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
4223 HikesRainbow Lake
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 11.5 miles, roundtrip
Providing access to Bowan Pass, the Rainbow Lake Trail also allows hikers access to deep blue Rainbow Lake. Used mostly by backpackers, the trail lies deep within a network of other access trails.
Lone Fir Loop
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 2.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 100 feet
An easy, short loop hike out of the Lone Fir campground. The first bit is paved before giving way to a dirt trail that follows Early Winters Creek. After a creek crossing (log bridge) it loops back to the campground.
Hock Mountain
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 16.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 5,000 feet
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Highest Point
- 7,750 feet
Hike a valley trail through old growth forest to the base of a peak, then an off trail class 2 scramble to the summit.
Cutthroat Pass via Cutthroat Lake
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 11.4 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,300 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,800 feet
Take this gentle trail to a beautiful alpine lake surrounded by rocky cliffs before heading up some steeper switchbacks to a pass and junction with the iconic Pacific Crest Trail.
Cutthroat Lake
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 3.8 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 400 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,900 feet
This pleasant trail offers an almost level walk to a grassy forested lake set in the rocky basin beneath Cutthroat Peak. This is an easy hike in an area of rugged, steep country and one of the few that are suitable for small children. It is an especially pretty hike in the fall when the larch are turning golden.
Bridge Creek - McAlester Pass to Stehekin
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 38.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,500 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,000 feet
Wildlife is often difficult to spot in the North Cascades, but McAlester Pass is an exception to this. Take a multi-day backpack from Highway 20 into the tiny town of Stehekin, where you can rest easy and gorge yourself on treats from the renowned bakery before making the multiple mile trek out.
Blue Lake
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 4.4 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,050 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,254 feet
At 6254 feet, Blue Lake sits quietly a little over two trail miles from Highway 20. With towering granite peaks, forests, meadows, wildflowers, and of course the beautiful mountain lake surrounded by granite that reaches for the sky, this short hike is easily a classic and should be on your must-hike list. With only 1050 feet of elevation gain this hike is doable for almost everyone. If you’re driving over Highway 20 and don’t have all day, stop for this mountain gem.
Big Snagtooth
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Elevation Gain
- 4,000 feet
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Highest Point
- 8,330 feet
A mountain in the North Cascades. Climbing gear and route-finding expertise required to summit.
Washington Pass Overlook
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 0.25 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 61 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,581 feet
This trail is a narrow, paved trail to a lookout on a ledge overlooking Liberty Bell Mountain. This area is worth the trip from the west side, because of spectacular views, and the myriad hiking trails in the area.
Stiletto Spur Trail
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 4.54 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 943 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,359 feet
The Stiletto Spur Trail is a connector trail between the McAlester Lake/Twisp junction and the Pacific Crest Trail near Highway 20.
Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) Section L - Rainy Pass to Manning Park
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 60.2 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 15,300 feet
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Highest Point
- 7,100 feet
This last leg of the Pacific Crest Trail (or first depending on whether you're north- or southbound) offers breathtaking views as it passes along the eastern edge of the North Cascades and into the Pasayten Wilderness. Note that as of 2025, hikers are no longer allowed to cross the border into Canada.
Golden Horn - Snowy Lakes
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 23.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,700 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,900 feet
Experience the Pacific Crest Trail at its finest. This backpacking trip takes you across four passes to two lovely alpine lakes in the shadow of Golden Horn, Tower Mountain and Mount Hardy.
Wing Lake
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
A challenging offshoot trail from the Heather Maple Pass loop that traverses a large talus field to arrive at two stunning alpine lakes.
Nooksack Cirque
North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
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Length
- 9.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 640 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,840 feet
This unique, low-elevation hike follows the North Fork Nooksack River to spectacular scenery near the base of Mount Shuksan. This is a great late summer or early fall hike when Ruth Creek is low enough to ford. Keep in mind the limited maintenance this trail sees -- you may be in for a brushbash.
Dirty Harry's Balcony
Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass
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Length
- 4.4 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,600 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,600 feet
Get a workout and experience rock work completed by Department of Natural Resources and WTA volunteer crews on this hike. Your reward is a rocky overlook from which you can marvel at Mount Kent, McClellan Butte, and Mount Washington, the behemoths forming the south rim of the west entrance to Snoqualmie Pass.
Takhlakh Lake and Takh Takh Meadow
South Cascades > Mount Adams Area
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Length
- 3.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 500 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,624 feet
A figure-eight loop around Takhlakh Lake and past Takh Takh Meadow, ascending up a lava flow for fantastic vistas of Mount Rainier, the Goat Rocks, and Mount Adams. You can also do a lake-only loop for a much shorter and more level hike.
Lake Stuart
Central Cascades > Leavenworth Area
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Length
- 9.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,665 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,065 feet
The Core Zone of the Enchantments may be one of the most popular destinations in Washington state, but those who venture to Lake Stuart may just get the extra-enchanting reward of relative solitude in a high traffic area. Most hikers heading into the Enchantments use the Lake Stuart trailhead, but make for the Core zone via Colchuck Lake and Aasgard Pass. However, taking the right-hand trail 2.2 miles from the trailhead leads you into an adjacent valley, with a large, shallow lake at the base of the imposing massif of Mount Stuart.
