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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 Hikes

Seminary Hill Natural Area

Southwest Washington > Lewis River Region
 
Length
2.5 miles of trails
Elevation Gain
450 feet
Highest Point
550 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.50
(2 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Fall foliage
  • Good for kids
  • Mountain views
Just east of Centralia, Seminary Hill offers hilltop wandering and views of Centralia, Chehalis and the Chehalis or Skookumchuck River Valley.
 
 

Castle Rock Riverfront Trail

Southwest Washington > Lewis River Region
 
Length
4.3 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
317 feet
Highest Point
100 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.00
(2 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Fall foliage
  • Good for kids
  • Rivers
This ADA-accessible trail built on a dike on the edge of this small town is a lovely jaunt, clocking in at just over three miles roundtrip, along a section of the Cowlitz River. A mountain bike course, playground, and several picnic areas dot the trailside, and with various access points to the town of Castle Rock, it’s easy to duck off for a quick bite in town.
 
 

Round Mountain

Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - East
 
Length
3.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,700 feet
Highest Point
5,700 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.57
(7 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Mountain views
  • Summits
The hike to Round Mountain is a good one for those looking for a shorter hike than heading all the way to Alpine Lookout. The views aren't quite as good, but you'll still enjoy a good workout and a classic central Washington ridge walk.
 
 

Beach 4

Olympic Peninsula > Pacific Coast
 
Length
0.4 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
150 feet
Highest Point
150 feet
Rating
Average rating:
5.00
(1 vote)
  • Coast
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Good for kids
This trail is a short, well-maintained descent to Beach 4 in the Kalaloch area of the Olympic coast. While there are many possible entry points to this stretch of PNW beach, this well-established interpretive trail provides a great location for a variety of visits: a quick stop at the viewpoint, day-use to explore the beach and tide pools or as a launch point for a multi-day adventure.
 
 

Snider-Jackson Traverse

Olympic Peninsula > Pacific Coast
 
Length
12.5 miles, one-way
Elevation Gain
796 feet
Highest Point
1,675 feet
Rating
Average rating:
2.60
(5 votes)
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Established campsites
  • Old growth
  • Ridges/passes
  • Rivers

The road to the trailhead is closed near the junction with FS 29 (Sitkum Sol Duc Road) due to road failure. The closure is expected to be in effect through Sept 2026.

Formerly the Rugged Ridge Trail, the Snider-Jackson Trail is a primitive north to south traverse on the west side of Olympic National Park.
 
 

Columbia Hills State Park - Crawford Oaks

Southwest Washington > Columbia River Gorge - WA
 
Length
4.0 miles, roundtrip
Rating
Average rating:
4.50
(2 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Good for kids
  • Rivers
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
This trail in Columbia Hills is one of three excellent destinations in this location. Do an out-and-back, or a loop hike! Visit in winter for great views of the Columbia River and Mount Hood, or in spring for a stunning wildflower show.
 
 

Concord Tower

North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
 
Highest Point
7,560 feet
Rating
Average rating:
0.00
(0 votes)
  • Mountain views
  • Summits
The route to Concord Tower is a Class 5+ and involved exposed climbing. Gear and experience are recommended.
 
 

Highlands Loop - Newcastle

Issaquah Alps
 
Length
2.1 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
285 feet
Highest Point
583 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.00
(1 vote)
  • Good for kids
The Highlands Trail forms a loop around the Highlands neighborhood in the city of Newcastle.
 
 

Waterline Trail

Issaquah Alps
 
Length
0.8 miles, one-way
Elevation Gain
153 feet
Highest Point
463 feet
Rating
Average rating:
2.00
(1 vote)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Fall foliage
  • Good for kids
The Waterline Trail is part of the extensive trail network in the city of Newcastle. It connects to the May Valley Trail, passes by Lake Boren Park and ends at Newcastle Way with connections on to various other trails.
 
 

Terrace Trail - Newcastle

Issaquah Alps > Cougar Mountain
 
Length
0.5 miles, one-way
Elevation Gain
336 feet
Highest Point
908 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.00
(2 votes)
The Terrace Trail is part of the network of trails in the city of Newcastle. It connects the Highlands Loop Trail with the Crosstown Trail by starting low in a residential neighborhood and climbing via a series of switchbacks.
 
 

Marshall's Hill

Issaquah Alps > Cougar Mountain
 
Length
2.4 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
550 feet
Highest Point
1,095 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.50
(8 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Good for kids
A connector trail between Wildside and De Leo Wall trails on Cougar Mountain.
 
