain scenery.
Chiwaukum Creek
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - East
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Length
- 4.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 500 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,350 feet
Hike along a raucous waterway to a gorgeous alpine meadow with hiker and stock camps available. It's the perfect basecamp for multi-night adventures.
Chinook Trail
South Cascades
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Length
- 300.0 miles, roundtrip
The Chinook Trail is a vision and work in progress. Once completed it will be a 300+ mile rim-to-rim loop encircling the Columbia River Gorge across both southern Washington and Oregon. While still incomplete, with preparation and research it is possible to hike the entire loop.
China Lake
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 0.6 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 30 feet
-
Highest Point
- 295 feet
China Lake is a small forest escape with a trail that takes you around a quiet lake on a green nature walk. Perfect on a sunny day for a stroll and a picnic or for hiding from the rain under a tree canopy, this trail is just a step away from the bustle of city life nearby.
Chewuch River Trail
North Cascades > Pasayten
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Length
- 37.4 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 3,300 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,900 feet
The Chewuch River Trail provides access to the very popular Cathedral Lakes area on the Boundary trail. Walk through a burn zone, lodgepole pine, and meadows as you travel deep into the Pasayten Wilderness.
Chenuis Falls
Mount Rainier Area > NW - Carbon River/Mowich
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Length
- 8.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 500 feet
-
Highest Point
- 2,200 feet
The Fairfax Bridge (3 miles south of Carbonado) is closed to all vehicle and pedestrian traffic until further notice due to safety concerns. The bridge closure renders this hike inaccessible.
A long walk (or short mountain bike ride!) leads to a rolling falls that feeds into the rushing Carbon River.
Chelan Lakeshore Trail
Central Cascades > Entiat Mountains/Lake Chelan
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Length
- 17.0 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 4,030 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,700 feet
Looking for an early-season backpack featuring craggy, snow-capped peaks, a sapphire-blue lake, a myriad of wildflowers, and a trail that’s regularly maintained by WTA volunteers? The 17-mile thru-hike on the Chelan Lakeshore Trail might be just the thing for you.
Chain Lakes Loop
North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
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Length
- 6.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,820 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,400 feet
The last 2.7 miles of the Mount Baker Highway/SR 542 (from Heather Meadows to Artist Point) is closed for the winter season.
This gorgeous loop hike has it all: big views of Mounts Baker and Shuksan, as well as the North Cascades, alpine lakes for swimming, and well-maintained trail winding through meadows and heather. And with wildflowers in spring, blueberry bushes for trail-side snacking in late summer and blazing color in the fall, you can't pick a bad season to visit.
CCC Road: Upper Trailhead
Snoqualmie Region > North Bend Area
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Length
- 6.8 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 400 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,450 feet
The upper section of the CCC Road is just adjacent to the Middle Fork Road. Hiking this way, you'll avoid the somewhat confusing lower section, where DNR and private property bump up against each other. Here the trail is on National Forest land, so you'll need a Northwest Forest Pass, but the 3.4 miles to the Middle Fork Campground pass through uninterrupted quiet forest, creeks, and lovely views of the nearby peaks.
Coyote Wall - The Labyrinth Loop
Southwest Washington > Columbia River Gorge - WA
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Length
- 7.7 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,200 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,250 feet
This year-round hike offers great views of the Columbia River Gorge along with enchanting stands of oak, cascading waterfalls, dramatic basalt outcroppings, and profuse wildflowers in the spring. Often sunny here while raining in Vancouver, it is a great place to hike while waiting for snow to melt at higher elevations.
Catherine Creek - Natural Arch
Southwest Washington > Columbia River Gorge - WA
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Length
- 2.1 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 250 feet
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Highest Point
- 500 feet
7.21.25: This trail is closed due to the Burdoin Fire.
This family-friendly classic hike has perhaps the most photo ops per mile than any other hike in the Gorge. You can check out a natural rock arch, see a variety of terrain, take in sweeping views of the Columbia River, and enjoy early-spring wildflower displays.
Cathedral Rock
Snoqualmie Region > Salmon La Sac/Teanaway
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Length
- 8.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,290 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,550 feet
While commonly used to access the Alpine Lakes backcountry, the trail up to Cathedral Pass is a worthy destination on its own. Old growth forest, lakes, subalpine meadows, and an up-close view of the dominating Cathedral Rock make for a satisfying and scenic day hike or short overnight.
Carkeek Park
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 3.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 800 feet
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Highest Point
- 240 feet
Explore forest trails along Piper's Creek and adjoining ridges. Visit a Puget Sound beach and enjoy great views across the Sound to the Olympics. In the fall, observe migrating salmon in the creek.
Carbon River Rain Forest Nature Trail
Mount Rainier Area > NW - Carbon River/Mowich
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Length
- 0.6 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 20 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,780 feet
The Fairfax Bridge (3 miles south of Carbonado) is closed to all vehicle and pedestrian traffic until further notice due to safety concerns. The bridge closure renders this hike inaccessible.
