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
4203 HikesRaging River Natural Area
Issaquah Alps
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Length
- 0.5 miles, one-way
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Highest Point
- 280 feet
This area is managed primarily as important riparian habitat, but there are a couple short trails, one heading into the upland portion of the property and the other following along the river.
Mercerdale Hillside Park
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 1.5 miles of trails
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Elevation Gain
- 300 feet
Stairs are the attraction at Mercerdale. The main stairway here includes 302 wooden steps climbing from Bicentennial Park to 74th Place SE, and several other locations offer plenty of ways to get your heart rate up.
Bob Heirman Wildlife Preserve
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 3.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 82 feet
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Highest Point
- 92 feet
If you just need some quiet time in nature and are not looking for a big workout, this little walk will be perfect. There is good access to the Snohomish River where you can find a place to throw a line in the water plus some good birding opportunities near the small lakes.
Sun Mountain Snowshoe Loop
North Cascades > Methow/Sawtooth
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Length
- 2.8 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 686 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,877 feet
This well-marked snowshoe route near Sun Mountain Lodge offers outstanding views, a variety of terrain, and more solitude than you might expect.
Twin Lakes
Central Washington > Grand Coulee
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Length
- 9.25 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 800 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,200 feet
Explore lakes, wetlands, and the shrub-steppe landscape on this tour of BLM property west of Spokane.
Island Crest Park
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 1.6 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 150 feet
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Highest Point
- 325 feet
Hike good trails in this very green, forested park on Mercer Island. Enjoy moss, ferns and bird life. And see whether the missing suspension bridge has returned.
CrossTown Trail - Newcastle
Issaquah Alps > Cougar Mountain
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Length
- 4.0 miles, one-way
The CrossTown Trail is made up of a patchwork of segments of trail and sidewalk that wind through the town of Newcastle to deliver hikers into Cougar Mountain Regional Park.
Sierra Park
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
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Length
- 1.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 0 feet
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Highest Point
- 0 feet
This innovative park in Edmonds is a delight for the senses of both blind and sighted visitors. The trail through the park was landscaped with trees and shrubs that provide a wide range of textures and fragrances as well as visual beauty.
Seattle Chinese Garden
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 2.0 miles of trails
Located near South Seattle Community College, the Seattle Chinese Garden provides a peaceful retreat from the busyness of the city.
Tam O'Shanter - Viewpoint Open Space Trails
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 1.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 150 feet
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Highest Point
- 320 feet
Hike easy forest trails connecting two adjoining urban parks. Appreciate the tall deciduous trees and some large conifers, plus ferns and small creeks. In season, look for forest wildflowers. Try to identify some of the wild birds, and enjoy the antics of the squirrels that always are present.
Squibbs Creek
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 0.6 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 140 feet
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Highest Point
- 700 feet
The Squibbs Creek Trail is part of the City of Bellevue’s Parks and Open Trails System. Take a walk through the old growth trees in the Horizon Heights Open Space.
Paramount Open Space
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 0.95 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 120 feet
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Highest Point
- 380 feet
This Shoreline city park seems to be little-known outside its immediate neighborhood, but it's worth a visit. The park is minimally developed, and it offers a variety of trails through open grassy areas and forested areas.
North Creek Forest
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
The 64-acre North Creek Forest meets the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife’s definition of a priority habitat. The trail system in the North Creek Forest is still being established as of 2019.
Kelsey Creek Park Nature Trails
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 1.7 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 194 feet
The Kelsey Creek Park Nature trails provide a year-round opportunity to enioy a forest experience. In the springtime, blooming flowers offer a heady aroma for people wandering in the area. By summertime, birds flit and trill in the brush as Kelsey Creek babbles beside you. Fall brings vivid oranges and reds as the trees in the area change color. Winter's blanket doesn't deter hikers, as this is a great destination for shaking winter doldrums.
