Hike 'em all! Washington Hikes for Pokémon Types
Gotta catch hike ‘em all!
Even if you’ve never played the games (one of the most popular game franchises in history), traded the cards, marathoned the TV show, watched the movies or fallen into the Pokémon Go Craze, you’re probably familiar with the global phenomenon of pocket monsters that many have come to know and love.
As of today, there are over 1,000 Pokémon and that list continues to grow. Each Pokémon has one or two types that indicate its strengths (and also its weaknesses), with a total of 18 possible types. The world of Pokémon is incredibly diverse — with types that include rock, water, psychic, poison and ghost — and the hiking world of Washington is equally diverse.
And while you're out exploring Washington's stellar trails, you can see how many Pokémon you might catch on these hikes that share Pokémon characteristics.
Bug Type
Tatie Peak and Grasshopper Pass
Location: North Cascades > Pasayten
Length: 9.4 miles, roundtrip
Elevation gain: 1,200 feet
Caterpie, enjoying a jaunt through the North Cascades. Photo by SeanoftheWild.
Bug Pokémon are just like what they sound like — many have real-life counterparts (like the Caterpie's caterpillar) and look just like large versions of the ones we have in our world.
Take on a short stint of the Pacific Crest Trail along a ridge to Grasshopper Pass (with a quick side trip to Tatie Peak if you want some panoramic views) — you might not see many grasshoppers, but you'll definitely find some great vistas. The trailhead starts in the alpine zone at nearly 6,500 feet, and you’ll get up to 7,000 feet while you’re hiking, so this is a great hike if you want to get some of the best views around this area of the North Cascades.
> Plan your hike to Tatie Peak and Grasshopper Pass using WTA's Hiking Guide
Grass Type
Government Meadows
Location: Mount Rainier area > Chinook Pass - Highway 410
Length: 1.6 miles, roundtrip
Elevation gain: 200 feet
Sunflora enjoying the sunrise in the meadow. Photo by Rhabbie.
The three basic elemental types (your choices of "starter" Pokémon in the games) include grass Pokémon, which look like plants and vegetation of all sorts — think sunflowers, cacti, acorns, berries and trees. They're very strong against water-type Pokémon, but — unsurprisingly, perhaps — weak against fire.
Looking for grassy meadows and wildflowers? This large clearing on the Pacific Crest Trail has various entry routes, varying from driving right up to it or taking a multi-day backpacking trip. Spend some time enjoying nature at the Mike Urich Cabin, which can be overnighted in — this meadow is also a great place for stargazing.
> Plan your visit to Government Meadows using WTA's Hiking Guide
Ground type
Roslyn Urban Forest - Ewok Trail
Location: Snoqualmie region > Salmon La Sac/Teanaway
Length: 7.3 miles, roundtrip
Elevation gain: 1,380 feet
Dugtrio peeking out near the entrance of an old abandoned mine. Photo by Tiffany Chou.
Ground Pokémon are one of the strongest types of Pokémon, effective against many other types of Pokémon. They often resemble animals that live in the ground (like moles) or look like parts of the ground themselves.
You won't actually be able to enter the ground from this long-forgotten mine entrance a couple of miles into the trail, but you will get to see old remnants from it. It's strange to walk past the large concrete slabs with rebar sticking out while hiking through the forest, but it's a cool reminder of how mining shaped the surrounding area.
> Plan your hike on the Ewok Trail in the Roslyn Urban Forest using WTA’s Hiking Guide
Steel Type
Palouse to Cascades Trail - Homestead Valley to Mine Creek Trestle
Location: Snoqualmie Pass > North Bend area
Length: 5.5 miles, roundtrip
Elevation gain: 350 feet
Aggron is entirely unbothered by heights. Photo by Al & Scout.
Steel Pokémon are not the strongest fighters, but they are very strong against attacks by most other Pokémon (no surprise, given their inherent armor) and are immune to any poison-type moves — it's helpful to have no pores for any poison to leach into! They usually look like they have steel armor or are made of metal.
We don't see a lot of steel in nature, but there's plenty on this trail! This hike isn’t for those afraid of heights — although the trail itself is relatively flat in this section, you’ll be walking across old steel railroad trestles turned trail, some of which sit incredibly high above the creeks they carry you over. You’ll get to enjoy some cool views of I-90 from high up on your hike, as well as the nearby mountains like Mailbox Peak.
