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
4214 HikesCraggy Peak
South Cascades > Dark Divide
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Length
- 11.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,800 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,275 feet
The Craggy Peak Trail is a beautiful, albeit difficult hike located in one of Washington's least recognized areas: the Dark Divide. Nestled between imposing St. Helens to the west, Adams to the east, and Rainier to the north, the Craggy Peak Trail boasts spectacular views of the surrounding snowy peaks. Because of some necessary bushwhacking, this is quite a difficult hike, yet is doable in a day.
Coyote Trail
South Cascades > White Pass/Cowlitz River Valley
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Length
- 6.8 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 1,480 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,600 feet
The Coyote Trail is within the Goat Rock Wilderness, part of the Gifford Pinchot Forest. It begins at a junction with the Packwood Lake Trail, offering access to Lost Lake and after a grueling climb, the Pacific Crest Trail. This trail will provide the hiker and the backpacker with great views and challenging terrain along with some solitude since it is not a popular or a frequented trail.
Coyote Creek
Issaquah Alps > Cougar Mountain
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Length
- 1.1 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 150 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,350 feet
The Coyote Creek Trail runs north-south through the northern half of Cougar Mountain Regional Park.
Cowlitz Trail
South Cascades > White Pass/Cowlitz River Valley
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Length
- 10.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,348 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,148 feet
Originally a Native American travel route across the Cascade range, the Cowlitz trail now offers visitors multiple loop options and beautiful destinations in the William O. Douglas wilderness.
Cowen and Ravenna Parks
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 4.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 115 feet
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Highest Point
- 200 feet
Cowen and Ravenna Parks form a contiguous urban nature area and green space, containing Ravenna Ravine and Ravenna Creek, in the middle of North Seattle. They contain 4.5 miles of trails that traverse a 0.75-mile stretch of Ravenna Ravine.
Cow Heaven
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 9.6 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 4,040 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,460 feet
With a trailhead accessible year round, Cow Heaven and views of the Skagit and Sauk River Valleys along with the majestic North Cascades are a promising paradise despite the challenge of a zigzag ascent spent mostly within the shelter of the forest.
Cow Creek Meadows
Central Cascades > Entiat Mountains/Lake Chelan
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Length
- 11.25 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 3,500 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,000 feet
Hike through an old burn zone to reach an idyllic meadow high in the Entiat Mountains.
Angel Falls Loop
South Cascades > White Pass/Cowlitz River Valley
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Length
- 3.4 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,100 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,300 feet
Covel Creek trail is a very short, one mile trail with only 50 feet of elevation gain. Hikers can travel through dense forest to a small waterfall, but there is an option to continue on the Angel Falls Loop, which creates a figure-eight, making this longer hike about 4 miles roundtrip.
Constance Pass
Olympic Peninsula > Hood Canal
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Length
- 7.3 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 4,939 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,501 feet
The Constance Pass Trail climbs from the Dosewallips River, over the pass and on to the border between Olympic National Park and the Buckhorn Wilderness in Olympic National Forest, where it continues on with a new name, the Home Lake Trail.
Columbia Springs
Southwest Washington > Vancouver Area
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Length
- 0.3 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 10 feet
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Highest Point
- 20 feet
Just east of Vancouver, off the Evergreen Highway is a delightful little education center that houses a fish hatchery (complete with feeding pond), a small greenspace, and three little trails that are friendly to even the littlest hikers.
Columbia Mountain Snowshoe
Eastern Washington > Okanogan Highlands/Kettle River Range
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Length
- 7.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,400 feet
Go north on the Kettle Crest National Scenic Trail across the southwestern flank of Columbia Mountain. The open summit, the high point for this adventure, holds views of the surrounding Kettle Range.
Colonel Bob Trail - Colonel Bob Peak
Olympic Peninsula > Pacific Coast
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Length
- 14.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 4,292 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,492 feet
Start at 200 feet above sea level and climb to a lofty, scenic peak of 4492 feet on a long, switchbacking trail through stunning old growth forest. WTA has done a lot of work on this trail to improve it after a huge storm in 2007.
Pete's Creek - Colonel Bob Peak
Olympic Peninsula > Pacific Coast
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Length
- 8.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 3,500 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,510 feet
This peak allows for unrivaled views of the Olympic Peninsula. Located on the southwest side of the park, views include the Pacific Ocean, Grays Harbor, Lake Quinault and the Quinault River, the Olympic rainforest and Mount Olympus.
Cold Creek Loop via Tinkham and Silver Peaks
Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass
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Length
- 8.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,600 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,500 feet
This loop takes you past two clear and calm lakes, up a steep, brushy trail to the beautifully manicured Pacific Crest Trail, then west under the blocky granite summit of Tinkham Peak and the shining pyramid of Silver Peak before dropping to Windy Pass.
Colchuck Lake
Central Cascades > Leavenworth Area
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Length
- 8.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,280 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,580 feet
Set beneath two of Washington’s tallest peaks, Colchuck Lake is an alpine gem. It is a larger cousin to the nearby fabled Enchantment Lakes and offers many of the same payoffs – including groves of larches on its far shore – but can be reached with less than half the effort.
