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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 Hikes

North Fork Sol Duc River

Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast
 
Length
18.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,900 feet
Highest Point
2,900 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.12
(8 votes)
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Established campsites
  • Fall foliage
  • Good for kids
  • Old growth
  • Rivers
  • Wildlife

Sol Duc Road is closed for the winter season. It will reopen in spring of 2026.

The North Fork Sol Duc River is a remote wilderness trail teeming with adventure. The trail is seldom maintained all the way to its end, and three river fords complicate the effort. The shoulder season hiker may experience solitude and wildlife, but they will also likely encounter high water, blowdown, and route-finding challenges.
 
 

Aurora Ridge

Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast
 
Length
16.8 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
3,000 feet
Highest Point
4,610 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.17
(6 votes)
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Established campsites
  • Fall foliage
  • Lakes
  • Mountain views
  • Old growth
  • Ridges/passes
  • Summits
  • Wildlife

Sol Duc Road is closed for the winter season. It will reopen in spring of 2026.

The Aurora Ridge Trail is welcome for those who love solitude, and great views of Lake Crescent, Ediz Hook, Mount Baker, Mount Olympus, and Glacier Peak can all be seen from Sourdough Peak and along the ridge.
 
 

Sol Duc River

Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast
 
Length
17.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
3,200 feet
Highest Point
5,050 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.33
(6 votes)
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Established campsites
  • Fall foliage
  • Lakes
  • Mountain views
  • Old growth
  • Rivers
  • Waterfalls
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Wildlife

Sol Duc Road is closed for the winter season. It will reopen in spring of 2026.

The Sol Duc River Trail is one of Olympic National Park’s most beloved hikes. Thus it is always crowded and a backcountry camping quota is enforced. Roaring waterfalls, lush old growth, and subalpine meadows where elk bugle and bears browse for berries are just some of the many highlights.
 
 

Sol Duc Falls

Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast
 
Length
1.6 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
200 feet
Highest Point
1,951 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.19
(31 votes)
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Established campsites
  • Good for kids
  • Old growth
  • Rivers
  • Waterfalls
  • Wildflowers/Meadows

Sol Duc Road is closed for the winter season. It will reopen in spring of 2026.

Marvel at old-growth trees amid a lush rain forest landscape while visiting one of Olympic National Park’s most beloved attractions: Sol Duc Falls.
 
 

High Divide - Seven Lakes Basin Loop

Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast
 
Length
19.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
4,000 feet
Highest Point
5,120 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.65
(48 votes)
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Established campsites
  • Lakes
  • Mountain views
  • Rivers
  • Wildlife

Sol Duc Road is closed for the winter season. It will reopen in spring of 2026.

Stunning views, stargazing, backcountry lakes and plentiful wildlife await you on this classic 19-mile loop on the Olympic Mountains’ stunning Seven Lakes Basin and High Divide Trail.
 
 

Mink Lake

Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast
 
Length
5.2 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,450 feet
Highest Point
3,100 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.25
(8 votes)
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Good for kids
  • Lakes
  • Rivers
  • Wildflowers/Meadows

Sol Duc Road is closed for the winter season. It will reopen in spring of 2026.

The forest to Mink Lake is beautiful, packed full of Queen's Cup, lilies and bunchberry flowers in bloom. Depending on the season, you may see Western Coralroot orchids and Indian Pipe, or Beargrass, Anenomes and violets around the lake.
 
 

Lunch Lake

Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast
 
Length
14.72 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
3,965 feet
Highest Point
4,926 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.50
(4 votes)
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Established campsites
  • Lakes
  • Mountain views

Sol Duc Road is closed for the winter season. It will reopen in spring of 2026.

Lunch Lake is a popular stop or overnight camping area along the Seven Lakes Basin Loop in Olympic National Park. Visitors here will need an overnight permit to stay here, attainable from Olympic National Park.
 
 

Lover's Lane Loop

Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast
 
Length
5.8 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
480 feet
Highest Point
2,000 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.54
(13 votes)
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Established campsites
  • Fall foliage
  • Good for kids
  • Old growth
  • Rivers
  • Waterfalls

Sol Duc Road is closed for the winter season. It will reopen in spring of 2026.

