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 HikesLacamas Park - Lacamas Creek
Southwest Washington > Vancouver Area
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Length
- 4.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 350 feet
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Highest Point
- 400 feet
Lacamas Lake Park is a diverse natural area with a surprisingly 'wild' feel for a park this close to town. Picnic by the lake, check out the Camas meadow in bloom, or explore the forest and creeks along the many trails. This hike describes a "lollipop" loop starting at the south end of the park, visiting the Lower Falls, then circling around through the park past Round Lake and returning along Lacamas Creek.
Lacamas Heritage Trail
Southwest Washington > Vancouver Area
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Length
- 7.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 700 feet
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Highest Point
- 250 feet
This is a well used trail for trail runners and some bikers. Mostly gravel, it is wide and well-groomed.
Thorp Mountain via Knox Creek
Snoqualmie Region > Salmon La Sac/Teanaway
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Length
- 4.4 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,734 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,854 feet
This short, steep in places, route to Thorp Mountain has flowers, berries, and views along the way. The big payoff is the grand vista from the lookout, as befits its location as the highest point for many miles in all directions.
Kloochman Butte Trail
Southwest Washington > Columbia River Gorge - WA
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Length
- 4.8 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,340 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,780 feet
This route is a section of the Chinook Trail System, a yet-to-be-completed 300-mile bi-state loop encircling the Columbia River Gorge. The #180B section connects the Tarbell Trail to the Silver Star Trail. Many still refer to this section as the Kloochman Butte Trail.
Klondike Swamp
Issaquah Alps > Cougar Mountain
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Length
- 2.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 110 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,270 feet
The Klondike Swamp Trail traverses much of what is special about Cougar Mountain Park, utilizing old logging roads and railroad grades that take you through charming second growth forest. The loop is easily accessed from the Sky Country Trailhead in Bellevue, and offers a nearly level grade for most of the journey.
Klickitat Loop Trail
South Cascades > White Pass/Cowlitz River Valley
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Length
- 26.7 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 6,463 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,275 feet
Overgrown, rugged and likely difficult to navigate at times, the Klickitat Loop Trail links together multiple trails (including the eponymous trail itself) to create a large loop just outside of the Goat Rocks Wilderness.
Klickitat Trail
South Cascades > White Pass/Cowlitz River Valley
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Length
- 17.1 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,000 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,500 feet
A former Native American route into the high country of the South Cascades, the Klickitat Trail traverses a ridgetop between Kilborn Creek to Elk Peak. Views of Mount Adams and the south Cascades are breathtaking on clear days. From the ridgeline, hikers can spot Castle Butte, Jackpot Lake, St. Michaels Lake, and St. John Lake.
Carlton Ridge
South Cascades > White Pass/Cowlitz River Valley
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Length
- 8.8 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 2,400 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,600 feet
This 9-mile, rugged trail trail delivers hikers into the remote William O. Douglas Wilderness at mile 3.5 and offers excellent views of Mount Rainier. It's also a great way to access the deep woods off of Highway 12, where you can loop hike to your heart's content.
Killen Creek to High Camp
South Cascades > Mount Adams Area
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Length
- 10.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,300 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,900 feet
Take this remote, flower-filled trail up the north side of Mount Adams to the rocky alpine terrain of giant glaciers.
Kelly Butte
Mount Rainier Area > Chinook Pass - Hwy 410
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Length
- 3.4 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,100 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,409 feet
This is a nice, short hike to a recently repaired fire lookout. Guidebooks do not include recent upgrades to the trail and road to the trailhead. The trail is no longer only accessible via a scramble, but trail that switchbacks through wildflowers and interesting rock walls which was constructed in 2007. The lookout itself has been repaired, making it a nice lunch stop.
Kelley Creek
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
An old access point to an infrequently-maintained route up Scorpion Mountain. There is no parking available at this trailhead and has not been maintained in years.
Kalama Ski Trail
South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
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Length
- 7.0 miles, one-way
The Kalama Ski Trail is a ski route near Mount St. Helens that connects the Cougar Sno-Park with the Kalama Horse Camp. Visitors should expect to share the area with snowmobilers on weekends, though it is often very quiet on weekdays.
Kalaloch Creek Nature Trail
Olympic Peninsula > Pacific Coast
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Length
- 0.8 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 20 feet
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Highest Point
- 25 feet
If the tide is high, or you just want to see a different side of the Olympic Peninsula while you're visiting the coast, cross Highway 101 from the Kalaloch campground and take a peek into the deep Olympic forest.
Kalaloch - Browns Point
Olympic Peninsula > Pacific Coast
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Length
- 4.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 25 feet
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Highest Point
- 25 feet
Wild and mercurial, the Olympic Coast has a special appeal in the spring and fall. Grassy bluffs, cliffside caves and tidal pools are all to be found along this four-mile beach hike near the Kalaloch Campground. So shrug on your rain gear and enjoy the bird watching, sense of solitude and stunning seascapes.
Kachess Lake
Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass
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Length
- 1.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 50 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,300 feet
The Kachess Lake Shore trail is a short, one-mile jaunt along Kachess Lake, good for campers in the summer or a short snowshoe in winter.
