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
4206 HikesCoweeman River Trail
Southwest Washington > Long Beach Area
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Length
- 8.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 0 feet
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Highest Point
- 30 feet
Walk on a dike next to a usually quiet river through the outskirts of Kelso.
Wallace Falls State Park - Greg Ball Trail to Wallace Lake
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
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Length
- 8.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,500 feet
The Greg Ball Trail is a trail envisioned by and honoring one of the greatest trail advocates this state has ever had. Ball was a former board member and director of the WTA. In 1993 he launched the organization’s volunteer trail maintenance program which has since grown into the largest state-based program of its kind. He designed this trail to Wallace Lake and it was finished in his memory by volunteers from WTA and through support from the Spring Trail Trust.
Wallace Falls State Park - Jay Lake
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
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Length
- 12.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,600 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,840 feet
Not so scenic but plenty peaceful, Jay Lake is one of a small handful of backcountry camping areas in a state park. Just be sure to get a permit before you head out!
Frog Lake
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
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Length
- 2.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 357 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,009 feet
Short, easy hike with beautiful trees, goes up to a lake full of tadpoles/frogs. Foliage and spiderwebs can get in the way, so bring a stick.
Quartz Creek/Lake Blethen
Snoqualmie Region > North Bend Area
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Length
- 11.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,550 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,700 feet
Less of a trail than a road walk, the route up Quartz Creek offers quiet and solitude in the Middle Fork Valley.
Lost River
North Cascades > Pasayten
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Length
- 7.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 350 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,680 feet
This nice valley walk, serenaded by the sound of the Lost River, used to be the easy start of a difficult trail access into the central Pasayten Wilderness. The Eureka Creek bridge makes for a good turn around point, while Lost River access at the wilderness boundary makes a good location for a long break.
Elwha To Hurricane Hill
Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast
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Length
- 18.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 7,100 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,650 feet
Climb steeply out of the Elwha River Valley to impressive views of the Bailey Range and wide-open meadows on this trail that accesses Hurricane Hill the back way.
Boundary Way
North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
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Length
- 8.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,458 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,658 feet
Put your navigational skills to the test! This unmaintained trail just off Damfino Lakes trail may be brushy, but if you can find your way to Boundary Way, you'll be rewarded with breathtaking views into Canada and the epic North Cascades.
Spoon Creek Falls
Olympic Peninsula > Olympia
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Length
- 0.8 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 200 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,000 feet
Escape the hustle and bustle of nearby Wynoochee Lake by trekking down to the lesser-known Spoon Creek Falls. This short and sweet hike will reward you with both impressive waterfall views, and a calm (yet cold) wading pool to dip your toes.
Mount Finlayson
Puget Sound and Islands > San Juan Islands
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Length
- 3.6 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 408 feet
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Highest Point
- 290 feet
With expansive views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca contrasting with deep forest lagoons, the Mount Finlayson loop features the variety of ecosystems that San Juan Island offers in an easy and scenic trail. Options for shorter or longer routes make this a suitable destination for hikers of all ages.
Hog Canyon Lake
Eastern Washington > Spokane Area/Coeur d'Alene
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Length
- 5.3 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 300 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,200 feet
Hog Canyon Lake is an excellent hike in spring and fall, showcasing the unique geology and plant diversity of the area.
Ginkgo Petrified Forest Interpretive Trails
Central Washington > Potholes Region
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Length
- 3.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 200 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,600 feet
One of the largest petrified forests on the planet sits in the center of Washington State. The ancient trees were mineralized into rock during the great lava flows that swept the inland Northwest. In addition to petrified ginkgos (one of the oldest tree species in the world), the "rock forest" includes mineralized Douglas fir, spruce, walnut, and elm.
Hidden Lakes
North Cascades > Pasayten
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Length
- 34.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,300 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,800 feet
The Hidden Lakes are the jewels of the Pasayten Wilderness. Tucked high within the Wilderness, these lakes provide backpackers with opportunities to fish, swim, relax, and view wildlife and wildflowers.
Windy Peak
North Cascades > Pasayten
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Length
- 11.0 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 4,050 feet
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Highest Point
- 8,100 feet
Follow this rugged trail through a former burn to views of Mount Baker and the expansive Pasayten Wilderness.
Little Huckleberry Mountain
Southwest Washington > Columbia River Gorge - WA
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Length
- 5.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,800 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,781 feet
Climb to the top of Little Huckleberry Mountain, where you will be greeted with excellent views of Mount Adams and other Cascade peaks. Though steep at times, the summit and the huckleberries you’ll find along the way make this hike worthwhile.