The Lover's Lane trail follows the Sol Duc river upstream, connecting Sol Duc campground, Sol Duc Falls and the resort.
 
 

Mink Lake to Little Divide

Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast
 
Length
15.6 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
2,500 feet
Highest Point
4,130 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.12
(8 votes)
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Established campsites
  • Lakes
  • Mountain views
  • Old growth
  • Ridges/passes
  • Rivers
  • Waterfalls
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Wildlife

Sol Duc Road is closed for the winter season. It will reopen in spring of 2026.

Mink Lake and the Little Divide offer miles of delightful hiking and showcase some of what makes the Sol Duc Valley so popular. Because it lacks the stunning scenery of the High Divide, Little Divide gets a fraction of the traffic. The option to loop back to the trailhead and see Deer Lake and Sol Duc Falls makes this an especially attractive and slightly shorter alternative.
 
 

High Divide

Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast
 
Length
9.63 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
5,111 feet
Highest Point
5,384 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.12
(8 votes)
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Established campsites
  • Lakes
  • Mountain views
  • Ridges/passes
  • Summits

Sol Duc Road is closed for the winter season. It will reopen in spring of 2026.

High Divide trail makes up a section of the Seven Lakes Basin trail and leads to the Bailey Range Traverse. While campsites exist along this route, it's important to reserve your spot in advance of your visit here.
 
 

Ancient Groves

Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast
 
Length
0.5 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
0 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.50
(4 votes)
  • Good for kids
  • Old growth
  • Rivers
  • Wildflowers/Meadows

Sol Duc Road is closed for the winter season. It will reopen in spring of 2026.

This half-mile loop trail goes through old-growth forest with views of the Sol Duc River.
 
 

Cat Basin Primitive

Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast
 
Length
5.0 miles, one-way
Elevation Gain
1,500 feet
Highest Point
5,500 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.00
(5 votes)
  • Fall foliage
  • Lakes
  • Mountain views
  • Ridges/passes
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Wildlife

Sol Duc Road is closed for the winter season. It will reopen in spring of 2026.

This primitive trail forms a partial loop, connecting the High Divide trail just above Heart Lake with Appleton Pass.
 
 

Bogachiel Peak

Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast
 
Length
16.2 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
3,675 feet
Highest Point
5,474 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.12
(8 votes)
  • Dogs not allowed

Sol Duc Road is closed for the winter season. It will reopen in spring of 2026.

Bogachiel Peak sits above the dramatic Seven Lakes Basin. While you might expect stunning views here, such is not the case. The treed peak has limited views from the top, but it's a short enough side trip, why not make a stop while you're there?
 
 

Spruce Railroad Trail

Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast
 
Length
5.0 miles, one-way
Elevation Gain
250 feet
Highest Point
700 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.87
(39 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Good for kids
  • Lakes
  • Mountain views

12.24.25: A portion of the trail west of Camp David Junior Road is closed due to a landslide.

Hop aboard the Spruce Railroad Trail for a scenic and historic hike along the sparkling shores of massive Lake Crescent. With a microclimate of warmer and drier conditions than areas just a few miles away, this trail is a good hiking choice on an overcast afternoon.
 
 

Tunnel Creek

Olympic Peninsula > Hood Canal
 
Length
9.4 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
2,450 feet
Highest Point
5,050 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.76
(17 votes)
  • Established campsites
  • Fall foliage
  • Lakes
  • Mountain views
  • Old growth
  • Ridges/passes

12.24.25: The trail is closed until further notice due to the Tunnel Creek Fire.

Tunnel Creek Trail has two trailheads. Nearly all hikers access the trail from the north side where for the first three miles the moderately easy grade is often within earshot of Tunnel Creek. After crossing the South Fork of Tunnel Creek, the route rises at a steeper but manageable grade past Harrison Lakes to 5050 Pass and some nearby viewpoints. The south side trailhead is on the Dosewallips Road. This segment’s notoriously steep grade to 5050 Pass means it is seldom used. Try it and you’ll find out why.
 
 

Sloan Peak

North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
 
Length
9.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
2,900 feet
Highest Point
7,835 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.89
(9 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Fall foliage
  • Mountain views
  • Rivers
  • Waterfalls

9.3.25: The trail is closed until further notice due to the Red Mountain Fire.