Dragon Type
Cheshiahud Lake Union Loop
Location: Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma area
Length: 6.5 miles, roundtrip
Elevation gain: 439 feet
Dragonair waiting for the dragon boats to come out. Photo by Outside Nancy.
Dragon Pokémon are relatively rare, many of them are known as "legendary" Pokémon. Appropriately, they tend to look like dragons or serpents.
There aren't a whole lot of dragons in Washington, but take an urban hike around Lake Union in Seattle at the right time of the week, and you’ll be able to catch the dragon boats on the water as the teams paddle around. The boats are long — holding 20 people — with a drummer on one end to keep the rowing pace.
> Plan your hike on the Cheshiahud Lake Union Loop using WTA’s Hiking Guide
Ice type
Hoh River Trail to Blue Glacier
Location: Olympic Peninsula > Pacific Coast
Length: 37 miles, roundtrip
Elevation gain: 3,700 feet
Cubchoo loves the view of Blue Glacier from the trail. Photo by Ash99.
Ice Pokémon are immune to any moves that cause an opponent to "freeze," which typically immobilizes a Pokémon for several moves during a battle. It's very rare to find these in the wild.
And talk about some big ice! If you’re up for some longer hiking days, consider spending a week hiking in the Hoh Rain Forest (don’t forget to reserve your campsites!) all the way to a giant alpine blue glacier. Make sure to leave some time for you to check out the glacier, as it’s a fascinating and unique geologic site. Check out trail conditions before heading out, as this trail can be susceptible to washout or erosion.
> Plan your hike on the Hoh River Trail to Blue Glacier using WTA’s Hiking Guide
Water Type
Kalaloch - Browns Point
Location: Olympic Peninsula > Pacific Coast
Length: 4 miles, roundtrip
Elevation gain: 25 feet
Magikarp splish-splashing on the beach. Photo by Alpine Wanderer.
Another of the three starter elemental types, water Pokémon are common and can be quite useful if you need to cross any large body of water. They're weak against grass but strong against fire types.
Washington's got a ton of shoreline along the larges body of water on Earth — the Pacific Ocean. Head to Washington’s Olympic coast to spend a day at the ocean and check out the famed "Tree of Life" hanging onto a bluff. The trail from the parking lot to the beach is short, so you can spend most of your day beach walking, wildlife spotting and taking in the sound and smell of the ocean.
> Plan your trip to Kalaloch - Browns Point using WTA’s Hiking Guide
Fire Type
Cow Creek Meadows
Location: Central Cascades > Entiat Mountains/Lake Chelan
Length: 11.25 miles, roundtrip
Elevation gain: 3,500 feet
Rapidash surveying the burn zone. Photo by Zachary Sklar.
The third base elemental type is fire. Fire Pokémon are strong against grass but weak against water. They can use some moves in battle that cause an opponent to be "burned," which will continue to damage the opponent through the rest of the battle unless they are healed by their trainer.
Wander through a burn area caused by the Wolverine Fire of 2015, which has since become an ongoing WTA Lost Trails Found focus trail that we've returned to multiple times. Like many other trails that may have been shaped by fire, expect unobstructed views of the mountains around you and lots of sun exposure due to the effects of the fire — bring sunscreen and a hat!
> Plan your trip to Cow Creek Meadows using WTA’s Hiking Guide
Ghost Type
Wellington Ghost Town
Location: Central Cascades > Blewett Pass
Length: 2 miles, roundtrip
Elevation gain: 20 feet
Duskull feels right at home in Washington's ghost towns. Photo by George & Sally.
Ghost Pokémon look like, well, ghosts. They're immune to multiple other types of Pokémon while all others are only immune to at most one other type (they're technically noncorporeal, after all), which makes them particularly strong in battles with fighting or normal Pokémon.
Washington is home to several ghost towns that hikers can explore. One such place is Wellington Ghost Town, the site of the deadliest avalanche in U.S. history. The town was eventually abandoned when trains were rerouted away from the town with the construction of a new tunnel. Nowadays, you can follow the path of the Great Northern Railroad to reach the ghost town. Want to learn more about Washington’s other ghost towns? We’ve got you covered.
