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 HikesPotlatch State Park
Olympic Peninsula > Hood Canal
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Length
- 0.2 miles of trails
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Elevation Gain
- 10 feet
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Highest Point
- 10 feet
Whether you’re visiting for the day or setting up camp for a longer adventure, Potlatch State Park is the perfect place to enjoy the gifts of Hood Canal, featuring a campground for any camping setup, calm waters for kayaking or diving and overnight mooring options.
Port Gamble Forest - Forbidden Forest Trail Loop
Olympic Peninsula > Kitsap Peninsula
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Length
- 8.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 350 feet
Enjoy a long ramble through the Port Gamble Forest full of second-growth Douglas firs and lots of ferns.
Pomas Creek
Central Cascades > Entiat Mountains/Lake Chelan
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Length
- 5.0 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 3,100 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,985 feet
The Pomas Creek trail is a 5-mile connector trail that can be used to create a 21.5-mile lollipop loop in conjunction with the Entiat River Trail.
Point Defiance Park
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 5.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 200 feet
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Highest Point
- 300 feet
As the largest urban park in Pierce County, the network of roads and trails weaving through the forest preserve provides a quiet retreat for joggers, cyclists, and hikers.
Pleasant Valley Lake
Mount Rainier Area > Chinook Pass - Hwy 410
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Length
- 5.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,350 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,740 feet
9.3.25: The trail is closed until further notice due to the Wildcat Fire.
Climb through the forest, including a short burn area from 2017, up to the American Ridge Trail. Enroute there is easy access to an unnamed lake and little-used cross-country access to Pleasant Valley Lake.
Pioneer Park - La Conner
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
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Length
- 0.75 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 360 feet
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Highest Point
- 140 feet
La Conner is well known for its museums, interesting shops, pubs and dining establishments. Less well-known is this small park at the southwest corner of town that offers a forested retreat with a few short hiking trails and some wildflowers in season. As a hike extension, continue on across Swinomish Channel to visit a tribal park.
Pinnacle Saddle
Mount Rainier Area > SE - Cayuse Pass/Stevens Canyon
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Length
- 2.5 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,000 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,920 feet
Stevens Canyon Road is closed for the winter season.
Imagine that you are looking through a telephoto lens at one of those iconic images of Mount Rainier taken from the south. Now zoom out to a wider view of the entire mountain, the thick forests below timberline, the enormous brown gash of the Nisqually River Valley, and beside it the verdant parkland that became known as Paradise. This is the view from the Pinnacle Saddle trail.
Pine Marten Trail
South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
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Length
- 1.7 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 203 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,803 feet
A rolling snowshoe route departing from the Marble Mountain Sno-Park near Mount St. Helens.
Phil's Creek
Issaquah Alps > Squak Mountain
A trail on the west side of Squak Mountain. Part of the Phil's Trail - Thrush Gap Loop, and connects to Old Griz, Summit Trail, May Valley Loop, and East Side Trail.
Pete Lake
Snoqualmie Region > Salmon La Sac/Teanaway
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Length
- 9.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 400 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,200 feet
The Pete Lake trail is a mild-mannered path with something to offer for hikers, campers, children, birders, wildlife enthusiasts, and aquaphiles. This even-tempered route follows the Cooper River 4.5 miles to its headwater, passing through a diverse old-growth forest and terminating at an alpine lake sitting in the shadows of Big Summit Chief and Chimney Rock.
Peshastin Pinnacles State Park
Central Cascades > Leavenworth Area
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Length
- 1.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 400 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,450 feet
Peshastin Pinnacles State Park is closed for the winter. It will reopen again on March 15.
Largely used as a climbing park, Peshastin Pinnacles also makes an ideal stop on Highway 2 to stretch your legs, or as a destination during a visit to Leavenworth, Wenatchee, Cashmere or Chelan. A short trail system offers a nice zigzag, moderately steep loop tour of the base of the climbing areas, and a picnic area makes for a great way to finish the visit off.
Perimeter Loop Trail
Issaquah Alps > Squak Mountain
Extend your hike on Squak Mountain by connecting the May Valley Trail with the Chybinski Trail via the Perimeter Loop Trail.
Peek-a-Boo Lake
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
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Length
- 5.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,500 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,350 feet
Enjoy a swim in a nice quiet lake surrounded by forest. Due to the narrow road, lack of spectacular scenery and few campsites, this lake does not get as many visitors as other hikes in the area do. The trail receives little maintenance so it is a bit rough, but it is easily followed.
Pear Lake
Central Cascades > Leavenworth Area
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Length
- 13.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,200 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,200 feet
An aptly-named alpine gem, Pear Lake nestles below Fortune Mountain and can be reached by combining the Top Lake Trail with a short jaunt north on the Pacific Crest Trail. It provides access and a jumping-off point for hikers, backpackers, equestrian riders and trail work parties alike headed into the backcountry of the Henry M. Jackson and Glacier Peak Wildernesses and beyond.
Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) - Hart's Pass to Holman Pass
North Cascades > Pasayten
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Length
- 14.4 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 2,100 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,900 feet
Stunning section of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). Starts high and stays high, going from Hart's Pass to Windy Pass to Holman Pass.
Paul Peak
Mount Rainier Area > NW - Carbon River/Mowich
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Length
- 5.72 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,446 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,735 feet
The Fairfax Bridge (3 miles south of Carbonado) is closed to all vehicle and pedestrian traffic until further notice due to safety concerns. The bridge closure renders this hike inaccessible.
