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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

4205 Hikes

Kloochman Butte Trail

Southwest Washington > Columbia River Gorge - WA
 
Length
4.8 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,340 feet
Highest Point
3,780 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.00
(1 vote)
  • Fall foliage
  • Mountain views
  • Ridges/passes
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
This route is a section of the Chinook Trail System, a yet-to-be-completed 300-mile bi-state loop encircling the Columbia River Gorge. The #180B section connects the Tarbell Trail to the Silver Star Trail. Many still refer to this section as the Kloochman Butte Trail.
 
 

Klondike Swamp

Issaquah Alps > Cougar Mountain
 
Length
2.5 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
110 feet
Highest Point
1,270 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.17
(6 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Fall foliage
  • Good for kids
The Klondike Swamp Trail traverses much of what is special about Cougar Mountain Park, utilizing old logging roads and railroad grades that take you through charming second growth forest. The loop is easily accessed from the Sky Country Trailhead in Bellevue, and offers a nearly level grade for most of the journey.
 
 

Klickitat Loop Trail

South Cascades > White Pass/Cowlitz River Valley
 
Length
26.7 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
6,463 feet
Highest Point
5,275 feet
Rating
Average rating:
0.00
(0 votes)
  • Lakes
Overgrown, rugged and likely difficult to navigate at times, the Klickitat Loop Trail links together multiple trails (including the eponymous trail itself) to create a large loop just outside of the Goat Rocks Wilderness.
 
 

Klickitat Trail

South Cascades > White Pass/Cowlitz River Valley
 
Length
17.1 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,000 feet
Highest Point
5,500 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.60
(5 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Fall foliage
  • Mountain views
  • Ridges/passes
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
A former Native American route into the high country of the South Cascades, the Klickitat Trail traverses a ridgetop between Kilborn Creek to Elk Peak. Views of Mount Adams and the south Cascades are breathtaking on clear days. From the ridgeline, hikers can spot Castle Butte, Jackpot Lake, St. Michaels Lake, and St. John Lake.
 
 

Carlton Ridge

South Cascades > White Pass/Cowlitz River Valley
 
Length
8.8 miles, one-way
Elevation Gain
2,400 feet
Highest Point
5,600 feet
Rating
Average rating:
2.50
(4 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
This 9-mile, rugged trail trail delivers hikers into the remote William O. Douglas Wilderness at mile 3.5 and offers excellent views of Mount Rainier. It's also a great way to access the deep woods off of Highway 12, where you can loop hike to your heart's content.
 
 

Killen Creek to High Camp

South Cascades > Mount Adams Area
 
Length
10.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
2,300 feet
Highest Point
6,900 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.19
(21 votes)
  • Established campsites
  • Mountain views
  • Old growth
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Wildlife
Take this remote, flower-filled trail up the north side of Mount Adams to the rocky alpine terrain of giant glaciers.
 
 

Kettle Crest North

Eastern Washington > Okanogan Highlands/Kettle River Range
 
Length
29.0 miles, one-way
Elevation Gain
5,200 feet
Highest Point
7,135 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.50
(8 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Established campsites
  • Fall foliage
  • Mountain views
  • Old growth
  • Ridges/passes
  • Summits
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Wildlife
With 12 named peaks along a route that starts and stays high, hikers can expect big views, no crowds and excellent stargazing.
 
 

Kelly Butte

Mount Rainier Area > Chinook Pass - Hwy 410
 
Length
3.4 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,100 feet
Highest Point
5,409 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.05
(22 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Fall foliage
  • Mountain views
  • Summits
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Wildlife
This is a nice, short hike to a recently repaired fire lookout. Guidebooks do not include recent upgrades to the trail and road to the trailhead. The trail is no longer only accessible via a scramble, but trail that switchbacks through wildflowers and interesting rock walls which was constructed in 2007. The lookout itself has been repaired, making it a nice lunch stop.
 
 

Kelley Creek

Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
 
Rating
Average rating:
3.25
(4 votes)
An old access point to an infrequently-maintained route up Scorpion Mountain. There is no parking available at this trailhead and has not been maintained in years.
 
 

Kalama Ski Trail

South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
 
Length
7.0 miles, one-way
Rating
Average rating:
0.00
(0 votes)
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Mountain views
The Kalama Ski Trail is a ski route near Mount St. Helens that connects the Cougar Sno-Park with the Kalama Horse Camp. Visitors should expect to share the area with snowmobilers on weekends, though it is often very quiet on weekdays.
 