> Plan your trip to Wellington Ghost Town using WTA’s Hiking Guide
Psychic Type
Fortune Ponds
Location: Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
Length: 13 miles, roundtrip
Elevation gain: 2,700 feet
Unown hovering over Lower Fortune Pond (are they trying to tell us something?). Photo by hiking into the sunset.
Psychic Pokémon have some pretty cool moves and abilities, since they tend to be psychokinetic or hypnotic in some way. That said, their moves don't affect dark types at all, so you might be out of luck if you end up in a battle with a dark-focused trainer.
You don’t need to be psychic or a fortune teller to know you’ll have a good time on this hike. Explore the Wild Sky and Henry M. Jackson Wilderness areas as you hike over Fortune Pass and toward Fortune Ponds. Have lunch or set up camp at Lower Fortune Pond, then check out Fortune Peak or Pear Lake nearby.
> Plan your hike to Fortune Ponds using WTA’s Hiking Guide
Poison Type
Ancient Lakes
Location: Central Washington > Potholes region
Length: 12 miles, roundtrip
Elevation gain: 625 feet
Ekans found a nice rock perch to see the lakes from up high. Photo by Tiffany Chou.
As scary as it might sound, poison-type Pokémon are not that strong overall against other types. That said, one of their strengths is that they are totally immune to being poisoned — a poisoned Pokémon in battle will continue to lose health over the battle — and they can poison other Pokémon.
Don't drink the water here! Ancient Lakes is famous for being a beautiful quintessential Central Washington coulee day hike or short backpacking trip — and is also known for its unpotable water due to agricultural runoff. With plenty of trails to explore, you’d easily be able to spend hours (or a whole day!) meandering around the lakes in the area — just remember to pack all of your water in.
> Plan your trip to Ancient Lakes using WTA’s Hiking Guide
Fighting type
Box Spring Canyon
Location: Central Washington > Yakima
Length: 9.5 miles, roundtrip
Elevation gain: 900 feet
Hitmonchan is pumped about these canyon views. Photo by David Hagen.
While we don't condone fighting, that's what some Pokémon are made for. These combat-ready Pokémon tend to be very good offensive opponents, but because their moves are physical, they can sometimes get poisoned, electrified or burned by their opponents. Oftentimes, these Pokémon have their hands in perpetual fists, ready to fight when it's time.
One of the most well-known combat sports, boxing typically involves wearing large protective gloves while fighting in the ring. Though you won't actually see any boxing or boxes on a hike down Box Spring Canyon, it's a great day hike to check out this part of Central Washington. You might want to pack some protective gloves on this hike, but of the sun-protection variety rather than the boxing ones, since it’s a pretty exposed trail. The lack of obstructions, though, means you’ll get great views of Mount Cleman, Cowiche Mountain, the Yakima Valley and the Cascades.
> Plan your trip to Box Spring Canyon using WTA’s Hiking Guide
Rock Type
Dishman Hills Conservation Area - Rocks of Sharon
Location: Eastern Washington > Spokane area/C'oeur d'Alene
Length: 3.3 miles, roundtrip
Elevation gain: 800 feet
Onix blends right in with the Rocks of Sharon. Photo by Kurt's Hikes.
Rock Pokémon, fittingly, often look like rocks or other hard substances (like shells). Their defense is pretty high — they are literally rocks — but are also usually very slow, which can put them at a disadvantage in battle since the opponent will always be able to make their move first.
Amateur geologist? Avid hiker? Just like rocks? Barely outside of Spokane, the Dishman Hills Conservation Area has a great trail network that offers folks the option to build their own hike — and this one has some pretty cool massive rocks. The hike to Big Rock and other monolithic Rocks of Sharon is a cool adventure for geology enthusiasts — Big Rock alone is 230 feet tall from the ground up!
> Plan your trip to Dishman Hills Conservation Area - Rocks of Sharon using WTA’s Hiking Guide
Flying Type
Washougal River Greenway Trail
Location: Southwest Washington > Vancouver area
Length: 2.2 miles, roundtrip
Elevation gain: 70 feet
Doduo likes taking a dip in a pond along the trail. Photo by Susan Saul.
