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
4216 HikesPleasant 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
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.
Naches Peak Loop
Mount Rainier Area > SE - Cayuse Pass/Stevens Canyon
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Length
- 3.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 600 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,850 feet
SR 410 (Chinook Pass) is closed between Crystal Mountain Boulevard (12 mi north of summit) and Morse Creek (5 mi east of summit) for the winter season.
This popular hike provides a range of alpine experiences in a short loop. Walk along a hillside above a small valley, pause at a viewpoint overlooking a lake and stroll through grassy meadows with stunning views of Mount Rainier. In season, enjoy an abundance of wildflowers or perhaps a handful of huckleberries.
Mount David
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - East
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Length
- 14.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 5,800 feet
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Highest Point
- 7,420 feet
This is a fantastic trip -- amble along a river before making a steep climb to breathtaking ridge walks and astounding views of the craggy Cascades.
Mount Aix
Mount Rainier Area > Chinook Pass - Hwy 410
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Length
- 12.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 4,650 feet
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Highest Point
- 7,766 feet
The Mount Aix trail leads to a lofty world above the tree line, with views in all directions, and access to other trails for wandering in the open. On a clear day, you can see Mount Adams, Mount St. Helens, the Goat Rocks, Mount Rainier and the Stuart Range, just to mention the more identifiable peaks.
Mesatchee Creek
Mount Rainier Area > Chinook Pass - Hwy 410
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Length
- 11.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,750 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,875 feet
SR 410 (Chinook Pass) is closed between Crystal Mountain Boulevard (12 mi north of summit) and Morse Creek (5 mi east of summit) for the winter season.
If you want both a walk in the sunshine and a walk through the trees, Mesatchee Creek is the place to go! Keep your feet dry on the turnpikes and bridge made by WTA.
Jefferson Ridge
Olympic Peninsula > Hood Canal
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Length
- 4.8 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,832 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,832 feet
In an area known for rhododendrons and stunning mountain views, find a relatively easy hike to a high ridgeline that used to house a fire lookout tower.
Indian Creek
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - East
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Length
- 11.0 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 2,700 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,000 feet
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.
Goat Peak
Mount Rainier Area > Chinook Pass - Hwy 410
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Length
- 6.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 3,200 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,473 feet
Goat Peak offers expansive views into the William O. Douglas Wilderness and beyond. Once the site of a U.S. Forest Service lookout, Goat Peak’s 6,400-foot summit showcases such impressive gems as the Goat Rocks, Bumping Lake, Mount Rainier, Fife’s Peak, and the Stuart Range.
Glacier Peak Circumnavigation
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - East
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Length
- 88.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 25,300 feet
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Highest Point
- 7,071 feet
What better way to experience the Glacier Peak Wilderness than by hiking round-the-mountain from old-growth glacier valleys to airy alpine ridgelines? This classic volcanic circumnavigation serves up the miles and elevation gain and is best given at least 5-10 days to complete without accounting for side explorations and bad weather.
Fish Lake
Mount Rainier Area > Chinook Pass - Hwy 410
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Length
- 1.7 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 265 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,914 feet
A one mile trail in the Bumping River Valley connecting Road 1800 with Bumping Lake Trail.
Elk Lakes
Olympic Peninsula > Hood Canal
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Length
- 4.9 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 400 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,200 feet
This hiker-only trail makes for a quick way to sample the ecosystem on the east slope of the Olympic mountains. Plus, it's a decent starter backpacking trip for kids and makes for a nice day for birdwatchers.
American Ridge
Mount Rainier Area > Chinook Pass - Hwy 410
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Length
- 12.0 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 2,950 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,310 feet
A steep and dusty trail to a long, beautiful ridge where the rambling is fine, often among a band of elk.
Agnes Gorge
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 5.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 300 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,000 feet
This easy day hike is a great destination for families staying in the Stehekin Valley. Huckleberries line the slopes in the fall, and the 200-foot deep gorge you hike along provides thrills at any time of year. Plus, it's a relatively short hike in a valley of miles-long trails.
Dewey Lake
Mount Rainier Area > Chinook Pass - Hwy 410
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Length
- 6.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,270 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,900 feet
SR 410 (Chinook Pass) is closed between Crystal Mountain Boulevard (12 mi north of summit) and Morse Creek (5 mi east of summit) for the winter season.
To misquote a famous author, this hike can be "the best of trips or the worst of trips". Done in the right season, it has beautiful flowers, ripe berries, expansive views, great campsites, fishing, and swimming. Done in the wrong season, it has treacherous avalanche chute crossings, wet trail, no flowers, muddy campsites, and horrendous bugs.
Cougar Lakes
Mount Rainier Area > Chinook Pass - Hwy 410
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Length
- 12.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,700 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,400 feet
Ford a river, climb through forest and end at two lakes in the heart of a wilderness area -- Cougar Lake is a gorgeous respite for hikers in the William O. Douglas wilderness.
