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
4207 HikesSnoqualmie Valley Trail
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 32.0 miles, one-way
2.9.26: The trail will be closed near Rainbow Lake (north of Rattlesnake Lake) for 6-8 weeks starting Feb 16.
Walk along an old railroad grade that climbs gently though forested hillsides. In summer, look for wildflowers: blackberry, elderberry, pea, daisy, buttercup and wild rose.
Salmon Ridge Snowshoe
North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
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Length
- 5.4 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 300 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,400 feet
With gentle terrain, easy river access and views of snow-laden peaks, this narrow river valley is an inviting snowshoe destination, especially for beginners.
Ptarmigan Ridge
North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
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Length
- 9.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,800 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,100 feet
The last 2.7 miles of the Mount Baker Highway/SR 542 (from Heather Meadows to Artist Point) is closed for the winter season.
Rarely can hikers approach a climbers’ realm so easily, with minimal elevation gain, and enjoy beautiful views all along the way.
Picture Lake
North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
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Length
- 0.6 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 45 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,157 feet
Follow a short, ADA-accessible path around Picture Lake, home to one of the most photographed vistas in America. Featuring a backdrop of craggy Mount Shuksan and a foreground of wilflowers ringing a sparkling lake in summer, Picture Lake is pretty as, well, a picture.
Nooksack Cirque
North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
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Length
- 9.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 640 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,840 feet
This unique, low-elevation hike follows the North Fork Nooksack River to spectacular scenery near the base of Mount Shuksan. This is a great late summer or early fall hike when Ruth Creek is low enough to ford. Keep in mind the limited maintenance this trail sees -- you may be in for a brushbash.
Mount Shuksan
North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
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Highest Point
- 9,127 feet
The last 2.7 miles of the Mount Baker Highway/SR 542 (from Heather Meadows to Artist Point) is closed for the winter season.
Mount Ann
North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
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Length
- 10.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 4,000 feet
The last 2.7 miles of the Mount Baker Highway/SR 542 (from Heather Meadows to Artist Point) is closed for the winter season.
A scramble up a mountain near Lake Ann. Climbing experience and equipment required.
Lake Ann (Mount Baker Highway)
North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
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Length
- 8.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,150 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,900 feet
The last 2.7 miles of the Mount Baker Highway/SR 542 (from Heather Meadows to Artist Point) is closed for the winter season.
Enjoy up-close, breathtaking views of Mount Shuksan’s west face, along with views of Fisher Chimney, the upper and lower Curtis Glacier, as well as Mount Baker from the trail to Lake Ann. The lake in a rocky basin, in the midst of this spectacular scenery. On some days you can hear ice echoing through the valley as it crashes down the face of Mount Shuksan. This is a late season hike, as snow can linger here into August.
Huckleberry Snowshoe Route
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
A long, meandering snowshoe route just off the Mount Baker Highway.
Heather Meadows
North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
The last 2.7 miles of the Mount Baker Highway/SR 542 (from Heather Meadows to Artist Point) is closed for the winter season.
Heather Meadows is an area of Mount Baker with a variety of trails to explore with gorgeous views.
Granite Mountain (Mount Baker)
North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
A summit scramble near Hannegan Pass in the North Cascades. Route finding experience required.
Fire and Ice Trail
North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
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Length
- 0.5 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 100 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,400 feet
The last 2.7 miles of the Mount Baker Highway/SR 542 (from Heather Meadows to Artist Point) is closed for the winter season.
The Fire and Ice trail is the Mount Baker area's premiere interpretive trail, telling the story of how glaciers and volcanoes shaped this impressive place.
Goat Mountain
North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
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Length
- 8.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 3,100 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,600 feet
From the top, you’ll marvel at vistas of icy peaks including Mounts Baker, Shuksan and Sefrit. Big alpine meadows with plenty of huckleberries in the fall!
Copper Ridge Loop
North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
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Length
- 34.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 8,600 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,260 feet
Experience the variety offered by the North Cascades: high mountain ridges with spectacular views, a remote river valley, and even a self-propelled cable car river crossing. Popular side trips include Hannegan Peak and Whatcom Pass.
Copper Ridge
North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
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Length
- 13.9 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 1,800 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,260 feet
The Copper Ridge Trail forms part of the popular and iconic Copper Ridge Loop. The trail climbs to a ridge with stunning views before dropping down to the Chilliwack River Valley.
Chilliwack River
North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
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Length
- 17.3 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 2,365 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,440 feet
The Chilliwack River Trail is an important part of the Copper Ridge Loop and is also part of the traverse between Hannegan Pass and Ross Lake via a connection with the Little Beaver Trail.
