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 HikesLIttle Blacktail Mountain
Eastern Washington > Spokane Area/Coeur d'Alene
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Length
- 5.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,750 feet
-
Highest Point
- 4,960 feet
This is an old lookout site that towers nearly 3000 feet above Lake Pend Oreille. The trail is mixed use and open to motorcycles and offers splendid views from the top.
Flat Creek
Central Cascades > Entiat Mountains/Lake Chelan
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Length
- 11.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 500 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,000 feet
Flat Creek is a short day hike out of the Flat Creek Campground on the old Stehekin Valley Road. However, to get to the Stehekin road is a day or more trip, so you'll need to plan more than one day for this trip.
Snow Lake - Winter
Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass
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Length
- 10.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,000 feet
-
Highest Point
- 5,100 feet
Multiple avalanche chutes cross this trail. Hikers should have experience navigating avalanche territory and the appropriate safety gear.
One of Washington's most popular destinations in the summer, the trail to Snow Lake is a tempting destination in winter, too. But the steep terrain in the area puts visitors in a high-avalanche risk when snow is present. Have proper gear and an understanding of how to read the snowpack before venturing out on this trail.
Ancient Lakes
Central Washington > Potholes Region
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Length
- 12.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 625 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,200 feet
View one of the best examples of a recessional-cataract canyon. Potholes Coulee caught the attention of J Harlen Bretz in the early 20th century, which led to his “outrageous hypothesis” of Ice Age flooding.
Redlining Heritage Trail - Central District
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
Walk through Seattle's historically Black neighborhood along this section of the Redlining Heritage Trail.
Humpback Mountain
Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass
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Length
- 4.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 2,600 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,112 feet
An unmaintained trail that climbs steeply up the shoulder of Humpback Mountain to an infrequently visited summit on a massive pile of boulders.
Sunset Falls
Southwest Washington > Lewis River Region
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Length
- 0.4 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 6 feet
-
Highest Point
- 1,000 feet
This accessible trail to Sunset Falls is a great option for hikers of all experience levels. It’s located right next to a campground and day-use area.
Cascade Trail
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 22.5 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 60 feet
-
Highest Point
- 230 feet
This 22.5-mile rail trail follows the abandoned Burlington Northern grade connecting the towns of Sedro Woolley and Concrete, and can be accessed from three trailheads off of the North Cascades Highway.
Welch Peaks
Olympic Peninsula > Hood Canal
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Length
- 9.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 3,300 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,100 feet
This is an easy scramble from the saddle to the north of the much more popular Mount Townsend.
Cassimer Bar Natural Area
North Cascades > Methow/Sawtooth
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Length
- 1.0 miles, roundtrip
A quiet natural area near Brewster that offers wildlife viewing and beautiful views of Okanogan County
Leavenworth Fish Hatchery
Central Cascades > Leavenworth Area
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Length
- 5.0 miles of trails
-
Elevation Gain
- 0 feet
-
Highest Point
- 1,168 feet
The Leavenworth Fish Hatchery is a charming location that provides great education about salmon and their life cycles, all on the scenic Icicle River.
River Run
North Cascades > Methow/Sawtooth
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Length
- 7.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 160 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,325 feet
Nearly level double track runs alongside the Methow River alternating between open meadows and Ponderosa forests. Do this quiet trail as an out and back or connect to Jack's Trail for a nice loop.
Rica Canyon Trail
Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast
-
Length
- 0.25 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 30 feet
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Highest Point
- 75 feet
A very short connector trail between the Elwha River trail and the Geyser Valley trail.
Big Bend Wildlife Area
Central Washington > Grand Coulee
This wildlife area has limited access due to no available parking.
Saddle Rock Traverse Trail
Central Washington > Wenatchee
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Length
- 0.75 miles, one-way
This trail connects to Saddle Rock from the Jacobson Preserve, northwest of Saddle Rock.
Lake Easton State Park
Snoqualmie Region > Cle Elum Area
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Length
- 5.2 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 451 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,283 feet
Lake Easton State Park is not a wilderness park, but it is scenic and peaceful. You can put together a five-mile loop hike on the park trails and on a section of the Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail, if you don't mind walking on roads for a bit through the town of Easton. This hike makes for a good leg stretcher when you need a break from I-90.
Chelan Summit
North Cascades > Methow/Sawtooth
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Length
- 38.0 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 6,500 feet
There is no doubt that Chelan Summit Trail is a long and challenging hike but once you reach the summit it will have been worth every step. You will get to experience flower filled meadows, rugged peaks, high alpine lakes, golden larches, and the North Cascades at your door step.
Moore Point
Central Cascades > Entiat Mountains/Lake Chelan
Moore Point Campground is closed to overnight use.