 

Kalaloch Creek Nature Trail

Olympic Peninsula > Pacific Coast
 
Length
0.8 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
20 feet
Highest Point
25 feet
Rating
Average rating:
5.00
(1 vote)
  • Coast
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Established campsites
  • Good for kids
  • Old growth
  • Rivers
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Wildlife
If the tide is high, or you just want to see a different side of the Olympic Peninsula while you're visiting the coast, cross Highway 101 from the Kalaloch campground and take a peek into the deep Olympic forest.
 
 

Kalaloch - Browns Point

Olympic Peninsula > Pacific Coast
 
Length
4.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
25 feet
Highest Point
25 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.00
(10 votes)
  • Coast
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Good for kids
Wild and mercurial, the Olympic Coast has a special appeal in the spring and fall. Grassy bluffs, cliffside caves and tidal pools are all to be found along this four-mile beach hike near the Kalaloch Campground. So shrug on your rain gear and enjoy the bird watching, sense of solitude and stunning seascapes.
 
 

Kachess Lake

Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass
 
Length
1.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
50 feet
Highest Point
2,300 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.89
(9 votes)
  • Good for kids
  • Lakes
  • Old growth
The Kachess Lake Shore trail is a short, one-mile jaunt along Kachess Lake, good for campers in the summer or a short snowshoe in winter.
 
 

Juniper Ridge

South Cascades > Dark Divide
 
Length
6.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,900 feet
Highest Point
5,611 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.88
(17 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Mountain views
  • Ridges/passes
  • Summits
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
Boasting views of massive Cascade volcanoes, constellations of wildflowers, and an embarrassment of huckleberries, the Juniper Ridge Trail offers an excellent opportunity for a backpacking trip, complete with views or shorter day hikes from the ridge.
 
 

June Lake

South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
 
Length
2.86 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
445 feet
Highest Point
3,140 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.78
(9 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Good for kids
  • Lakes
  • Mountain views
  • Ridges/passes
  • Waterfalls
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Wildlife
This sweet little hike on the south side of Mount St. Helens is a good destination for families seeking a short day hike, but it is also one access point for the round-the-mountain Loowit Trail, and a popular snowshoeing location, so it sees a fair amount of traffic year-round.
 
 

Jug Lake

South Cascades > White Pass/Cowlitz River Valley
 
Length
7.4 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,485 feet
Highest Point
4,480 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.00
(11 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Established campsites
  • Lakes
A quiet lake surrounded by healthy forest and marshy meadows invites hikers to find a seat on its shoreline and rest the soul.
 
 

John Tursi Trail

Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
 
Length
2.2 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
600 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.50
(2 votes)
  • Coast
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Good for kids
  • Old growth
  • Ridges/passes
  • Wildlife
Discover the natural history of South Fidalgo Island on this beautiful forested trail. The trail traverses past meadows and rocky balds, a red rock quarry, a miner’s shack, the “rock” of artist Morris Graves’ lore, and views of Pass Lake, Campbell Lake, and Mount Erie.
 
 

Jacobson Preserve

Central Washington > Wenatchee
 
Length
2.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
340 feet
Highest Point
1,440 feet
Rating
Average rating:
0.00
(0 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Good for kids
  • Summits
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Wildlife
Located just outside of the Wenatchee city limits, Jacobson Preserve is part of the just 3 percent of historic, undisturbed shrub-steppe in Washington. Here you'll find rabbitbrush, Sagebrush, Arrowhead balsamroot and antelope bitterbrush, all main sources of food for muledeer. The area is so important, in fact, that it has been established as important habitat for the deer, and there are three monitoring points in the preserve to observe the shrub steppe as it is being reclaimed to native habitat.
 
 

Jackson Creek

Eastern Washington > Selkirk Range
 
Length
10.0 miles, one-way
Elevation Gain
2,600 feet
Highest Point
5,600 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.00
(1 vote)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Fall foliage
  • Mountain views
  • Old growth
  • Ridges/passes
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Wildlife
This meandering trail through old-growth forest follows Jackson Creek, connecting the Shedroof Divide in Washington to Hughes Meadows in Idaho.
 
 

Island Center Forest

Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
 
Length
10.0 miles of trails
Elevation Gain
200 feet
Highest Point
425 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.20
(5 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Fall foliage
  • Good for kids
  • Wildlife
With lovely Douglas-fir forest, wetlands, and a great network of trails, Island Center Forest is one of King County's best-kept secrets. Birds are abundant on the wetlands, and the forest is lush, with large, second-growth trees, a testament to the effort that several groups have put into managing this forest in order to restore the health of this area.
 