12.24.25: The Mountain Loop Highway is closed at milepost 37.5 (15.5 miles south of Darrington) due to a landslide. This restricts access to FR 49 and this trailhead.

This route on the north side of Sloan Peak is steep and challenging. Hikers with navigational skills can make it to the base of the peak -- climbing gear and expertise is needed to achieve the summit.
 
 

Round Lake

North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
 
Length
11.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
4,300 feet
Highest Point
5,600 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.45
(11 votes)

12.24.25: The Mountain Loop Highway is closed at milepost 37.5 (15.5 miles south of Darrington) due to a landslide. This restricts access to FR 49 and this trailhead.

While Round Lake, tucked securely in a hidden basin on Lost Creek Ridge, is a wonderful locale, this hike is definitely more about the journey than the destination. After a demanding initial grunt, amble along a mile-high, flower-swaying, peak-packed, view-granting ridge. Savor one of the finest vantages for admiring spiraling Sloan Peak's sprawling sparkling glacier. And if you can ever move your eyes away from this mesmerizing mountain, a multitude of others demand your attention as well.
 
 

Red Mountain Lookout

North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
 
Length
2.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
700 feet
Highest Point
2,800 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.50
(2 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Mountain views
  • Old growth
  • Summits
  • Wildlife

12.24.25: The Mountain Loop Highway is closed at milepost 37.5 (15.5 miles south of Darrington) due to a landslide. This restricts access to FR 49 and this trailhead.

This seldom-used trail within Glacier Peak Wilderness leads through an old-growth forest with magnificent, large trees to the site of an old fire lookout build in the 1930s.
 
 

Painted Mountain (Red Mountain)

North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
 
Length
8.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
4,875 feet
Highest Point
6,975 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.33
(6 votes)

12.24.25: The Mountain Loop Highway is closed at milepost 37.5 (15.5 miles south of Darrington) due to a landslide. This restricts access to FR 49 and this trailhead.

A climber's trail past the abandoned lookout on Painted Mountain to higher elevations. Experience and comfort with scrambling necessary for this hike.
 
 

Pilot Ridge

North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
 
Length
11.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
5,946 feet
Rating
Average rating:
2.80
(5 votes)
  • Mountain views
  • Ridges/passes
  • Rivers

12.24.25: The Mountain Loop Highway is closed at milepost 37.5 (15.5 miles south of Darrington) due to a landslide. This restricts access to FR 49 and this trailhead.

A steep, infrequently maintained trail that is part of the White Pass-Pilot Ridge Loop.
 
 

North Fork Sauk River

North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
 
Length
18.2 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
5,078 feet
Highest Point
5,949 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.12
(8 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Established campsites
  • Mountain views
  • Old growth
  • Rivers
  • Wildflowers/Meadows

12.24.25: The Mountain Loop Highway is closed at milepost 37.5 (15.5 miles south of Darrington) due to a landslide. This restricts access to FR 49 and this trailhead.

Some trails go to lakes, some to high viewpoints. This trail is all about the forest, and what a forest it is! Old-growth trees reach for the sky on either side of a brush-free trail, since understory is minimal when the big old trees block out the light. Find fantastic mushrooms here in the fall and forest wildflowers in the spring and early summer.
 
 

North Fork Sauk Falls

North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
 
Length
0.4 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
200 feet
Highest Point
1,500 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.10
(10 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Good for kids
  • Old growth
  • Rivers
  • Waterfalls

12.24.25: The Mountain Loop Highway is closed at milepost 37.5 (15.5 miles south of Darrington) due to a landslide. This restricts access to FR 49 and this trailhead.

This short trail descends 200 feet to the base of a large 45-foot waterfall.
 
 

Lost Creek Ridge

North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
 
Length
14.0 miles, one-way
Elevation Gain
5,000 feet
Highest Point
5,700 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.62
(8 votes)
  • Lakes
  • Mountain views
  • Ridges/passes
  • Wildflowers/Meadows

12.24.25: The Mountain Loop Highway is closed at milepost 37.5 (15.5 miles south of Darrington) due to a landslide. This restricts access to FR 49 and this trailhead.