The Carbon River Rain Forest Nature Trail is a pleasant and easy stroll that offers two short segments which can be combined to create a 0.6 mile roundtrip walk. Both paths penetrate primeval rain forest where giant ferns, maples, and spruce tower above charming cedar puncheon bridges and babbling brooks. This hike is great in any season, and takes on particular wildness in winter. Interpretive signs and photo opportunities abound.
Carbon River to Ipsut Falls
Mount Rainier Area > NW - Carbon River/Mowich
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Length
- 10.8 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 500 feet
The Fairfax Bridge (3 miles south of Carbonado) is closed to all vehicle and pedestrian traffic until further notice due to safety concerns. The bridge closure renders this hike inaccessible.
Due to the permanent closure of the Carbon River Road, hikers can now park at the closure and venture to the end of the road to the viewpoint for Ipsut Falls. Along the way, you'll hike through magnificent old-growth forest, and many opportunities to see the power of the Carbon River.
Cape Horn
Southwest Washington > Columbia River Gorge - WA
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Length
- 7.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,300 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,350 feet
This rugged hike is bound to become a classic, if it isn’t already. The full trail loop provides fantastic views of the Columbia River Gorge, an intimate look at the Cape Horn Falls and a challenging workout as it climbs and descends the rocky slopes of Cape Horn.
Cape Disappointment State Park - North Head Trail
Southwest Washington > Long Beach Area
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Length
- 1.8 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 420 feet
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Highest Point
- 200 feet
For years, WTA has been coming to Cape Disappointment to work on trails in this area, including this trail, which leads hikers from the iconic North Head lighthouse down to the road that accesses the camping area and beaches at the south end of the park.
Cape Alava
Olympic Peninsula > Pacific Coast
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Length
- 6.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 100 feet
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Highest Point
- 350 feet
Take a beautifully constructed boardwalk a little more than three miles out to the wild Olympic Coast. If you can snag a permit, camping here is divine. If not, while away a few hours playing in the water or ambling along the beach.
Canyon Ridge
North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
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Length
- 10.3 miles, one-way
This multi-use trail meanders through mature forest to connect with the Boundary Way trail to expansive views of the North Cascades and Mount Baker.
Canyon Lake Community Forest
North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
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Length
- 7.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,400 feet
This community forest is managed as a nature reserve, where hikers will find a wide ranging variety of wildlife, and a retreat from the noise and bustle of city life.
Antoine Peak Conservation Area - Canfield Gulch
Eastern Washington > Spokane Area/Coeur d'Alene
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Length
- 3.46 miles of trails
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Elevation Gain
- 670 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,920 feet
Antoine Peak's Canfield Gulch is the east side access to this 1,296 acre conservation area.
Camp Creek Falls
South Cascades > White Pass/Cowlitz River Valley
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Length
- 0.6 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 40 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,360 feet
A very short trail rewards visitors with views of a lovely waterfall, accessible in the early season. Look for trillium along the trail in spring, and enjoy the sounds of rushing water year-round.
Cady Ridge
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - East
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Length
- 14.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 3,015 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,551 feet
When it comes to resplendent alpine meadows, the Henry M. Jackson Wilderness can't be beat. And when it comes to the finest flower romps within that wild area named for the longtime Washington senator and champion of conservation, Cady Ridge ranks supreme. A multitude of blossoms proliferate along this mile-high ridge. But it's the lupines that dominate, transforming Cady into a purple mountain majesty. And views! From the inspiring Poet Peaks, to the emerald-cloaked summits along the Cascade crest, to cloud-piercing, snow-catching, ice-harboring, horizon-dominating Glacier Peak!
Burroughs Mountain
Mount Rainier Area > NE - Sunrise/White River
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Length
- 9.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,500 feet
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Highest Point
- 7,828 feet
The road to Sunrise is closed for the winter season. It is expected to reopen in July 2026.
Burroughs Mountain can be described as a "mountain against a mountain." At over 7,800 feet, Burroughs Mountain sets right up against the northeastern face of Mount Rainier, hugging the Winthrop Glacier. It offers one of the most dramatic views of Washington's largest volcano.
Burch Mountain via Falls Creek
North Cascades > Pasayten
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Length
- 10.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 3,200 feet
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Highest Point
- 7,782 feet
When the deeper backcountry is under snow (or just too far away) Burch Mountain can provide a beautiful day hike with views aplenty.
Bumping Lake
Mount Rainier Area > Chinook Pass - Hwy 410
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Length
- 9.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 300 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,700 feet
9.3.25: The trail between its junction with the PCT and its end with FR 1800-394 is closed until further notice due to the Wildcat Fire. Upper and Lower Bumping Lake campgrounds are also closed.
A gentle hike through stands of mature larches and other conifers along the shores of Bumping Lake. The trail is also a good alternate route to Swamp Lake Trail #970 or to Pacific Crest Trail #2000 when a ford of the Bumping River is too hazardous.