 

Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park Backcountry

Central Washington > Yakima
 
Length
5.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
550 feet
Highest Point
1,200 feet
Rating
Average rating:
2.91
(11 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Rivers
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Wildlife
Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park presents a unique look at Central Washington's shrub–steppe. The real experience comes from exploring its backcountry.
 
 

Tolt Pipeline Trail

Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
 
Length
12.0 miles, one-way
Elevation Gain
1,060 feet
Highest Point
535 feet
Rating
Average rating:
2.83
(6 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Fall foliage
  • Good for kids
  • Rivers
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Wildlife
Take an urban hike with plenty of up-and-down as you follow the Tolt pipeline easement, a 12-mile corridor with wildflowers, berries, and occasional wildlife on a multi-use trail for equestrians, dog walkers, mountain bikers, joggers, and hikers.
 
 

Ravensdale Retreat Natural Area

Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
 
Length
3.25 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
200 feet
Highest Point
767 feet
Rating
Average rating:
2.50
(2 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Fall foliage
  • Good for kids
The Ravensdale Retreat Natural Area is a 145-acre park in historic Ravensdale, south of the Issaquah Alps. The natural area borders Rock Creek to the south, below Ravensdale Ridge. It's primarily intended for foot traffic, but you may see an occasional equestrian rider. Mountain bikes are discouraged but not disallowed; the nearby Black Diamond Natural Area has trails that are specifically designed with proper tread and pitch on turns for bikes. While there are several trails across the natural area, this entry describes a lollipop loop to catch the highlights.
 
 

Fourth of July Mountain

Central Cascades > Entiat Mountains/Lake Chelan
 
Length
2.7 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,300 feet
Highest Point
3,540 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.00
(1 vote)
  • Mountain views
This short but steep hike offers 360-degree views of Lake Chelan and the North Cascades.
 
 

Mouth of the Tucannon

Eastern Washington > Palouse and Blue Mountains
 
Length
2.6 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
80 feet
Highest Point
580 feet
Rating
Average rating:
2.50
(4 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Rivers
  • Wildlife
A low-key stroll to riparian wild-life viewing along the Tucannon River.
 
 

Cadet Peak

North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
 
Length
16.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
5,000 feet
Highest Point
7,186 feet
Rating
Average rating:
0.00
(0 votes)
  • Mountain views
  • Summits
 
 

Hall - Grassy Divide

Eastern Washington > Selkirk Range
 
Length
4.9 miles, one-way
Elevation Gain
2,204 feet
Highest Point
6,229 feet
Rating
Average rating:
5.00
(1 vote)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Fall foliage
  • Mountain views
  • Old growth
  • Ridges/passes
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Wildlife
This long ridge route gives hikers big views in all directions and also serves as a connector to enable big loop opportunities with other nearby trails.
 
 

Old Mine Trail

Mount Rainier Area > NW - Carbon River/Mowich
 
Length
3.4 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
425 feet
Highest Point
2,150 feet
Rating
Average rating:
5.00
(2 votes)
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Fall foliage
  • Good for kids

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.

An infrequently-visited trail off the Carbon River Road, the Old Mine Trail follows a short but steep roadbed to a mineshaft. It's a good outing for kids, if they're willing to make the short push up the steep section.
 
 

Seattle Park

Mount Rainier Area > NW - Carbon River/Mowich
 
Length
11.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,500 feet
Highest Point
6,400 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.14
(7 votes)
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Mountain views
  • Old growth
  • Ridges/passes
  • Waterfalls
  • Wildflowers/Meadows

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.

Venture into Seattle Park, a wilder, more remote version of more popular Spray Park, and enjoy verdant meadows and rugged scenery.
 
 

Observation Rock via Echo Rock

Mount Rainier Area > NW - Carbon River/Mowich
 
Length
13.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
3,435 feet
Highest Point
8,364 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.00
(2 votes)
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Established campsites
  • Mountain views
  • Ridges/passes
  • Summits
  • Waterfalls
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Wildlife

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.

From Spray Park, in Mount Rainier National Park: a fun, class 2 scramble to Observation Rock.
 
 

Mother Mountain Loop

Mount Rainier Area > NW - Carbon River/Mowich
 
Length
15.3 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
4,650 feet
Highest Point
6,380 feet
Rating
Average rating:
0.00
(0 votes)
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Established campsites
  • Lakes
  • Mountain views
  • Ridges/passes
  • Rivers
  • Waterfalls
  • Wildflowers/Meadows

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 popular route in the northwest corner of Mount Rainier National Park -- try this one as a day hike, an overnight (be sure to get permits first) or as a trail run!
 
