Spring and summer hikes on Washington’s borders
Hiking along Washington’s borders is the perfect way to soak in the geographic wonders from neighboring areas like Oregon, Idaho, British Columbia and the Pacific Ocean.
Each border has its own unique charm and features. Explore the edges of our beautiful state this spring or save hikes for a future road trip with these suggested trails.
Pacific Ocean & Puget Sound border
Be prepared to time the tides and clamber bluffs along the South Coast. Photo by trip reporter Andrea m
Hiking where big trees meet the rugged coastline is a quintessential Washington-trails experience. Just come prepared for the elements on this trek along the rugged coastline. You’ll cross sandy beaches, rock-hop along tidepools and climb up headlands with cable ladders and rope.
Don’t forget to check the tides before you go. Some sections are impassable or dangerous when tides are high.
Hiker tip: Consider key-swapping with a friend hiking the opposite direction for a thru-hike experience!
Revel in views of the Salish Sea and surrounding islands. Photo by trip reporter KZMoves
Take the ferry and enjoy breathtaking views on Orcas Island from Turtleback Mountain Preserve. Along the way, appreciate the hard work WTA crews have put into the Ship Peak Loop — we’ve partnered with the San Juan Preservation Trust and the San Juan County Conservation Land Bank from 2023-26 to keep it in smooth shape.
Note: You can extend your adventure and explore more of the preserve by taking the Lost Oak Trail the other direction and continuing onto the Ridge Trail. Take a map and build your own route.
Oregon border
Cape Disappointment State Park - North Head Lighthouse and Bell's Overlook
Length
Elevation Gain
Lighthouses like this one have helped ships navigate the Clatsop Spit and rugged coast for years. Photo by trip reporter Ejain
Enjoy this graveled path to one of Cape Disappointment’s most photographed features: the North Head Lighthouse. The short jaunt brings users to old gun batteries and lookouts, plus lush coastal forest. The best part? This is only one of many fun trails within the park!
Note: The trail is ADA-accessible, although wheelchair users should be aware of steep grades near the lighthouse itself.
Volcano views, wildflowers and a jaunt on the PCT — what more can a hiker ask for? Photo by trip reporter justpeachy
Revel in 360-degree views of Mounts Hood, Jefferson, St. Helens, Rainier and Adams during this bite-sized jaunt to Three Corner Rock. Visitors will also trek along a section of the Pacific Crest Trail en route to fields of bear grass. The trail transitions to a spur jeep road with concrete steps that lead to a scramble to the top of the titular peak.
Idaho border
Bird, jog or amble along an iconic PNW waterway. Photo by Aaron Czechkowski
Enjoy the riparian flora and fauna of Eastern Washington along this 4-mile paved trail. Users follow the Snake River for a short stretch, which is one of the longest rivers in the United States. Stay a while and enjoy the trail’s day-use areas, including picnic tables, vault toilets and more.
This corner of Washington is great for wildflowers and game-spotting. Photo by trip reporter thelostbotanist
Chief Joseph Wildlife Area sits between the Snake and Grande Ronde Rivers in Southeast Washington, not far from the Idaho and Oregon borders. Originally acquired to enhance game populations, today it’s popular in the spring for wildflowers, wildlife in the summer and hunting in the fall.
The trail mostly follows a forest road through a riparian canyon, so bring your binoculars!
British Columbia border
Views from a WTA work party camp. WTA crews have worked here in recent years. Photo by Loren Drummond
Visit Clackamas Mountain for an opportunity to glimpse wildflowers and wildlife only found in this area of the state, like wolverine and lynx. This trail system offers a few options for users to create their own adventure, ideally in spring and early summer, when wildflowers are at their peak.
By the way, WTA crews have worked to restore trails here 2021-2024 — get out there and appreciate their hard work!
You don't have to thru-hike the entire Pacific Northwest Trail to appreciate beautiful sections. Photo by trip reporter Hmann
Less famous than the Pacific Crest Trail, the Pacific Northwest Trail (PNT) is a rugged thru-hike spanning east-to-west from Glacier National Park in Montana to the shores of Olympic National Park, hugging the Canadian border all the while. It’s renown for its ruggedness, wildlife and sense of solitude.
Don’t have aspirations to thru-hike? No problem, many iconic and fun day-hikes can be had along the PNT in Washington, including Ozette Triangle/Cape Alava, the High Divide and Seven Lakes Basin Loop, Oyster Dome, Hannegan Pass, the East Bank Trail of Ross Lake, the Boundary Trail across the Pasayten Wilderness and Whistler Canyon.