Moore Point is a starting point for hikers tackling the Lakeshore Trail, a popular spring backpacking trip. This trail is free from winter snow earlier than many thanks to its low elevation, and because of that, it can get quite full in the early season. Consider starting your hike midweek if you prefer to hike in solitude.
Obstruction Pass State Park
Puget Sound and Islands > San Juan Islands
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Length
- 1.9 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 305 feet
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Highest Point
- 225 feet
Moran State Park might have mountains and lakes, but Obstruction Pass has quiet, open forest, secluded campgrounds, and the largest public beach on Orcas Island. Take a quiet walk here and soak in the peaceful shoreline.
Moran State Park - Cascade Lake
Puget Sound and Islands > San Juan Islands
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Length
- 2.7 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 200 feet
-
Highest Point
- 480 feet
Cascade Lake provides recreation opportunities for every kind of outdoor enthusiast. The main day-use area offers a picnic area, kitchen shelters, boat launches and rentals, a swimming beach, and fishing. One of the main attractions though is the loop trail that circles the lake. Walk along the shore of the lake and enjoy secluded viewpoints and tall trees.
Moran State Park - Sunrise Rock
Puget Sound and Islands > San Juan Islands
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Length
- 1.4 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 280 feet
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Highest Point
- 660 feet
Sunrise (or sunset) offer a time of introspection. In Moran State Park, find this time to mull over life atop Sunrise Rock.
Cape Disappointment State Park - Coastal Forest Loop
Southwest Washington > Long Beach Area
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Length
- 1.4 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 260 feet
-
Highest Point
- 140 feet
Tucked off of Spur Road 100, the opposite direction from the Cape Disappointment State Park camping area, the Coastal Forest Loop offers a chance to experience the signature environment of this area in either a half mile or mile and a half loop. Be sure to snag the brochure offered at the park office with interpretive information corresponding to posts along the way.
Forest Park - Ridge Trail
Southwest Washington > Columbia River Gorge - OR
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Length
- 4.25 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 982 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,075 feet
Traverse Forest Park via an out-and-back or a point-to-point, soaking in urban forest that has old growth, wildflowers, mushrooms, berries and fauna, enjoying occasional glimpses of the Willamette and the fantastic St. Johns Bridge. If desired, take a side excursion along one of the connector trails near the Springville Road trailhead for an extended Tualatin Mountains experience.
Lucia Falls
Southwest Washington > Vancouver Area
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Length
- 1.1 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 20 feet
This short hike takes you to a delightful little waterfall; it's a good alternate to the longer, nearby Bells Mountain trail if you don't have the time or energy.
Paradise Valley Conservation Area
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 5.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 150 feet
-
Highest Point
- 450 feet
Come hike the headwaters of the Bear Creek watershed in this close in Snohomish County Park near Woodinville. Here you will find a mature second growth forest, a wetland that plays a vital role in the health of this salmon stream plus a network of trails for any fitness level.
Quinault National Recreation Trails
Olympic Peninsula > Pacific Coast
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Length
- 4.25 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 350 feet
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Highest Point
- 475 feet
Providing miles of interconnected and gently graded trail, the Quinault National Recreation Trail System provides you with options to extend or shorten your trip into the Quinault Rainforest. The description provided follows Trail the Quinault Loop Trail 854, though it intersects with a few others at various points.
Anacortes Community Forest Lands - Four Summit Loop
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
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Length
- 6.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,700 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,300 feet
Perhaps you have hiked to each of the four named high points of the Anacortes Community Forest Lands (ACFL), or even combined two of these "summits" for a longer hike (e.g. Little Round Top and Sugar Cube, or Mount Erie and Sugarloaf.) So here's a thought: why not do a grand tour that reaches all four named summits in a single loop hike?
Silver Falls - Grove of the Patriarchs Snowshoe
Mount Rainier Area > SE - Cayuse Pass/Stevens Canyon
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Length
- 9.9 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 400 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,500 feet
The bridge over the river to Grove of the Patriarchs is closed.
This snowshoe route may be relatively flat, but it's a hard one to get to, since the highway to this part of Mount Rainer National Park is closed in the winter. It takes a 3 mile road walk both ways in addition to the loop itself.
Jack's Run
North Cascades > Methow/Sawtooth
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Length
- 6.9 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 187 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,347 feet
Jack's Run is an gentle-grade double track for most of its length. It is mostly in the trees running alongside Driveway Butte with periodic views across meadows and up at Goat wall and peak. The trail's course makes a lollipop loop.
Methow Wildlife Area - Lewis Butte
North Cascades > Methow/Sawtooth
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Length
- 5.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,000 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,346 feet
A new trail makes this hike a 5-mile roundtrip, gently graded, obstacle-free hike to a broad summit with views of the Methow Valley and Sawtooth Mountains. Most of the trail has no shade and faces south, so it is best done early in the day.