Clear Fork Trail
South Cascades > Goat Rocks
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Length
- 9.6 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,200 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,800 feet
Many hikers only see the first couple miles of this trail, since Lily Lake is a popular location for families. But the Clear Fork Trail is many miles long, and offers fantastic adventure past the small lake.
Clackamas Mountain
Eastern Washington > Okanogan Highlands/Kettle River Range
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Length
- 8.8 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,500 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,443 feet
Clackamas Mountain Trail is a focal point for this area. There is a moderate loop here following ridgelines and much of this trail is part of the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail. Many options exist, so take a map to make your adventure.
Church Mountain
North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
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Length
- 8.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 3,750 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,100 feet
The rewards for this strenuous hike are vast alpine meadows and a wide panorama of North Cascades peaks.
Larrabee State Park - Chuckanut Ridge Trail
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
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Length
- 8.9 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,154 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,801 feet
Traverse across beautiful Chuckanut Mountain in Larrabee State Park. Enjoy views of Puget Sound, as well as Mount Baker along this high trail.
Chiwawa River
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - East
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Length
- 12.6 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,100 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,800 feet
The Chiwawa River Trail offers hikers the rugged scenery that's the signature of the Glacier Peak Wilderness but for less effort than other hikes nearby. Try this trail to enjoy solitude while basking in sublime mountain scenery.
Chiwaukum Creek
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - East
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Length
- 4.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 500 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,350 feet
Hike along a raucous waterway to a gorgeous alpine meadow with hiker and stock camps available. It's the perfect basecamp for multi-night adventures.
Chinook Trail
South Cascades
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Length
- 300.0 miles, roundtrip
The Chinook Trail is a vision and work in progress. Once completed it will be a 300+ mile rim-to-rim loop encircling the Columbia River Gorge across both southern Washington and Oregon. While still incomplete, with preparation and research it is possible to hike the entire loop.
China Lake
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 0.6 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 30 feet
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Highest Point
- 295 feet
China Lake is a small forest escape with a trail that takes you around a quiet lake on a green nature walk. Perfect on a sunny day for a stroll and a picnic or for hiding from the rain under a tree canopy, this trail is just a step away from the bustle of city life nearby.
Chewuch River Trail
North Cascades > Pasayten
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Length
- 37.4 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 3,300 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,900 feet
The Chewuch River Trail provides access to the very popular Cathedral Lakes area on the Boundary trail. Walk through a burn zone, lodgepole pine, and meadows as you travel deep into the Pasayten Wilderness.
Chenuis Falls
Mount Rainier Area > NW - Carbon River/Mowich
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Length
- 8.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 500 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,200 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.
A long walk (or short mountain bike ride!) leads to a rolling falls that feeds into the rushing Carbon River.
Chelan Lakeshore Trail
Central Cascades > Entiat Mountains/Lake Chelan
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Length
- 17.0 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 4,030 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,700 feet
Looking for an early-season backpack featuring craggy, snow-capped peaks, a sapphire-blue lake, a myriad of wildflowers, and a trail that’s regularly maintained by WTA volunteers? The 17-mile thru-hike on the Chelan Lakeshore Trail might be just the thing for you.
CCC Road: Upper Trailhead
Snoqualmie Region > North Bend Area
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Length
- 6.8 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 400 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,450 feet
The upper section of the CCC Road is just adjacent to the Middle Fork Road. Hiking this way, you'll avoid the somewhat confusing lower section, where DNR and private property bump up against each other. Here the trail is on National Forest land, so you'll need a Northwest Forest Pass, but the 3.4 miles to the Middle Fork Campground pass through uninterrupted quiet forest, creeks, and lovely views of the nearby peaks.
Cathedral Rock
Snoqualmie Region > Salmon La Sac/Teanaway
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Length
- 8.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,290 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,550 feet
While commonly used to access the Alpine Lakes backcountry, the trail up to Cathedral Pass is a worthy destination on its own. Old growth forest, lakes, subalpine meadows, and an up-close view of the dominating Cathedral Rock make for a satisfying and scenic day hike or short overnight.
Carkeek Park
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
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Length
- 3.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 800 feet
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Highest Point
- 240 feet
Explore forest trails along Piper's Creek and adjoining ridges. Visit a Puget Sound beach and enjoy great views across the Sound to the Olympics. In the fall, observe migrating salmon in the creek.
Carbon River Rain Forest Nature Trail
Mount Rainier Area > NW - Carbon River/Mowich
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Length
- 0.6 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 20 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,780 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.
The Carbon River Rain Forest Nature Trail is a pleasant and easy stroll that offers two short segments which can be combined to create a 0.6 mile roundtrip walk. Both paths penetrate primeval rain forest where giant ferns, maples, and spruce tower above charming cedar puncheon bridges and babbling brooks. This hike is great in any season, and takes on particular wildness in winter. Interpretive signs and photo opportunities abound.