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
4215 HikesHope and Mig Lakes
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
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Length
- 5.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,550 feet
-
Highest Point
- 4,650 feet
This hike has deep forest, pretty mountain lakes, fall color, and plenty of good trail to walk on without watching your feet all the time.
McCormick Forest Park
Olympic Peninsula > Kitsap Peninsula
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Length
- 3.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 200 feet
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Highest Point
- 400 feet
A 122 acre park near Gig Harbor, with trails that offer a wide range of difficulty, from flat, to 200 foot elevation gains.
Bus Trail
Issaquah Alps > Tiger Mountain
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Length
- 0.7 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 200 feet
-
Highest Point
- 500 feet
See history in your backyard. Tiger Mountain is full of historic trails, but the Bus Trail gets its name from an old bus that lies on its side along the trail. Kids will love exploring the area, and the Bus Trail can be used to make a huge variety of loops on the north side of Tiger Mountain.
LIttle Blacktail Mountain
Eastern Washington > Spokane Area/Coeur d'Alene
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Length
- 5.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 1,750 feet
-
Highest Point
- 4,960 feet
This is an old lookout site that towers nearly 3000 feet above Lake Pend Oreille. The trail is mixed use and open to motorcycles and offers splendid views from the top.
Park Creek Pass via Thunder Creek
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 40.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 7,000 feet
-
Highest Point
- 6,000 feet
Try a multi-day backpack up the tumbling, boisterous, river-like Thunder Creek from the Colonial Creek Campground to just beyond its headwaters at Park Creek Pass. Backpackers can turn around at Park Creek Pass or do a traverse to Cascade Pass.
Flat Creek
Central Cascades > Entiat Mountains/Lake Chelan
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Length
- 11.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 500 feet
-
Highest Point
- 2,000 feet
Flat Creek is a short day hike out of the Flat Creek Campground on the old Stehekin Valley Road. However, to get to the Stehekin road is a day or more trip, so you'll need to plan more than one day for this trip.
Snow Lake - Winter
Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass
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Length
- 10.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 2,000 feet
-
Highest Point
- 5,100 feet
Multiple avalanche chutes cross this trail. Hikers should have experience navigating avalanche territory and the appropriate safety gear.
One of Washington's most popular destinations in the summer, the trail to Snow Lake is a tempting destination in winter, too. But the steep terrain in the area puts visitors in a high-avalanche risk when snow is present. Have proper gear and an understanding of how to read the snowpack before venturing out on this trail.
Ancient Lakes
Central Washington > Potholes Region
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Length
- 12.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 625 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,200 feet
View one of the best examples of a recessional-cataract canyon. Potholes Coulee caught the attention of J Harlen Bretz in the early 20th century, which led to his “outrageous hypothesis” of Ice Age flooding.
Redlining Heritage Trail - Central District
Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area
Walk through Seattle's historically Black neighborhood along this section of the Redlining Heritage Trail.
Humpback Mountain
Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass
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Length
- 4.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,600 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,112 feet
An unmaintained trail that climbs steeply up the shoulder of Humpback Mountain to an infrequently visited summit on a massive pile of boulders.
Sunset Falls
Southwest Washington > Lewis River Region
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Length
- 0.4 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 6 feet
-
Highest Point
- 1,000 feet
This accessible trail to Sunset Falls is a great option for hikers of all experience levels. It’s located right next to a campground and day-use area.
Cascade Trail
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 22.5 miles, one-way
-
Elevation Gain
- 60 feet
-
Highest Point
- 230 feet
This 22.5-mile rail trail follows the abandoned Burlington Northern grade connecting the towns of Sedro Woolley and Concrete, and can be accessed from three trailheads off of the North Cascades Highway.
Welch Peaks
Olympic Peninsula > Hood Canal
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Length
- 9.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 3,300 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,100 feet
This is an easy scramble from the saddle to the north of the much more popular Mount Townsend.
North Twentymile Peak
North Cascades > Pasayten
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Length
- 12.8 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 4,387 feet
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Highest Point
- 7,437 feet
FR 5010 is impassible at the Twentymile Creek ford. See the driving directions for more details on a better route.
On this little used trail, hikers can see history, both natural and man-made. Large sections of the forest are recovering from the 2006 Tripod Complex Fire, and the two lookouts on the summit provide a glimpse of the 1920's and 1940's construction.
Fletcher Canyon
Olympic Peninsula > Pacific Coast
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Length
- 4.6 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,300 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,600 feet
This trail is inaccessible until further notice due to road failure.
The Fletcher Canyon Trail is a disproportionately difficult hike for being little more than two miles long. Perhaps because the route is steep and often muddy, obscured by blowdown, or faded entirely, it earns its ire and accolades. Individual accounts may be forgiven for their embellishments, especially those recalled fireside at the lodge tavern on a wet winter’s eve.