Snowking Mountain
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Highest Point
- 7,433 feet
Snowking Mountain is a strenuous mountaineering trip or class 3 alpine scramble with stunning panoramic mountain views, deep blue alpine lakes and rewarding isolation.
Seaquest State Park - Silver Lake
South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
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Length
- 3.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 100 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,390 feet
A forest walk and a wetlands walk-two trails for the price of one! This wide, paved trail loops through meadows and shoreline.
Maintenance Shed Road
South Cascades > White Pass/Cowlitz River Valley
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Length
- 7.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 400 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,700 feet
Here is an easy snowshoe on a wide U.S. Forest Service road with spectacular views of Chimney Rock, Coyote Ridge and, at the end, Mount Rainier.
Cabin Creek Snowshoe
Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass
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Length
- 2.4 miles, roundtrip
A shorter, less challenging outing near the popular Amabilis Mountain. Be sure to share the trail with skiers.
Hobart - Middle Tiger Railroad Trail
Issaquah Alps > Tiger Mountain
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Length
- 10.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,550 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,180 feet
Hike the routes of two former logging railroads (the Iverson and the Hobart - Middle Tiger) to reach a remote section of Fifteenmile Creek. Follow a short, steep trail to connect with the Tiger Mountain Trail (TMT.) Return via the TMT and, on the way, look in on the site of a 1925 logging train wreck.
Falls Creek Falls
North Cascades > Methow/Sawtooth
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Length
- 2.6 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 750 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,920 feet
Explore an easy, gently graded trail to Falls Creek Falls just outside of Winthrop. The first waterfall is just a quarter-mile from the trailhead and is accessible via a paved trail.
Red Town Creek
Issaquah Alps > Cougar Mountain
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Length
- 0.2 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 22 feet
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Highest Point
- 855 feet
A very short access trail on Cougar Mountain from the Red Town Trailhead that offers a nice graveled path, and a small waterfall.
Red Cedars
Issaquah Alps > Cougar Mountain
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Length
- 0.3 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 212 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,007 feet
Access several loop options at the north side of Cougar Mountain with the Red Cedars Trail.
Divide Camp
South Cascades > Mount Adams Area
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Length
- 5.8 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,400 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,100 feet
The Divide Camp Trail features dense forests, glacial creeks, and wildflower-strewn meadows. It also sees less traffic than the nearby Killen Creek Trail – the standard approach to High Camp.
Border Camp Trail
North Cascades > Pasayten
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Length
- 3.5 miles of trails
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Elevation Gain
- 1,000 feet
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Highest Point
- 7,315 feet
Located just east of the Pasayten Wilderness and connecting to that trail system, Border Camp Trail is a short trail segment within the Loomis State Forest, which is managed by the Department of Natural Resources as a Natural Resources Conservation Area. Border Camp is among several trails on the looped trail system located on DNR land, so-named for a historic campsite that appears on the old USGS topo maps near Snowshoe Peak and the Canadian border.
Shoreview and Boeing Creek Parks
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 1.9 miles of trails
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Elevation Gain
- 280 feet
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Highest Point
- 440 feet
This pair of back-to-back urban parks just west of Shoreline Community College offers some very tall trees, small creeks, and a network of (mostly) good trails with a few ups and downs. Wildflowers, ferns, moss, birds: they are all here.
Ahtanum State Forest - Whites Ridge
Central Washington > Yakima
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Length
- 10.9 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,900 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,000 feet
The Whites Ridge trailhead is a forested hike with mountain views located in Ahtanum Forest. It is only open to hikers and equestrians from April 1 to November 30.
Devil's Ridge
North Cascades
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Length
- 18.8 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 3,100 feet
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Highest Point
- 7,000 feet
Connect between the PCT and Ross Lake as you take in the incredible sights of the Pasayten Wilderness. Pass over ridges and stop to explore and admire the popular Devil's Dome.
Sultan River Canyon Trail
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
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Length
- 4.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 900 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,700 feet
If you don’t mind descending first, then ascending later, the Sultan River Canyon trail is a nice alternative for the shoulder season when snow is still too deep in the mountains. Drop to the sparkling Sultan River, then climb back up on nicely graded switchbacks in the shade.
Horseshoe and Chinook Creek Falls via Upper Siouxon Creek
South Cascades > Dark Divide
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Length
- 8.4 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 700 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,570 feet
This excellent early-season romp heads up a lush river canyon boasting three gorgeous waterfalls with riverside campsites for an overnight, or a longer, more challenging loop.