Juniper Ridge
South Cascades > Dark Divide
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Length
- 6.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,900 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,611 feet
Boasting views of massive Cascade volcanoes, constellations of wildflowers, and an embarrassment of huckleberries, the Juniper Ridge Trail offers an excellent opportunity for a backpacking trip, complete with views or shorter day hikes from the ridge.
June Lake
South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
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Length
- 2.86 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 445 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,140 feet
This sweet little hike on the south side of Mount St. Helens is a good destination for families seeking a short day hike, but it is also one access point for the round-the-mountain Loowit Trail, and a popular snowshoeing location, so it sees a fair amount of traffic year-round.
Jug Lake
South Cascades > White Pass/Cowlitz River Valley
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Length
- 7.4 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,485 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,480 feet
A quiet lake surrounded by healthy forest and marshy meadows invites hikers to find a seat on its shoreline and rest the soul.
John Tursi Trail
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
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Length
- 2.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 600 feet
Discover the natural history of South Fidalgo Island on this beautiful forested trail. The trail traverses past meadows and rocky balds, a red rock quarry, a miner’s shack, the “rock” of artist Morris Graves’ lore, and views of Pass Lake, Campbell Lake, and Mount Erie.
Jacobson Preserve
Central Washington > Wenatchee
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Length
- 2.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 340 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,440 feet
Located just outside of the Wenatchee city limits, Jacobson Preserve is part of the just 3 percent of historic, undisturbed shrub-steppe in Washington. Here you'll find rabbitbrush, Sagebrush, Arrowhead balsamroot and antelope bitterbrush, all main sources of food for muledeer. The area is so important, in fact, that it has been established as important habitat for the deer, and there are three monitoring points in the preserve to observe the shrub steppe as it is being reclaimed to native habitat.
Jackson Creek
Eastern Washington > Selkirk Range
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Length
- 10.0 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 2,600 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,600 feet
This meandering trail through old-growth forest follows Jackson Creek, connecting the Shedroof Divide in Washington to Hughes Meadows in Idaho.
Island Center Forest
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 10.0 miles of trails
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Elevation Gain
- 200 feet
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Highest Point
- 425 feet
With lovely Douglas-fir forest, wetlands, and a great network of trails, Island Center Forest is one of King County's best-kept secrets. Birds are abundant on the wetlands, and the forest is lush, with large, second-growth trees, a testament to the effort that several groups have put into managing this forest in order to restore the health of this area.
Iron Goat Trail
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
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Length
- 6.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 700 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,800 feet
Take a hike through railroad history. The old tunnels, rusting relics, cement snow sheds and the big red caboose should appeal to kids of all ages, and the complex history of the railroad and those who built it, as well as the avalanche that wiped everything away will appeal to history buffs.
Ira Spring Wetland
Olympic Peninsula > Pacific Coast
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Length
- 2.9 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 300 feet
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Highest Point
- 400 feet
Discover the true beauty of the Bogachiel Rain Forest on the Ira Spring Wetland trail. This short trail will take you on a loop through a fern forest and around a large wetland. While leashed dogs are allowed in on the Ira Wetland trail, they are NOT allowed in the Olympic National Park, the boundary of which is 1.6 miles along the Bogachiel Trail.
Interurban Trail
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
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Length
- 11.8 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 300 feet
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Highest Point
- 350 feet
This trail can be short or long, depending on how much you want to hike and which trailhead you start from. Along the way, you will pass several quaint waterfalls and some spectacular views of the San Juan Islands and Chuckanut Bay.
Indian Heaven
South Cascades > Mount Adams Area
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Length
- 6.6 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,100 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,100 feet
Indian Heaven trail provides access to one of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest's most popular areas. The Indian Heaven Wilderness is a high, forested plateau dotted with lakes and berry-filled meadows. Its a lovely location for a day hike or a backpacking trip. Some connect this trail with Cultus Creek trail and the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) to make a popular loop hike.
Indian Creek Community Forest - Arboretum Loop Trail
Eastern Washington > Selkirk Range
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Length
- 0.58 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 35 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,200 feet
The Arboretum Loop Trail is a short interpretive trail within the Indian Creek Community Forest.
Independence Ridge
South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
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Length
- 2.6 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 40 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,500 feet
A connector trail in the Mount St. Helens area linking Independence Pass with the Boundary Trail. Views from here include Spirit Lake and the north side of the volcano.
Independence and North Lakes
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
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Length
- 7.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,200 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,950 feet
Surrounded by a rugged topography cloaked in ancient forest, the setting is as wild as any along the Mountain Loop Highway, except for one noticeable difference. North and Independence lack the crowds that inundate nearby backcountry lakes.
Blanchard Hill - Alternate Incline Trail
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
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Length
- 4.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,000 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,890 feet
A short but steep backdoor connector trail on the lower east side of Chuckanut Mountain, the Alternate Incline offers access to Lily and Lizard Lakes, North Butte, Oyster Dome and even the Pacific Northwest Trail from the spacious Blanchard Hill upper trailhead parking lot.