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 HikesLoowit Falls
South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
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Length
- 9.2 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,200 feet
-
Highest Point
- 4,575 feet
This trail is closed through all M-F between May 15 and Oct 31 through the end of 2027. The trail will remain open on all weekends and federal holidays.
Hike to a glacier-fed waterfall pouring out of the heart of a volcano. It doesn’t get much more dramatic than that.
Lake Dorothy - Lake Bear - Lake Deer
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
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Length
- 11.5 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,600 feet
-
Highest Point
- 3,800 feet
The Miller River Road washed out 4 miles from the trailhead in 2011.
Day-hikers and backpackers alike visit Lake Dorothy, a very large and beautiful lake less than two miles from the trailhead. Once there, they either rest and play for the day, or continue on to Bear and Deer Lakes, a pair of very pretty smaller lakes deeper in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. The very ambitious press on to remote Snoqualmie Lake. Lake Dorothy can be crowded on summer weekends, but the other lakes see fewer visitors.
Douglas Creek Canyon - South
Central Washington > Wenatchee
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Length
- 4.0 miles of trails
-
Elevation Gain
- 250 feet
-
Highest Point
- 1,600 feet
Visit a popular water feature close to the trailhead, or get your feet wet and continue walking up the canyon along a rough road/railroad grade.
Clearwest Peak
Mount Rainier Area > Chinook Pass - Hwy 410
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Length
- 2.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 900 feet
-
Highest Point
- 5,400 feet
The trailhead is inaccessible due to a washout on West Fork/Martin Gap Road (FR 74) from 2007.
The trail up Clearwest Peak is inaccessible due to West Fork/Martin Gap Road (FR 74) being closed from a washout in 2007.
Crystal Lake
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
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Length
- 4.4 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 350 feet
-
Highest Point
- 4,500 feet
3.23.26: The trailhead is not accessible due to a washout at mile 4 on Whitechuck Road (FR 23). There is a closure in place on the road.
A relatively easy hike to a tranquil mountain lake.
Meadow Mountain
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
-
Length
- 35.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 3,850 feet
-
Highest Point
- 5,850 feet
3.23.26: The trailhead is not accessible due to a washout at mile 4 on Whitechuck Road (FR 23). There is a closure in place on the road.
Take three or four days to explore this rugged trail near Glacier Peak. If you're feeling ambitious, make it a traverse either to or from White Chuck Bench.
White Chuck Bench
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
-
Length
- 11.6 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 600 feet
-
Highest Point
- 1,600 feet
Hike a beautiful, flat 5.8 mile walk (one way) in the woods along the White Chuck River. The trail has been cleared its entire length thanks to WTA trail crews.
Chimacum Ridge Community Forest
Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast
-
Length
- 4.7 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 330 feet
-
Highest Point
- 486 feet
Nearly 5 miles of easy hiking on trails and forest roads, with mountain and valley views.
Weldon Wagon Road
Southwest Washington > Columbia River Gorge - WA
-
Length
- 5.4 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,290 feet
-
Highest Point
- 1,900 feet
Oregon white oak woodlands with open ridgetop meadows, wildflowers, and views of the White Salmon Valley make this a delightful hike that is off the beaten track.
Sloan Peak
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
-
Length
- 9.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 2,900 feet
-
Highest Point
- 7,835 feet
This route on the north side of Sloan Peak is steep and challenging. Hikers with navigational skills can make it to the base of the peak -- climbing gear and expertise is needed to achieve the summit.
East Fork Foss - Necklace Valley
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
-
Length
- 18.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 3,400 feet
-
Highest Point
- 5,000 feet
The Necklace Valley makes a wonderful 2-3 night backpack trip for hearty hikers, and rewards with cool alpine lakes to swim and fish in, or just camp beside. Or take a day trip along the East Fork Foss River admire the amazing second-growth tree canopy.
Fisher Lake
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
-
Length
- 10.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,580 feet
-
Highest Point
- 5,171 feet
This is a large lake hidden just south of Tonga Ridge in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. Reached by a brushy, boot-beaten fisherman's path, it is less visited than many lakes in the area, but the route is marked on the map, and if you are willing to put up with a bit of inconvenience, this makes a nice day hike or overnight.
Evans Lake
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
-
Length
- 1.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 50 feet
-
Highest Point
- 3,700 feet
While Evans Lake may be less well-known than many of the other lakes nestled within the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, it nevertheless offers a pleasant backcountry experience.
East Fork Foss River Snowshoe
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
-
Length
- 12.6 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 900 feet
-
Highest Point
- 2,150 feet
This snowshoe route starts off with a roadwalk, then carries on through the East Fork Foss River Valley on the Necklace Valley Trail.
Wildside Trail-De Leo Wall
Issaquah Alps > Cougar Mountain
-
Length
- 4.2 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 489 feet
-
Highest Point
- 1,122 feet
12.24.25: The Wildside trail is closed until further notice due to flooding. Nearby trails remain open.