 

Iron Goat Trail

Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
 
Length
6.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
700 feet
Highest Point
2,800 feet
Rating
Average rating:
4.12
(56 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Mountain views
  • Rivers
  • Waterfalls
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
Take a hike through railroad history. The old tunnels, rusting relics, cement snow sheds and the big red caboose should appeal to kids of all ages, and the complex history of the railroad and those who built it, as well as the avalanche that wiped everything away will appeal to history buffs.
 
 

Ira Spring Wetland

Olympic Peninsula > Pacific Coast
 
Length
2.9 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
300 feet
Highest Point
400 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.67
(3 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Good for kids
  • Old growth
  • Rivers
  • Wildlife
Discover the true beauty of the Bogachiel Rain Forest on the Ira Spring Wetland trail. This short trail will take you on a loop through a fern forest and around a large wetland. While leashed dogs are allowed in on the Ira Wetland trail, they are NOT allowed in the Olympic National Park, the boundary of which is 1.6 miles along the Bogachiel Trail.
 
 

Interurban Trail

Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
 
Length
11.8 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
300 feet
Highest Point
350 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.00
(3 votes)
  • Coast
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Mountain views
  • Waterfalls
This trail can be short or long, depending on how much you want to hike and which trailhead you start from. Along the way, you will pass several quaint waterfalls and some spectacular views of the San Juan Islands and Chuckanut Bay.
 
 

Indian Heaven

South Cascades > Mount Adams Area
 
Length
6.6 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,100 feet
Highest Point
5,100 feet
Rating
Average rating:
2.50
(8 votes)
  • Lakes
  • Mountain views
  • Ridges/passes
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
Indian Heaven trail provides access to one of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest's most popular areas. The Indian Heaven Wilderness is a high, forested plateau dotted with lakes and berry-filled meadows. Its a lovely location for a day hike or a backpacking trip. Some connect this trail with Cultus Creek trail and the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) to make a popular loop hike.
 
 
 
Length
0.58 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
35 feet
Highest Point
2,200 feet
Rating
Average rating:
0.00
(0 votes)
  • Fall foliage
  • Good for kids
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Wildlife
The Arboretum Loop Trail is a short interpretive trail within the Indian Creek Community Forest.
 
 

Indian Creek

South Cascades > White Pass/Cowlitz River Valley
 
Length
8.0 miles, one-way
Rating
Average rating:
4.25
(4 votes)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
An infrequently-maintained trail in the William O Douglas wilderness.
 
 

Indian Creek

Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - East
 
Length
11.0 miles, one-way
Elevation Gain
2,700 feet
Highest Point
5,000 feet
Rating
Average rating:
2.43
(7 votes)
  • Established campsites
  • Mountain views
  • Old growth
  • Rivers
  • Wildlife

9.3.25: The trail is closed between Deep Creek horse camp to 0.35 mi in (to the closure boundary) until further notice due to the Wildcat Fire. The Deep Creek horse camp/trailhead is also closed.

Beautiful mixed forests surround you as saunter up Indian Creek towards the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). Surrounded by peaks on all sides, this crucial connector to the PCT in the ultra-rugged Glacier Peak Wilderness requires keen navigation skills (and a strong sense of adventure) as years of overgrown brush make this trail difficult to follow.
 
 

Independence Ridge

South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
 
Length
2.6 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
40 feet
Highest Point
4,500 feet
Rating
Average rating:
0.00
(0 votes)
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Fall foliage
  • Good for kids
  • Lakes
  • Mountain views
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Wildlife
A connector trail in the Mount St. Helens area linking Independence Pass with the Boundary Trail. Views from here include Spirit Lake and the north side of the volcano.
 
 

Independence and North Lakes

North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
 
Length
7.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
2,200 feet
Highest Point
4,950 feet
Rating
Average rating:
3.93
(28 votes)
  • Established campsites
  • Good for kids
  • Lakes
  • Mountain views
  • Old growth
  • Ridges/passes
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
Surrounded by a rugged topography cloaked in ancient forest, the setting is as wild as any along the Mountain Loop Highway, except for one noticeable difference. North and Independence lack the crowds that inundate nearby backcountry lakes.
 
 

Blanchard Hill - Alternate Incline Trail

Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
 
Length
4.2 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,000 feet
Highest Point
1,890 feet
Rating
Average rating:
5.00
(1 vote)
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Good for kids
  • Mountain views
A short but steep backdoor connector trail on the lower east side of Chuckanut Mountain, the Alternate Incline offers access to Lily and Lizard Lakes, North Butte, Oyster Dome and even the Pacific Northwest Trail from the spacious Blanchard Hill upper trailhead parking lot.