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 HikesBig Creek Trail
Snoqualmie Region > Cle Elum Area
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Length
- 9.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 2,400 feet
-
Highest Point
- 3,700 feet
Wonder past streams, a deep canyon and old-growth trees on the Big Creek Trail. Located in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, this narrow, rocky trail provides a challenge for adventurous hikers.
Berthusen Park
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
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Length
- 2.4 miles of trails
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Elevation Gain
- 20 feet
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Highest Point
- 111 feet
Berthusen Park offers up plenty of great opportunities to get outdoors and explore. This beautiful park, the site of a homestead from the late 1800s, has antique farm machinery, a historical cabin, a big red barn and a great playground with a wonderful swing set for kids.
Bench Lake Loop
South Cascades > Mount Adams Area
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Length
- 3.4 miles, roundtrip
A hike near Mount Adams.
Bedal Basin
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
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Length
- 5.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,900 feet
-
Highest Point
- 4,700 feet
Follow a trail up an old mining trail before reaching a boulder-filled basin with views of Sloan Peak above. The first half of the hike is fairly easy, while the second is a steep climb through a creek bed. Navigational skills are required for this hike.
Beaver Lake Preserve
Issaquah Alps
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Length
- 1.2 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 50 feet
-
Highest Point
- 460 feet
Hike a 1.2 mile loop trail through this forest preserve. Appreciate the exceptionally tall trees, both deciduous and coniferous. Pass some swampy areas with standing water, and note the exuberant growth of ferns and hanging moss.
Beaver Lake
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
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Length
- 3.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 100 feet
-
Highest Point
- 1,000 feet
Discover this quiet ramble along the Wild and Scenic Sauk River as you follow the site of an old railroad grade. The trail is more about the journey than the destination, but this mellow walk can be enjoyed any time of year. The lake itself is small and more of a pond.
Bear Ridge
Issaquah Alps > Cougar Mountain
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Length
- 3.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,056 feet
-
Highest Point
- 991 feet
Hike this little-used trail on the east side of Cougar Mountain past an enormous glacial boulder left over from the last ice age.
Beacon Rock State Park - Beacon Rock
Southwest Washington > Columbia River Gorge - WA
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Length
- 2.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 600 feet
-
Highest Point
- 848 feet
Beacon Rock's native name is "Che-Che-op-tin," which translates to "the navel of the world." Native Americans weren't far off in their comparison, since the 848-foot basalt column once formed the core, or belly, of an ancient volcano.
Barnes Creek
Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast
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Length
- 10.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 3,300 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,090 feet
A nice creekside hike within the Olympics with the option to check out Marymere Falls on the hike. This hike has all types of old growth and lush vegetation.
Bare Mountain
Snoqualmie Region > North Bend Area
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Length
- 8.6 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 3,300 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,353 feet
Bare Mountain, the site of a former fire lookout, is a superb viewpoint with mountains in every direction and lakes close by. In season, appreciate the great variety of wildflowers, beginning at the trailhead and continuing all the way to the summit. And be alert for birds and wild critters. They are out there.
Barclay Lake
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
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Length
- 4.4 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 500 feet
-
Highest Point
- 2,423 feet
Barclay Lake offers something for almost everyone: a well-maintained trail that is accessible to beginners and children, stunning mountain views, mycology, camping, a serene alpine lake, and a staging area for challenging adventures in the 106,000-acre Wild Sky Wilderness. Keep your camera charged, as this popular pathway in the shadow of Baring Mountain offers many photo opportunities.
Banner Forest
Olympic Peninsula > Kitsap Peninsula
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Length
- 4.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 50 feet
-
Highest Point
- 430 feet
Banner Forest Heritage Park is one square mile of undeveloped forest and wetland on the Kitsap Peninsula with an extensive trail network. An easy grade and well maintained trails invite all ages and abilities to enjoy this prime section of land.
Baker River
North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
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Length
- 5.2 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 300 feet
-
Highest Point
- 900 feet
Take a mellow walk on a trail that wanders among large old trees and huge mossy boulders. The trail alongside Baker River takes you on a path of gentle up and downs, splashing your way through stream crossings and past open areas filled with young alder, huckleberry and salmonberry. On a quiet spring day, your chances of seeing wildlife are excellent.
Baker Lake - Maple Grove
North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
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Length
- 8.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 500 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,000 feet
Magnificent old growth forests, stellar views of Mount Baker, turbulent tributaries, and, of course, a beautiful lake make this trail a great path to travel.
East Bank Baker Lake
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 9.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 500 feet
-
Highest Point
- 1,000 feet
This hike along Baker Lake is a busy, popular trail in summer. It is a nice off season walk though, and is perfect on a crisp, clear winter day. With the leaves off the trees, views that aren't possible in summer emerge; the surrounding peaks and the mossy green silhouettes of the leafless maple trees cover the hillside. A bonus any time of year are the many creeks, quaint bridges, large old-growth trees and of course, Mount Baker as the main attraction.
Aurora Divide
Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast
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Length
- 14.5 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 4,800 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,750 feet
The Aurora Divide Trail branches off the Barnes Creek Trail and steeply climbs to Aurora Ridge. Aurora Ridge offers sweeping views of Lake Crescent, Mount Baker, and more.