 

Knapsack Pass

Mount Rainier Area > NW - Carbon River/Mowich
 
Length
2.9 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,300 feet
Highest Point
6,200 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.17
(6 votes)
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Fall foliage
  • Lakes
  • Mountain views
  • Ridges/passes
  • Wildflowers/Meadows

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.

Knapsack Pass follows a no-longer-maintained hiking trail. It now requires GPS or map and compass skills to reach the pass, located near Mother Mountain.
 
 

Wonderland Trail - Mowich to Longmire

Mount Rainier Area > NW - Carbon River/Mowich
 
Length
34.0 miles, one-way
Elevation Gain
10,521 feet
Highest Point
6,000 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.00
(1 vote)
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Established campsites
  • Fall foliage
  • Lakes
  • Mountain views
  • Old growth
  • Ridges/passes
  • Rivers
  • Waterfalls
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Wildlife

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.

A section of the Wonderland Trail. It is a strenuous hike with ample elevation gain and loss through lowland forests, valleys, into high alpine and sub-alpine areas. You move through forests with moss and ferns, wildflower-filled rolling meadows, and along hillsides covered in beargrass and thick with huckleberry bushes.
 
 

Sunset Park and Golden Lakes

Mount Rainier Area > NW - Carbon River/Mowich
 
Length
18.6 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
5,200 feet
Highest Point
5,000 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.67
(6 votes)
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Established campsites
  • Lakes
  • Mountain views
  • Old growth
  • Rivers
  • Wildflowers/Meadows

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 trail to Sunset Park and Golden Lakes is a section of the longer 93-mile Wonderland Trail that can also be hiked as an out-and-back beginning at Mowich Lake.
 
 

Spray Park Loop

Mount Rainier Area > NW - Carbon River/Mowich
 
Length
16.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
5,100 feet
Highest Point
6,375 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.89
(18 votes)
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Established campsites
  • Fall foliage
  • Lakes
  • Mountain views
  • Ridges/passes
  • Waterfalls
  • Wildflowers/Meadows

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.

Considered one of the best loop hikes in Mount Rainier National Park, the trail through the alpine meadows of Spray and Seattle Parks blazes with a bounty of seasonal wildflowers. Throw in an ample serving of glassy tarns, a couple of wispy waterfalls, an optional side trip to Carbon Glacier and a forested stroll up Ipsut Creek, and you have a photographer’s dreamland.
 
 

Mowich Lake Snowshoe

Mount Rainier Area > NW - Carbon River/Mowich
 
Length
10.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,400 feet
Highest Point
5,000 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.14
(7 votes)
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Established campsites
  • Lakes
  • Mountain views

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.

Mowich Lake is a moderate snowshoe tucked into the northwest corner of Mount Rainier National Park.
 
 

Moraine Park - Mystic Lake

Mount Rainier Area > NW - Carbon River/Mowich
 
Length
25.4 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
4,400 feet
Highest Point
6,100 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.00
(4 votes)
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Established campsites
  • Fall foliage
  • Lakes
  • Mountain views
  • Old growth
  • Ridges/passes
  • Rivers
  • Waterfalls
  • Wildflowers/Meadows

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.

Mystic Lake is a charming emerald tarn nestled in a subalpine basin along the Wonderland Trail. A scenic saddle separates it from Moraine Park, an expansive mountain meadow threaded with gurgling brooks under the dome of Mount Rainier. Getting there requires first hiking or biking the 5 miles of closed Carbon River Road and then hiking to the Carbon Glacier. This route is longer than starting at Sunrise, but backpackers will appreciate the numerous streams and forest shade.
 
 

Green Lake

Mount Rainier Area > NW - Carbon River/Mowich
 
Length
9.6 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,500 feet
Highest Point
3,270 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.19
(36 votes)
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Good for kids
  • Lakes
  • Mountain views
  • Old growth
  • Rivers
  • Waterfalls

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 Green Lake Trail is a moderately strenuous but relatively short hike to a pocket lake set among a rare high-elevation rain forest. The trail's wide, ambitious grade rewards accordingly for your efforts, ascending through stands of humbling firs, passing a picturesque waterfall, and ending on the shore of a lovely mountain lake.
 
 

Florence Peak

Mount Rainier Area > NW - Carbon River/Mowich
 
Length
8.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
3,700 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.67
(3 votes)
  • Mountain views
  • Ridges/passes
  • Summits
  • Waterfalls

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 scramble up to a peak just off the Alki Crest Trail in Mount Rainier National Park. Climbing experience and equipment strongly recommended.