A rugged trail that offers stunning views and access to several beautiful backcountry lakes.
 
 

Harold Engles Memorial Cedars

North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
 
Length
1.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
200 feet
Highest Point
1,800 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.00
(1 vote)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Fall foliage
  • Good for kids
  • Old growth

12.24.25: The Mountain Loop Highway is closed at milepost 37.5 (15.5 miles south of Darrington) due to a landslide. This restricts access to FR 49 and this trailhead.

This is a half-mile loop hike past giant cedar trees preserved by Harold Engles, a famous Forest Ranger.
 
 

Glacier Peak Meadows

North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
 
Length
25.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
4,350 feet
Highest Point
6,450 feet
Rating
Average rating:
5.00
(1 vote)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Mountain views
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Wildlife

12.24.25: The Mountain Loop Highway is closed at milepost 37.5 (15.5 miles south of Darrington) due to a landslide. This restricts access to FR 49 and this trailhead.

The climb up the North Fork Trail to the Pacific Crest Trail is steep and often buggy, but vast meadows of wildflowers and alpine heaven are the well-earned reward.
 
 

Foam Creek Basin

North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
 
Length
21.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
5,794 feet
Highest Point
6,323 feet
Rating
Average rating:
0.00
(0 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Established campsites
  • Mountain views
  • Ridges/passes
  • Rivers
  • Wildflowers/Meadows

12.24.25: The Mountain Loop Highway is closed at milepost 37.5 (15.5 miles south of Darrington) due to a landslide. This restricts access to FR 49 and this trailhead.

This climber's access trail to Glacier Peak also offers backpackers a delightful morning meander out of White Pass after a very long approach hike.
 
 

Blue Lake High

Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - East
 
Rating
Average rating:
3.50
(4 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Fall foliage
  • Lakes
  • Mountain views

12.24.25: The Mountain Loop Highway is closed at milepost 37.5 (15.5 miles south of Darrington) due to a landslide. This restricts access to FR 49 and this trailhead.

The Blue Lakes High Route ascends a steep, cairn-dotted trail to a high pass with a beautiful view across to Johnson Mountain and down to a sometimes frozen Blue Lake in a rocky basin below.
 
 

Bald Eagle Mountain

Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
 
Length
13.6 miles, one-way
Elevation Gain
3,800 feet
Highest Point
5,800 feet
Rating
Average rating:
1.50
(4 votes)
  • Mountain views
  • Ridges/passes
  • Rivers
  • Waterfalls
  • Wildflowers/Meadows

12.24.25: The Mountain Loop Highway is closed at milepost 37.5 (15.5 miles south of Darrington) due to a landslide. This restricts access to FR 49 and this trailhead.

Enjoy a peaceful river walk followed by nicely graded switchbacks on the way to Bald Eagle Mountain. Views of Monte Cristo and surrounds will be the reward for your efforts.
 
 

White Pass - Pilot Ridge Loop

North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
 
Length
29.2 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
7,500 feet
Highest Point
6,360 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.85
(20 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Established campsites
  • Fall foliage
  • Lakes
  • Mountain views
  • Old growth
  • Ridges/passes
  • Rivers
  • Summits
  • Waterfalls
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Wildlife

12.24.25: The Mountain Loop Highway is closed at milepost 37.5 (15.5 miles south of Darrington) due to a landslide. This restricts access to FR 49 and this trailhead.

A loop hike, beginning and ending in the old-growth forests of the North Fork Sauk River that traverses high ridges and passes of the Pacific crest, visits beautiful alpine lakes, and finally follows the high and lonesome Pilot Ridge Trail before descending back down to the trail junction on the North Fork Sauk River.
 
 

Saddle Lake via Meadow Mountain

North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
 
Length
21.0 miles, roundtrip
Rating
Average rating:
4.50
(4 votes)

Tupso Pass Road is washed out 4.8 miles in and is permanently closed past Canyon Creek bridge (8 miles from the trailhead). Vehicles are prohibited past this point but foot and bike traffic is allowed. It is approx. 9 miles to the trailhead from this point.

Saddle Lake is along the route that accesses the Three Fingers Lookout. It requires an 8-mile road walk before the 2.5 miles to get to the lake. There is no camping allowed at this lake.