Flying Pokémon usually have wings, and resemble birds, bugs and dragons. They rarely are only flying-type — most have another type that gives them other abilities, strengths and weaknesses (like some are flying-type and bug type, which affects their defense and offensive moves in battle).
If you’re an ornithology buff and a fan of all things wings, this is a great place to spend your afternoon. You can look forward to over 100 species of birds while ambling along this family-friendly trail, so make sure to bring your guidebook and binoculars. Interesting in more wildlife-heavy trails? Check our some of our favorite birdwatching hikes.
> Plan your hike on the Washougal River Greenway Trail using WTA’s Hiking Guide
Electric type
Burnt Bridge Creek - Middle Section
Location: Southwest Washington > Vancouver area
Length: 7.6 miles, roundtrip
Elevation gain: 120 feet
Pikachu has been having a great time on this hike. Photo by Patricia Coulthard.
One of the most well-known Pokémon in the world is of this type: Pikachu, of course. Electric Pokémon are really strong against water- and flying-types, but are completely ineffective against ground-types (and are also very weak against them). Many have physical features that look like lightning bolts, are related to batteries or are similar to those of animals or objects that emit electricity (think electric eels and lightbulbs).
You might not think of power lines when thinking of great Washington hikes, but this urban trail right in the middle of Vancouver might just change your mind. It’s a lovely mix of urban and more remote hiking — you’ll get to walk through grassy meadows and see birds of all sorts, while still encountering urban features like power lines and soccer fields.
> Plan your trip to Burnt Creek Bridge - Middle Section using WTA’s Hiking Guide
Fairy Type
Sleeping Beauty Peak
Location: South Cascades > Mount Adams area
Length: 2.6 miles, roundtrip
Elevation gain: 1,400 feet
Togepi is really enjoying the view from the top. Photo by MOBryan.
Fairy-type is the most recently introduced Pokémon type, over a decade after all the rest (all other types were introduced near the start of it all, with dark and steel coming slightly after the others). They usually have some sort of ethereal quality to them, many of which have some pink or pastel colors. When fairy-type was released, many previous Pokémon were reassigned to fairy-type to balance out the type ratios.
Sharing its name with one of the most well-known fairy tales, Sleeping Beauty Peak is the site of an old fire lookout that has since been taken down. The short but steep trail rewards hikers with amazing views of Mount St. Helens, Mount Rainier and Mount Adams, as well as Mount Hood in Oregon.
> Plan your hike to Sleeping Beauty Peak using WTA’s Hiking Guide
Dark Type
Hamilton Buttes
Location: South Cascades > Dark Divide
Length: 2.57 miles, roundtrip
Elevation gain: 772 feet
It might be hard to tell, but Poochyena actually really likes this view of Rainier and Hood. Photo by PJ Heusted.
The counterpart to psychic-type Pokémon, dark Pokémon are completely immune to psychic-type moves but can take a lot of damage from fighting, bug and fairy Pokémon. That said, Pokémon that are both dark and ghost are very strong as they lose their fighting and bug weaknesses. They're usually dark in color (shocking, we know).
The Dark Divide — a very remote, roadless part of Washington with a very cool name. Many of these trails are often quiet than others, by virtue of the fact that they are incredibly difficult to get to. This hike in the Dark Divide promises wide views of the South Cascades if you’re willing to climb its steep — but short! — trail.
> Plan your hike to Hamilton Buttes using WTA’s Hiking Guide
Normal type
Every Washington Hike
Location: varies
Length: varies
Elevation gain: varies
Eevee and this mountain goat meet in a field of wildflowers — we're lucky enough to have many places that look like this in Washington! Photo by Zach Schierl.
Normal type Pokémon tend to not have specific strengths and are the most basic type of Pokémon. They aren't particularly strong against any other types, but their defense is decent across the board. These Pokémon have probably the greatest variety in how they look, since there's no "theme" to their physical appearances.
But what does a "normal" Washington hike look like? It’s really hard to answer given how much variety Washington has to offer — old-growth forest, ocean coast, alpine mountains, rain forest, desert, shrub-steppe, urban hiking and so much more. In other words, Washington doesn’t really have a "normal" hike, but every hike in Washington has a big strength — they've all got something great to offer every hiker out there!