Hiker Headlines: Hike-a-Thon begins, free day, new Trailhead Direct stop, Washington cities rank high in hikers

It’s Aug. 1. Hike-a-Thon starts today! This Sunday is Great American Outdoors Day, which celebrates the Great American Outdoors Act, so parking fees will be waived on some federal lands. Be aware of a new campfire ban — as well as some incoming smoke — and a couple of upcoming road closures. Some fun news though: Trailhead Direct has added a new stop and some of Washington cities ranked high in adult hikers compared to metropolitan areas across the country. Here’s some news you may have missed while out on trail this week.

The many wildfires in Washington, Oregon, Canada and other surrounding areas mean hazy conditions in some places in Washington. Photo by trip reporter rkkk.

Hike-a-Thon is here! Today marks the start of the WTA’s 21st annual Hike-a-Thon, a month-long opportunity for everyone who loves the outdoors to support the trails they love while they hike. If you plan to hike in August, we invite you to join in the fun, log your miles, connect with fellow hikers and earn prizes for hitting fundraising benchmarks. Every hiker who gives or raises $35 or more will get a T-shirt (and there are lots of other fun prizes too). 

Fee-free day: This Sunday, Aug. 4, is Great American Outdoors Day! It’s the anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act, which has funded projects in public lands across the country, including significant improvements on the popular Snow Lake and Annette Lake trails, access restoration to the Big Four Ice Caves and big upgrades to the Denny Creek trailhead parking area in Washington state. Parking fees will be waived on lands managed by the National Park Service and the Forest Service. 

Road closures: Be aware of the following closures as you plan your next hike:

• Hurricane Ridge Road will be closed to all traffic this Sunday, Aug. 4, from 7 a.m. to noon due to the annual Ride the Hurricane cycling event.
• Falls Creek Road in the Methow Valley Ranger District will be closed from Aug. 5 through Aug. 23 for construction. This restricts access to the trail to Burch Mountain via the Falls Creek trail. 

Full campfire ban: As of July 26, Olympic National Park and Olympic National Forest have implemented full campfire bans. This includes charcoal fires. Camp stoves that use pressurized or bottled liquid fuel and can be switched off are permitted for use. 

Additional Trailhead Direct stop: Trailhead Direct — a transit-to-trails service in the Seattle, Issaquah and North Bend areas — has added a new stop to its schedule. The bus will now stop at the Eastgate Park and Ride in Bellevue on its way between Seattle and both Mount Si and the Issaquah Alps. The transit service runs every 30 minutes from Seattle to Mount Si and every 60 minutes from Seattle to the Issaquah Alps, and will continue to run every weekend through Sept. 15. 

Washington hiking cities rank high: According to the latest Nielsen data, in 2022 and early 2023, Seattle/Tacoma and Spokane ranked among the metropolitan areas with the highest percentage of adults that go hiking. The data took into account adults who have gone hiking in the past 12 months across 81 metro areas. And it’s no wonder, with all the great trails and adventurous spirit we’ve got here in Washington! 

Smoky, warm conditions this weekend: Winds are forecasted to potentially bring smoke from Oregon and California wildfires up to Washington, so be prepared for decreased air quality and warmer temperatures. Use the AQI and wildfire map layers on WTA's Hike Finder Map to determine air and fire conditions before hitting the trail this weekend. 

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