Chain Lakes Loop
North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
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Length
- 6.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,820 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,400 feet
The last 2.7 miles of the Mount Baker Highway/SR 542 (from Heather Meadows to Artist Point) is closed for the winter season.
This gorgeous loop hike has it all: big views of Mounts Baker and Shuksan, as well as the North Cascades, alpine lakes for swimming, and well-maintained trail winding through meadows and heather. And with wildflowers in spring, blueberry bushes for trail-side snacking in late summer and blazing color in the fall, you can't pick a bad season to visit.
Bagley Lakes Snowshoe
North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
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Length
- 5.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,152 feet
In winter, the Bagley Lakes Loop and Chain Lakes trail creates an intermediate snowshoeing opportunity near the schussing skiers in the Mount Baker Ski Area.
Bagley Lakes
North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
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Length
- 2.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 150 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,300 feet
Bring the family for this easy hike at Heather Meadows. Two sparkling alpine lakes, an abundance of wildflowers, an impressive mountainous backdrop and a year-round snowfield make this a hike that will please everybody. What's more, this trail gets a fraction of the foot traffic that the trails at Artist Point get in late summer.
Artist Ridge - Huntoon Point
North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
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Length
- 1.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 200 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,150 feet
The last 2.7 miles of the Mount Baker Highway/SR 542 (from Heather Meadows to Artist Point) is closed for the winter season.
This spectacular, short trail gets lots of love during its short hiking season. Accessible for less than three months each year, hordes of hikers and tourists take to it as the snow finally begins to melt.
Artist Point Snowshoe
North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
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Length
- 4.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,000 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,100 feet
Artist Point is the top competitor for best viewpoint in the state. The beautifully shaped Mount Shuksan is the star of the area, with a gorgeous summit pyramid and several impressive glaciers. This relatively easy snowshoe is an excellent winter destination with a virtual guarantee of good snow coverage.
Wild Goose
North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
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Length
- 1.4 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,100 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,100 feet
The last 2.7 miles of the Mount Baker Highway/SR 542 (from Heather Meadows to Artist Point) is closed for the winter season.
Hike from the Artist Point parking area to the Heather Meadows Visitor Center and back. With 1,100 feet of elevation gain, you'll have a great thigh workout. Combine Wild Goose with many of the other short trails in the area to make a full day of exploration, or use the Wild Goose trail to access Swift Creek or Lake Ann.
White Salmon Road Snowshoe
North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
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Length
- 5.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 485 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,500 feet
Snowshoe or cross-country ski on this road just below the Mount Baker Ski Area.
Welcome Pass
North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
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Length
- 4.6 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,800 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,200 feet
Providing access to the gorgeous views along the High Divide, Welcome Pass is a nice option for those looking for a workout. Count the 66 switchbacks from the trailhead to the pass at 5,200 feet.
Table Mountain
North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
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Length
- 2.6 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 725 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,700 feet
The last 2.7 miles of the Mount Baker Highway/SR 542 (from Heather Meadows to Artist Point) is closed for the winter season.
Table Mountain trail offers a variety of nice views, and opportunities to get away from the parking lot crowds at Artist Point. But heed the cautions before you set out.
Sitka Spruce Trail
Snoqualmie Region > North Bend Area
This trail is unsanctioned and not a designated trail, and hiker use is discouraged by the land manager. Please do not hike.
This trail is unsanctioned and not a designated trail, and hiker use is discouraged by the land manager. Please do not hike.
Hex Mountain Snowshoe
Snoqualmie Region > Salmon La Sac/Teanaway
The winter access of Hex Mountain via NF-116 is closed to the public.
Mount Defiance
Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass
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Length
- 11.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 3,584 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,584 feet
FR 9030 is closed for the winter season.
Hike trails though sub-alpine forest and across boulder fields and, in season, enjoy a multitude of wildflowers. Pass a beautiful mountain lake. Ascend to a 5584-foot summit and enjoy incredible views of Cascade peaks and nearby lakes.
Cable Line Trail
Issaquah Alps > Tiger Mountain
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Length
- 3.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,022 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,522 feet
What a workout! The Cable Line Trail on Tiger Mountain is not for the weak of heart, nor the weak of knees. A steep, slippery incline awaits you here, up to the summit of West Tiger 3.
Fragrance Lake
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
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Length
- 4.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,260 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,190 feet
The year-round, dog-friendly day hike to Fragrance Lake in the Chuckanut Recreation Area is popular with college students and faculty from Western Washington University in nearby Bellingham, and with day visitors and car campers at Larrabee State Park. On a sunny weekend afternoon you could easily lose count of the number of smiles and “hullos” you’ll exchange!