Cassimer Bar Natural Area
North Cascades > Methow/Sawtooth
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Length
- 1.0 miles, roundtrip
A quiet natural area near Brewster that offers wildlife viewing and beautiful views of Okanogan County
Leavenworth Fish Hatchery
Central Cascades > Leavenworth Area
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Length
- 5.0 miles of trails
-
Elevation Gain
- 0 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,168 feet
The Leavenworth Fish Hatchery is a charming location that provides great education about salmon and their life cycles, all on the scenic Icicle River.
River Run
North Cascades > Methow/Sawtooth
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Length
- 7.0 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 160 feet
-
Highest Point
- 2,325 feet
Nearly level double track runs alongside the Methow River alternating between open meadows and Ponderosa forests. Do this quiet trail as an out and back or connect to Jack's Trail for a nice loop.
Rica Canyon Trail
Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast
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Length
- 0.25 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 30 feet
-
Highest Point
- 75 feet
A very short connector trail between the Elwha River trail and the Geyser Valley trail.
Big Bend Wildlife Area
Central Washington > Grand Coulee
This wildlife area has limited access due to no available parking.
Saddle Rock Traverse Trail
Central Washington > Wenatchee
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Length
- 0.75 miles, one-way
This trail connects to Saddle Rock from the Jacobson Preserve, northwest of Saddle Rock.
Lake Easton State Park
Snoqualmie Region > Cle Elum Area
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Length
- 5.2 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 451 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,283 feet
Lake Easton State Park is not a wilderness park, but it is scenic and peaceful. You can put together a five-mile loop hike on the park trails and on a section of the Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail, if you don't mind walking on roads for a bit through the town of Easton. This hike makes for a good leg stretcher when you need a break from I-90.
Chelan Summit
North Cascades > Methow/Sawtooth
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Length
- 38.0 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 6,500 feet
There is no doubt that Chelan Summit Trail is a long and challenging hike but once you reach the summit it will have been worth every step. You will get to experience flower filled meadows, rugged peaks, high alpine lakes, golden larches, and the North Cascades at your door step.
Moore Point
Central Cascades > Entiat Mountains/Lake Chelan
Moore Point Campground is closed to overnight use.
Moore Point is a starting point for hikers tackling the Lakeshore Trail, a popular spring backpacking trip. This trail is free from winter snow earlier than many thanks to its low elevation, and because of that, it can get quite full in the early season. Consider starting your hike midweek if you prefer to hike in solitude.
Obstruction Pass State Park
Puget Sound and Islands > San Juan Islands
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Length
- 1.9 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 305 feet
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Highest Point
- 225 feet
Moran State Park might have mountains and lakes, but Obstruction Pass has quiet, open forest, secluded campgrounds, and the largest public beach on Orcas Island. Take a quiet walk here and soak in the peaceful shoreline.
Moran State Park - Cascade Lake
Puget Sound and Islands > San Juan Islands
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Length
- 2.7 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 200 feet
-
Highest Point
- 480 feet
Cascade Lake provides recreation opportunities for every kind of outdoor enthusiast. The main day-use area offers a picnic area, kitchen shelters, boat launches and rentals, a swimming beach, and fishing. One of the main attractions though is the loop trail that circles the lake. Walk along the shore of the lake and enjoy secluded viewpoints and tall trees.
Moran State Park - Sunrise Rock
Puget Sound and Islands > San Juan Islands
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Length
- 1.4 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 280 feet
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Highest Point
- 660 feet
Sunrise (or sunset) offer a time of introspection. In Moran State Park, find this time to mull over life atop Sunrise Rock.
Cape Disappointment State Park - Coastal Forest Loop
Southwest Washington > Long Beach Area
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Length
- 1.4 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 260 feet
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Highest Point
- 140 feet
Tucked off of Spur Road 100, the opposite direction from the Cape Disappointment State Park camping area, the Coastal Forest Loop offers a chance to experience the signature environment of this area in either a half mile or mile and a half loop. Be sure to snag the brochure offered at the park office with interpretive information corresponding to posts along the way.
Forest Park - Ridge Trail
Southwest Washington > Columbia River Gorge - OR
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Length
- 4.25 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 982 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,075 feet
Traverse Forest Park via an out-and-back or a point-to-point, soaking in urban forest that has old growth, wildflowers, mushrooms, berries and fauna, enjoying occasional glimpses of the Willamette and the fantastic St. Johns Bridge. If desired, take a side excursion along one of the connector trails near the Springville Road trailhead for an extended Tualatin Mountains experience.
Lucia Falls
Southwest Washington > Vancouver Area
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Length
- 1.1 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 20 feet
This short hike takes you to a delightful little waterfall; it's a good alternate to the longer, nearby Bells Mountain trail if you don't have the time or energy.