A moderate, year round loop trail in the Issaquah Alps that is popular with hikers, dog walkers and trail runners. Entering the large parking area at the Red Town trailhead (one of several in this 3,100-acre regional park) it’s hard to imagine that what is today a lush green forest was once a busy coalmine operation. Now all that remains are nearly forgotten place names, a few carefully preserved artifacts and caution signs warning of the hazards of travel off established trails.
Tonga Ridge Snowshoe
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
-
Length
- 7.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,400 feet
-
Highest Point
- 5,100 feet
The route up Tonga Ridge is not clearly marked for winter travel. Visitors to this area should have a route planned, a map, snow travel and avalanche travel skills.
Tonga Ridge / Mount Sawyer
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
-
Length
- 8.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,200 feet
-
Highest Point
- 5,495 feet
An up and down meandering trail that leads through open forest, wildflower meadows and a side trip to some fantastic views. The road up does most of the work, so the climb is not too long, and can be done by most hikers.
Terrace Mountain
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
-
Length
- 5.25 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 3,000 feet
Woodard Bay Conservation Area
Olympic Peninsula > Olympia
-
Length
- 3.5 miles of trails
With five miles of shoreline in South Puget Sound, the Woodard Bay Conservation Area includes forests, wetlands of freshwater, as well as historic and cultural resources that are a valuable diversion in the area.
Umatilla Rim Trail
Eastern Washington > Palouse and Blue Mountains
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Length
- 13.5 miles, one-way
-
Elevation Gain
- 2,050 feet
-
Highest Point
- 4,450 feet
This trail is located in the Umatilla National Forest in Oregon, but is close enough for a day hike from Washington. The route is a thru-hike in the Blue Mountains.
Devore Creek
Central Cascades > Entiat Mountains/Lake Chelan
-
Length
- 15.0 miles, one-way
-
Elevation Gain
- 5,400 feet
-
Highest Point
- 6,600 feet
Climbing steeply up into the mountains to the west of Lake Chelan, the Devore Creek Trail begins in the Lake Chelan National Recreation Area near Weaver Point Campground, offering miles of hiking and adventuring.
Pacific Northwest Trail
Puget Sound and Islands
-
Length
- 1200.0 miles, one-way
-
Highest Point
- 7,580 feet
The Pacific Northwest Trail is a 1,200-mile linear trail that stretches from Glacier National Park in Montana to Cape Alava on the Pacific Ocean in the Olympic National Park.
Silver Star Mountain (Okanogan)
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
-
Elevation Gain
- 4,500 feet
-
Highest Point
- 8,876 feet
Highway 20 is closed between Colonial Creek Campground (milepost 130) and Silver Star gate (milepost 171).
Silver Star mountain provides a rewarding hiking and climbing opportunity right off Highway 20. Its majestic barren rocky spires that raise out of the forested slopes seem beyond reach but in fact the summit block requires a bit of exposed scrambling, after a long hike and a glacier traverse.
Ruby Creek
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 6.4 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,230 feet
-
Highest Point
- 1,935 feet
Highway 20 is closed between Colonial Creek Campground (milepost 130) and Silver Star gate (milepost 171).
Ruby Creek is a short, mellow river ramble that is often traveled as a part of the longer Devils Dome Loop.
Rainy Lake
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 2.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 70 feet
-
Highest Point
- 4,800 feet
Highway 20 is closed between Colonial Creek Campground (milepost 130) and Silver Star gate (milepost 171).
This one-mile long paved trail takes you to a beautiful alpine lake.
Rainbow Lake
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
-
Length
- 11.5 miles, roundtrip
Highway 20 is closed between Colonial Creek Campground (milepost 130) and Silver Star gate (milepost 171).
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.
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
-
Elevation Gain
- 15,300 feet
-
Highest Point
- 7,100 feet
Highway 20 is closed between Colonial Creek Campground (milepost 130) and Silver Star gate (milepost 171).
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.
Heather - Maple Pass Loop
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
-
Length
- 7.2 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 2,020 feet
-
Highest Point
- 6,650 feet
Highway 20 is closed between Colonial Creek Campground (milepost 130) and Silver Star gate (milepost 171).
If ever there was a hike to satisfy all a hiker's desires, this one comes as close as any. A loop hike with many fabulous changing faces throughout the seasons, Heather-Maple Pass features ridgelines blanketed in wildflowers in summer, lakes ringed with golden larches in fall, and before the highway closes for the season, a dramatic place to experience early winter’s snows.
Lone Fir Loop
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
-
Length
- 2.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 100 feet
Highway 20 is closed between Colonial Creek Campground (milepost 130) and Silver Star gate (milepost 171).
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.
Little Jack Mountain
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 13.6 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 3,935 feet
-
Highest Point
- 5,896 feet
Highway 20 is closed between Colonial Creek Campground (milepost 130) and Silver Star gate (milepost 171).
This summit off of Highway 20 offers gorgeous views of the craggy North Cascades and a great workout.