Appleton Pass
Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast
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Length
- 31.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 10,300 feet
-
Highest Point
- 5,150 feet
This long route from Madison Falls on the Elwha River offers some rewarding diversions along the way, but much of the payoff is in the last 1.5 miles with sweeping views as one ascends the meadows and traverses the switchbacks to Appleton Pass.
Yacolt Burn State Forest - Appaloosa Trail
Southwest Washington > Lewis River Region
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Length
- 6.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 850 feet
A connector trail that goes from the west side of the 25-mile Tarbell Trail Loop to the east side and one of the latest of the Department of National Resources (DNR) trail projects in the historic Yacolt Burn State Forest of southwest Washington.
Ape Caves
South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
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Length
- 2.8 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 350 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,450 feet
The full experience at Ape Cave includes the easy exploration of a spacious lava tube, followed by more difficult travel through a smaller, longer, and more rugged lava tube to an exit. Then, enjoy an easy return hike winding through shady forest and crusty lava formations.
Ape Canyon
South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
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Length
- 11.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,400 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,200 feet
Climb through dense old-growth forest to a barren cinder plateau that bursts with wildflowers and unobstructed views.
Antoine Peak Conservation Area - Emerald Necklace
Eastern Washington > Spokane Area/Coeur d'Alene
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Length
- 8.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,152 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,240 feet
The Emerald Necklace trail from Trentwood is one of Spokane's newest trails, built with the help of WTA volunteers and the Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance's eastern chapter.
Antoine Peak Conservation Area
Eastern Washington > Spokane Area/Coeur d'Alene
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Length
- 15.0 miles of trails
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Highest Point
- 3,366 feet
Acquired in four phases through Spokane County’s Conservation Futures Program, with additional funding secured through the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office, the Antoine Peak Conservation Area offers fantastic views overlooking Liberty Lake, the Spokane Valley, and north to Mount Spokane and the Selkirk Range.
Anti-Aircraft Peak Loop
Issaquah Alps > Cougar Mountain
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Length
- 4.75 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 450 feet
-
Highest Point
- 1,380 feet
Hike a loop around Anti-Aircraft Peak in the Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park. Hike past sites associated with coal and clay mining, and a former 1950s-era anti-aircraft missile installation. Enjoy good forest trails, some seasonal wildflowers, and a million-dollar view.
Angry Mountain
South Cascades > Goat Rocks
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Length
- 16.8 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 3,409 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,049 feet
Looking for adventure and solitude? Angry Mountain is the destination for you, though trail conditions may make put you in the mood the mountain is named for. It's a steep, challenging climb from Forest Road 21, but the payoff comes miles later, when you finally gain the ridge crest separating two glaciated valleys.
Youth-on-Age Interpretive Trail
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
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Length
- 0.25 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 0 feet
This trail is closed until further notice.
A paved interpretive trail on the Mountain Loop Highway near Verlot. Perfect for exploring children and curious adults, an extra add-on after a longer hike or a leg stretch during a driving tour of the area.
Yellow Aster Butte
North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
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Length
- 7.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,550 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,150 feet
Visitors to this trail must pack out all human waste and not bury it.
Find supreme wildflower gardens and a high-country plateau speckled with shimmering tarns-but that's not all. Spectacular alpine vistas abound too-of Baker, Shuksan, and all those rugged and craggy peaks straddling the 49th parallel. Yellow Aster Butte may be a misnomer (those yellow-petaled delights are actually daisies), but you definitely don't want to miss hiking here.
Wynoochee Lake
Olympic Peninsula > Olympia
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Length
- 12.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,100 feet
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Highest Point
- 950 feet
The trail around Wynoochee Lake is a pleasant stroll through second growth forest with a lush understory. As with many “lakeshore” trails, the trail is not actually near the lakeshore. While the lake is generally out of sight, it does allow the possibility of a hike/canoe biathlon, if you can find a partner with a canoe. Wynoochee Lake is smaller and calmer than some of the lakes in Washington, making this a nice option.
Woods Creek
South Cascades > White Pass/Cowlitz River Valley
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Length
- 1.8 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 296 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,135 feet
Woods Creek is a 1.5 mile, compact gravel, wheelchair accessible trail that loops through five habitat areas. You can extend this hike, by taking the 1-mile side trail, Old Growth Loop #247A.
Wonderland Trail
Mount Rainier Area
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Length
- 93.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 22,000 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,750 feet
The Wonderland Trail is a 93-mile hiking trail that encircles Washington's most famous volcano. Each year, hikers vie for permits to embark on a backpacking trip on it, with only a handful scoring the permits to undertake this strenuous hike.
Wonderland Trail - Mowich Lake to Sunrise via Spray Park
Mount Rainier Area > NW - Carbon River/Mowich
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Length
- 20.5 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 8,000 feet
-
Highest Point
- 6,750 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 Wonderland Trail is inaccessible from Mowich Lake due to the bridge closure.
This 20-mile section of the longer 93-mile Wonderland Trail covers the northern section of the loop from Mowich to Sunrise, utilizing the Spray Park alternate.