An unconventional hike that starts downhill and finishes uphill, the Paul Peak Trail never climbs its namesake. Instead, it skirts the peak while providing a unique glimpse of Mount Rainier's northwest face.
Panjab Trail
Eastern Washington > Palouse and Blue Mountains
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Length
- 5.6 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 2,500 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,600 feet
Wildflowers, wildlife, and great views of Eastern Washington’s wild Blue Mountains: the Panjab Loop Trail offers it all.
Palisades Park
Eastern Washington > Spokane Area/Coeur d'Alene
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Length
- 7.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 500 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,200 feet
The Palisades Conservation Area must have been what the Chamber of Commerce had in mind when it came up with the Spokane logo, “Near Nature, Near Perfect.” Visitors to this city park can both view wildlife and native plants in the foreground and peer out over the cityscape from the edge of the basalt cliffs.
Packwood Lake
South Cascades > Goat Rocks
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Length
- 10.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,200 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,200 feet
When most of Washington’s alpine lakes are still snow-covered, Packwood Lake rewards hikers with a relaxing early-season hike ideal for dusting off your boots.
Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) Section K - Stevens Pass to Rainy Pass
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - East
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Length
- 123.0 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 26,351 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,600 feet
By far the most difficult stretch of PCT in Washington, Section K puts hikers through a grueling 127-mile trek over harsh terrain and treacherous conditions. Yet those intrepid enough to attempt it are rewarded with a true wilderness experience in and among some of the country's most pristine and beautiful surroundings.
Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) Section J - Snoqualmie Pass to Stevens Pass
Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass
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Length
- 74.7 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 16,000 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,988 feet
Crossing through the stunning Alpine Lakes Wilderness, this section is a must-do for serious Washington backpackers. This 75-mile section leads through some of the most beautiful, remote and varied surroundings along the PCT.
Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) Section I - White Pass to Snoqualmie Pass
South Cascades > White Pass/Cowlitz River Valley
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Length
- 99.0 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 17,771 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,530 feet
9.3.25: The PCT is closed between Chinook Pass (mile 2326.7) and the junction with the Bumping Lake trail (mile 2311.8) until further notice due to the Wildcat Fire. The Chinook Pass trailhead southbound is also closed.
Starting in well-protected sub-alpine wilderness and descending into heavily-logged, privately-owned land, this stretch of the PCT offers a dramatic illustration of the effects of public land protection and private industry on Washington's landscape.
Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) Section H - Bridge of the Gods to White Pass
Southwest Washington > Columbia River Gorge - WA
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Length
- 147.5 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 27,996 feet
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Highest Point
- 7,800 feet
Offering spectacular views of the three southern volcanoes in Washington, lakes, meadows and wildlife over relatively moderate terrain, Section H is the perfect starting point for the Washington portion of the Pacific Crest Trail.
Oval Lakes
North Cascades > Methow/Sawtooth
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Length
- 20.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 6,740 feet
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Highest Point
- 7,705 feet
This rugged route is long, but there are many options along the way for side trips, stopping spots, and places to relax.
Taylor River - Otter Falls
Snoqualmie Region > North Bend Area
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Length
- 8.16 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,150 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,750 feet
Lose yourself in second-growth forest as you traverse an old logging road that heads into quiet wilderness just an hour from the urban sprawl of Puget Sound. Enjoy the sounds of water rushing and birds singing. Explore mossy boulders and cross multiple burbling creeks, even do a small amount of cross-country travel on the way to the piece de resistance – a 1,200 foot waterfall that streams into tiny Lipsy Lake before draining to the Taylor River.
Olsen Creek
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
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Length
- 5.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,038 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,614 feet
Looking for a modest, mostly shaded climb with a view of the San Juan Islands as a mid-hike treat? Check out the Olsen Creek trail system, a part of the Washington Department of Natural Resources' 2019 Baker to Bellingham Non-motorized Recreation Plan. WTA is one of a few partners to have spent many hours helping build the trail system from the ground up.
Old Robe Canyon
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
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Length
- 4.8 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 350 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,050 feet
The trail is closed about a mile in due to landslides.
Short, easy trail to the Stillaguamish River and the site of the railroad town of Robe and great views of the Stilliguamish River as it races by. The trail switchbacks through a forest of alder down to a forest of big leaf maple draped with lush mosses, liverwort and licorice fern. The forest floor is thick with fern and colorful salmonberry. Watch the kids! The Stilliguamish runs swift and deep here, especially during periods of high water flow. It is not recommended to continue on to the old railroad tunnels due to trail washout, slope slump and rockfall.
Old Griz
Issaquah Alps > Squak Mountain
A connector trail on the east side of Squak Mountain. Make loops of Summit Trail and Phil's Creek or East Ridge Trail with Old Griz.
Observation Peak
Southwest Washington > Lewis River Region
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Length
- 5.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,460 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,207 feet
Visit a the site of an old fire lookout, where you'll have views for miles in all directions on a clear day. Along the way, you'll enjoy wildflowers of many varieties, beargrass, and plump huckleberries in the summertime.
Notch Pass
Olympic Peninsula > Hood Canal
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Length
- 8.6 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,700 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,500 feet
Believed to be a former Native American trading route through the Olympics, this historic trail was rebuilt by the Civilian Conservation Corps (the CCC) in the 1930s. It was relocated in the early 2000s and is a popular WTA volunteer work party site to this day. The route now goes through a notch easily spied from Highway 101 in the Quilcene Range, climbing steeply to the notch and then traversing the hillside.