Washington Trails
Association
Trails for everyone, forever
Washington Trails
AssociationTrails for everyone, forever
Three trails to hike this summer — plus nearby fun to extend your trip. | Washington Trails magazine, Summer 2026 issue.
These three hikes can help you make the most of this summer — with high ridges, stunning views and plenty of options for backpacking.
Hike a quiet trail to the northwest side of Mount Adams and enjoy deep forests, subalpine wildflower meadows and in-your-face mountain views.
By Susan Saul
Starting in dense forest, climb 2 miles to a large subalpine meadow with dramatic Mount Adams views and colorful wildflowers. Follow a signed spur trail to the right to historic Divide Camp, in the forest beside a clear spring and under a lava ridge.
Staying on the main trail and hiking uphill another scant mile through subalpine forests and wildflower meadows, often within earshot of raging glacial Adams Creek, drops you at a T-junction with the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) at 6,100 feet.
From here, you have options to extend your hike: Go right or left for more Mount Adams views. For a long hike or multiday open-jaw trip with a car shuttle or key swap, use the PCT to link to the Riley Camp or Killen Creek trails.
Be sure to pack enough water on your hike, as the creeks in this area, such as Adams Creek, can be silty and may clog your filter.
During the summer, consider bringing treats to share with PCT thru-hikers you may meet at the PCT trail junction.
Killen Creek
Alpine meadows, wildflowers, magnificent Mount Adams views.
10 miles roundtrip • 2,300 feet of gain
Riley Camp
Shimmering lakes, wildflowers and a recovering burn area.
10 miles roundtrip • 2,280 feet of gain
Takhlakh Lake and Takh Takh Meadow
Figure-eight loop with a lake, meadow and lava flows with fantastic vistas. The lake-only loop is shorter and more level.
3 miles for full loop • 500 feet of gain
Takhlakh Lake Campground
Quite popular; reservations recommended. Stunning sunset views of Mount Adams. Non-motorized watercraft allowed on the lake.
Killen Creek Campground
Nice base camp for day hiking on the north side of Mount Adams.
Mount Adams Pizza and The Station Cafe
Tasty post-hike pizza and burgers. Located in Trout Lake.
Roxy's Roadhouse
Burgers and brews. Located in Randle.
Amble along lush meadows and subalpine lakes through the William O. Douglas Wilderness and Mount Rainier National Park.
By Joe Gonzalez
This PCT section is best enjoyed as a point-to-point trip. Hiking northbound from White Pass, enjoy spectacular scenery unfolding with each step, beginning with forested trail before climbing to stunning views from the Pacific Crest. Less famous than the more northern PCT sections in Washington, this section provides a quiet getaway along the Highway 12 corridor.
Ambitious travelers can trek another 71 miles north to Snoqualmie Pass, completing PCT Washington Section I. After Chinook Pass, however, the scenery begins to change and you’ll see more logged areas.
Consider bringing two cars to do a key swap with a friend, or have a ride waiting at Chinook Pass, a hiking destination in its own right. That makes it an attractive location for friends to hike or picnic while helping shuttle you on either end of your journey.
Naches Peak Loop
Wildflowers, meadows, lakes, mountain views, good for kids.
3.2 miles roundtrip • 600 feet of gain
Pacific Crest Trail Section I — White Pass to Snoqualmie Pass
Wildlife, old-growth forest, fall foliage and mountain views.
99 miles one way • 17,771 feet of gain
Clear Lost Trail to Lost Lake Lookout
Lakes, views, huckleberries.
99 miles one way • 3,897 feet of gain
Packwood Brewing Co. and Mountain Goat Coffee
Wet your whistle and fuel up. Located in Packwood.
Packwood Lake
Great for camping, fishing and picnicking.
Packwood Flea Market
The city of Packwood hosts flea markets on Labor Day and Memorial Day weekends. Expected heavier traffic and limited accommodations if visiting then.
Experience the Blue Mountains’ signature geography and wildflowers, plus a historic fire lookout. The area is perfect for a summer day hike or the start of a multiday adventure on nearby trails.
By Holly Weiler
A trip up Oregon Butte in the Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness should be on every hiker’s bucket list, with the 11th essential being a pair of binoculars for the views, and the 12th being a wildflower guidebook. The views begin immediately from the parking lot, perched on the edge of the East Butte Creek drainage.
The hike quickly enters the forest, heavily impacted by the 2021 Green Ridge Fire. Many of the trees didn’t survive the blaze, but the understory erupts in blooms in a wide variety of colors in the early summer.
Enjoy traipsing along wildflowers until the final ridge, where it is possible to look across the unique geography of the Blue Mountains and gaze into Idaho’s Seven Devils and Oregon’s Wallowas in the distance. On a clear day, even the southern Cascades are visible from this vantage point.
Oregon Butte is the high point of the Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness and is home to a staffed fire lookout tower. Both Smooth Ridge and Mount Misery trails intersect the Oregon Butte Trail near the summit, offering multiday backpacking options.
East Butte Creek and West Butte Creek
Drop into the Wenaha-Tucannon's canyons, which offer wildlife, views, wildflowers and campsites. Link the trails together for a longer hike.
Up to 20 miles • up to 3,100 feet of gain
Sawtooth Ridge
Best hiked out and back along the ridgetop due to fire damage. Enjoy wildflowers, wildlife and mountain views.
8 miles roundtrip • 500 feet of gain
Godman Campground
Eight free first-come, first-served rustic campsites. Nearby vault toilet, picnic tables. Historic CCC-built picnic shelter.
Godman Guard Station
Two-story cabin, sleeps eight and has propane lights, heat, cookstove and refrigerator. No indoor plumbing but vault toilet outside. Reservations at Recreation.gov.
Historic Dayton
Enjoy a fun small city. Self-guided walking tour brochure available online or from Dayton Historic Depot courtyard.
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