Fourth of July Pass via Thunder Creek
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 11.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,400 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,600 feet
There are two ways to attain Fourth of July Pass - from Thunder Creek or from Panther Creek. Both offer wonderful opportunities to travel along burbling, blue-green creeks, but access via Thunder Creek is truly stunning. Make it an out-and-back or stash a second car for a traverse.
Bob Heirman Wildlife Preserve
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 3.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 82 feet
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Highest Point
- 92 feet
The preserve will be closed from May 1 through late 2026 for construction.
If you just need some quiet time in nature and are not looking for a big workout, this little walk will be perfect. There is good access to the Snohomish River where you can find a place to throw a line in the water plus some good birding opportunities near the small lakes.
Silver Lake
North Cascades > Pasayten
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Length
- 10.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,800 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,950 feet
4.29.26: Hart's Pass Road is closed at the Monument Creek trailhead due to washouts. Hikers can proceed past the closure by foot.
There are few places where you start your hike at 7,000 feet without any effort. Spectacular views, a dizzying array of wildflowers and larch groves -- this hike is simply gorgeous and a pure Pasayten experience.
Robinson Pass Loop
North Cascades > Pasayten
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Length
- 7.9 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,500 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,942 feet
4.29.26: Hart's Pass Road is closed at the Monument Creek trailhead due to washouts. Hikers can proceed past the closure by foot.
This lightly used trail connects Robinson Pass and Slate Pass.
Buckskin Ridge
North Cascades > Pasayten
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Length
- 33.4 miles, roundtrip
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Highest Point
- 7,300 feet
4.29.26: Hart's Pass Road is closed at the Monument Creek trailhead due to washouts. Hikers can proceed past the closure by foot.
Alpine lakes, high ridge traverses, wildflower-filled meadows, and a stroll along the Pasayten River await hikers who elect to visit the Buckskin Ridge Trail.
Windy Pass
North Cascades > Pasayten
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Length
- 7.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,300 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,900 feet
4.29.26: Hart's Pass Road is closed at the Monument Creek trailhead due to washouts. Hikers can proceed past the closure by foot.
Experience a breathtaking section of the PCT packaged into a great dayhike.
West Fork Pasayten River
North Cascades > Pasayten
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Length
- 33.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,400 feet
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Highest Point
- 7,200 feet
4.29.26: Hart's Pass Road is closed at the Monument Creek trailhead due to washouts. Hikers can proceed past the closure by foot.
Hike through alpine meadows and descend into a valley following the West Fork Pasayten River.
Trout Creek
North Cascades > Pasayten
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Length
- 5.4 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 800 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,420 feet
4.29.26: Hart's Pass Road is closed at the Monument Creek trailhead due to washouts. Hikers can proceed past the closure by foot.
This former stock driveway was maintained by sheep herders so they could drive their sheep to the beautiful sloping meadows of grass & flowers above the South Fork Trout Creek. After the 2003 Needle Creek Fire, the maintenance effectively stopped. So, until a significant effort is made to clear the tread, this is a very difficult trail to precisely follow.
Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) - Hart's Pass to Holman Pass
North Cascades > Pasayten
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Length
- 14.4 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 2,100 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,900 feet
4.29.26: Hart's Pass Road is closed at the Monument Creek trailhead due to washouts. Hikers can proceed past the closure by foot.
Stunning section of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). Starts high and stays high, going from Hart's Pass to Windy Pass to Holman Pass.
Slate Peak
North Cascades > Pasayten
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Length
- 0.7 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 250 feet
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Highest Point
- 7,440 feet
4.29.26: Hart's Pass Road is closed at the Monument Creek trailhead due to washouts. Hikers can proceed past the closure by foot.
This is a road hike on Forest Service Road 5400 from the gate to the old lookout site on top of Slate Peak.
Tatie Peak and Grasshopper Pass
North Cascades > Pasayten
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Length
- 9.4 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,200 feet
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Highest Point
- 7,386 feet
4.29.26: Hart's Pass Road is closed at the Monument Creek trailhead due to washouts. Hikers can proceed past the closure by foot.
Hike on the Pacific Crest Trail in a section where its name describes its location. From the trail high on the ridge, the views abound. In the three passes are flowers in the summer and golden larch in the fall. A side trip up Tatie Peak provides 360 degree views of the North Cascades.
Hart's Pass to Rainy Pass
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 30.6 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 3,800 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,900 feet
4.29.26: Hart's Pass Road is closed at the Monument Creek trailhead due to washouts. Hikers can proceed past the closure by foot.
Walk along the Pacific Crest Trail through some of the most stunning landscape Washington has to offer. Traverse the treeline as you enjoy sweeping views and mountain passes.
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.