Copper City Ghost Town
Mount Rainier Area > Chinook Pass - Hwy 410
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Length
- 0.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 27 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,076 feet
Once the center of mining activity in Yakima County, Copper City served 42 active mining claims from 1907 to 1942. The founders of the town hoped to boom when the railroad came through, but the tracks were never put down. Walk the old mine-to-market road into town, where only the collapsed remains of a few buildings remain.
Bumping Lake
Mount Rainier Area > Chinook Pass - Hwy 410
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Length
- 9.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 300 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,700 feet
A gentle hike through stands of mature larches and other conifers along the shores of Bumping Lake. The trail is also a good alternate route to Swamp Lake Trail #970 or to Pacific Crest Trail #2000 when a ford of the Bumping River is too hazardous.
Buckner Orchard Walk
Central Cascades > Entiat Mountains/Lake Chelan
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Length
- 1.6 miles, roundtrip
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Highest Point
- 1,200 feet
Take a walk around the historic (and still operational) apple orchard in the Stehekin valley.
Boulder Creek
Central Cascades > Leavenworth Area
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Length
- 17.25 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 4,850 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,310 feet
Boulder River leads to magnificent views of Napeequa Valley and the Glacier Peak Wilderness.
White River
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - East
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Length
- 8.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 900 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,507 feet
The White River gets its name from the glacial flour pouring down from the heights of the Dakobed Range via Foam, Lightning, and Thunder Creeks. The milky blue-white color is a result of suspended rock particles that have been ground down from the peaks over millennia.
Upper Stehekin Valley Road Trail
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 11.4 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 1,100 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,400 feet
Once upon a time, the road in Stehekin extended all the way to Cottonwood Camp, more than ten miles further into the lush green valley. But strong river activity due to snowmelt and rain events washed the road out frequently, and for one final time in 2003. Now it's accessible by foot only, and many of the trails found along this route are some of your best chance for solitude in the state.
Twin Sisters Lakes
Mount Rainier Area > Chinook Pass - Hwy 410
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Length
- 4.4 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 900 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,200 feet
A long dirt road provides access to the central trailhead for the William O. Douglas Wilderness Area. The popular, easy forest hike to the Twin Sisters Lakes is a prelude to miles of exploration possible on trails and cross-country through open forest, past meadows, ponds, and lakes.
Swamp Lake
Mount Rainier Area > Chinook Pass - Hwy 410
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Length
- 9.4 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,400 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,000 feet
Despite its name, Swamp Lake is a lovely little destination in the William O. Douglas wilderness near Mount Rainier. It's popular with fishermen and backpackers, though it can be extremely buggy in early summer.
Pacific Crest Trail - Stehekin to Rainy Pass
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 18.7 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 3,600 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,900 feet
Connect between the Stehekin River and Rainy Pass on this section of the Pacific Crest Trail. Views of peaks in every direction capture the hiker's attention as you walk through the beautiful North Cascades.
Stehekin River Trail
Central Cascades > Entiat Mountains/Lake Chelan
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Length
- 7.6 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 100 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,200 feet
If you’re overnighting in the Stehekin Valley and just want a riverside ramble to while away the hours, try the Stehekin River Trail. It’s an easy forested walk along the mighty Stehekin River on a side of the valley that few visitors get to see.
Sage Hills
Central Washington > Wenatchee
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Length
- 5.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 650 feet
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Highest Point
- 800 feet
This trail is closed between Dec 1 and April 1 each year to protect mule deer and other wildlife.
Just adjacent to the equally popular Horse Lake Reserve, the Sage Hills is home to great trails for hiking, running, or mountain biking. The rolling hills found at Sage Hills offer wonderful views of the Columbia River, the Wenatchee Valley and the North Cascades. Springtime brings vibrant color to the area with wild sage, yellow arrowleaf balsamroot, Indian paintbrush and purple lupine abound.
Sauer's Mountain
Central Cascades > Leavenworth Area
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Length
- 6.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,000 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,116 feet
This trail is on private property, and is made accessible thanks to the property owner who built it. There is only room for about 10 cars at the trailhead, so if there are more than that when you arrive, please head elsewhere, since parking beyond the signs is not allowed.
Bonanza Peak
Central Cascades > Entiat Mountains/Lake Chelan
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Length
- 14.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 6,300 feet
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Highest Point
- 9,511 feet
The route to Bonanza Peak is a Class 4 and involves exposed scrambling. Gear and experience recommended.
Copper Creek
Olympic Peninsula > Hood Canal
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Length
- 5.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,400 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,200 feet
7.7.25: This trail and FR 24 are closed until further notice due to the Bear Gulch Fire.
Whatever you like most about hiking, this trail has something for you, whether it’s a quick ascent, a period of more level ground, a peek-a-boo view, a quintessential Olympic Peninsula rain forest, or a ridge top.
Oneonta Gorge
Southwest Washington > Columbia River Gorge - OR
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Length
- 3.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 425 feet
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Highest Point
- 385 feet
This lovely trail loops around Oneonta Gorge and takes you behind Ponytail Falls.