Pacific Way Trail
Southwest Washington > Columbia River Gorge - WA
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Length
- 2.0 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 20 feet
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Highest Point
- 20 feet
Take this wide, graveled path to get a quick dose of nature near home.
Cappy's Trails
Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast
This network of trails that weave through the town of Port Townsend just west of Fort Warden State Park are known as Cappy’s Trails
Sawtooth View via Aspen Lake
North Cascades > Methow/Sawtooth
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Length
- 6.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,170 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,578 feet
Take a short hike to a cattail fringed lake and beyond through a blackened forest to grand views of the Sawtooth Range. It's a four-season hike boasting beauty in all seasons, pristine snow, spring and summer flowers, and some fall colors.
Ruth Cohen Memorial Park
Puget Sound and Islands > Whidbey Island
This small neighborhood park features a loop trail that winds through the forest behind the playground.
Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail - Mitchell Point
Southwest Washington > Columbia River Gorge - OR
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Length
- 3.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 200 feet
This is one of several hikeable sections of the old, original Columbia River Highway that spanned the Oregon side of the Gorge. After years of disuse as a highway, this paved trail is slowly being restored so hikers and cyclists can enjoy it.
Millwood Interurban Trail
Eastern Washington > Spokane Area/Coeur d'Alene
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Length
- 1.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 0 feet
This one-mile long rail trail in the City of Millwood, just east of Spokane.
North Creek Trail
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
The North Creek trail offers a quiet urban oasis that links the cities of Mill Creek, Bothell, and Everett. It's a wide, shaded path that leads from McCollum Park in Everett to the city center.
Manzanita Trail
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 2.0 miles, roundtrip
This Bainbridge Island park is popular with horseback riders and hikers due to its proximity to the main highway.
Galbraith Mountain
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
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Length
- 65.0 miles of trails
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Elevation Gain
- 1,785 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,785 feet
This park outside the city of Bellingham has 65 miles of trails and is popular with hikers and mountain bikers.
Appleway Trail
Eastern Washington > Spokane Area/Coeur d'Alene
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Length
- 5.1 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 100 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,000 feet
A Rail-to-Trail conversion through the heart of the Spokane Valley, the Appleway Trail provides a non-motorized option for traveling through town.
Lake Washington Ship Canal Waterside Trail
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 0.5 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 0 feet
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Highest Point
- 50 feet
Trails offer many different experiences to all types of users. This tail is no different. It can be a colorful place to avoid on boating days, it can be a wonderful short trail for youngsters to explore, or it can be a link in a much larger and longer network of trails in and around the University of Washington Campus.
Green Lantern Trail
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 2.8 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 33 feet
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Highest Point
- 463 feet
The Green Lantern Trail mostly follows the shores of Silver Lake in South Everett, perfect for those looking to stretch their legs and experience the outdoors without having to leave the city. With a multitude of attractions including passing through three parks with water access this trail is ready to please! Disc golfers, beach-goers, kids, birders and fishermen alike may all find something here.
Enchantment Park
Central Cascades > Leavenworth Area
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Length
- 2.0 miles, roundtrip
Enchantment Park is part of a large network of different trails and parks located along the Wenatchee River in downtown Leavenworth. The trails are well maintained, and dotted with informative plaques all along their length.
Icicle Divide: Stevens Pass to Fourth of July
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - East
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Length
- 45.0 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 13,500 feet
This is a super-challenging trek that requires extra pre-planning and likely some route-finding experience, but promises a rugged, gorgeous few days in the landscape south and east of Stevens Pass.
Deer Lake
Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast
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Length
- 8.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,650 feet
The hike to Deer Lake is a great day hike, or beginners overnight.
Boulder Creek - Gallagher Head Lake
Snoqualmie Region > Salmon La Sac/Teanaway
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Length
- 9.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,100 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,606 feet
With options on which way you want to hike, this destination offers great backpacking opportunities and beautiful views.