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
4224 HikesTunnel Creek
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
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Length
- 1.6 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 1,300 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,400 feet
Hike a steep trail to some high alpine lakes south of Highway 2.
Spruce Railroad Trail
Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast
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Length
- 5.0 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 250 feet
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Highest Point
- 700 feet
Hop aboard the paved Spruce Railroad Trail for a scenic and historic hike along the sparkling shores of massive Lake Crescent.
Turtleback Mountain Preserve - Ship Peak Loop
Puget Sound and Islands > San Juan Islands
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Length
- 3.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 860 feet
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Highest Point
- 931 feet
Explore beautiful Turtleback Mountain Preserve and take in of the most breathtaking views on Orcas Island. Ship Peak, is a moderate loop full of views and a summit starting at the south end of the preserve.
McClellan Butte
Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass
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Length
- 10.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 4,073 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,162 feet
Along with the numerous other I-90 hikes there is no shortage of ‘workout’ on this hike. Like its counterparts, this trail is largely for those interested in heading up, steeply. Moderated with switchbacks at times, and with a gradual traverse when you need it, the rewards here are not without effort. The actual summit is a rock-scramble, but the views and the flower-packed west facing slope near the top can be enjoyed without making the true top. More than a few remaining old-growth trees and a soft tread make this a well-rounded hike whether it is a training hike or your weekend reward.
Oyster Dome
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
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Length
- 5.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,050 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,025 feet
Oyster Dome is a rocky promontory on the western slope of Blanchard Mountain, the grandest member of the Chuckanut Mountain range, an extension of the Cascades that rises directly from the ocean. The sheer cliffs of Oyster Dome offer year-round access to commanding views of the San Juans, Skagit River flats, Olympic Mountains, and Samish Bay.
Boulder Garden Loop
Snoqualmie Region > North Bend Area
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Length
- 2.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 800 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,400 feet
The Boulder Garden Loop offers an opportunity to explore stone giants on a relatively untraveled path, despite its proximity to two of the busiest hiking thoroughfares in the Snoqualmie Pass region. It also is the access route to the Old Mount Si trail, for those who desire a less peopled approach to the Puget Sound region's most well-known hike.
Greider Lakes
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
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Length
- 8.6 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,035 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,930 feet
For those searching for alpine vistas with fewer visitors than on the most popular trails of the I-90 corridor, Greider Lakes is just right. This trailhead is located in the Sultan Basin Watershed.
Cedar Butte
Snoqualmie Region > North Bend Area
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Length
- 3.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 900 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,880 feet
Take a short hike up a forested butte near Rattlesnake Lake, just 1.75 miles each way with 900 feet of elevation gain. Reach a summit with views toward the north, from Mount Si to Mailbox Peak, and several other peaks in between. Some hikers judge Cedar Butte to be a better viewpoint than the much-visited West Tiger 3 summit, and it requires less effort and has smaller crowds, so when you are ready for a change of scene check it out.
Chelan Butte
Central Cascades > Entiat Mountains/Lake Chelan
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Length
- 7.46 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,500 feet
On this hike, you'll get your heart rate going under intense UV rays and a whole lot of dust in your nose/shoes/socks, so pack your trekking poles, sunscreen, buff, an extra pair of socks and lots of water! But for braving the elements, you’ll be rewarded with a rainbow of wildflowers (think balsamroot, desert-parsley, phlox, lupine and so much more), incredible views of the town of Chelan, and perhaps best of all, the massive lake that the town shares its name with.
Bear Ridge
Issaquah Alps > Cougar Mountain
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Length
- 3.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 1,056 feet
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Highest Point
- 991 feet
Hike this little-used trail on the east side of Cougar Mountain past an enormous glacial boulder left over from the last ice age.
Moses Stool - Badger Mountain
Central Washington > Wenatchee
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Length
- 6.6 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 600 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,600 feet
Walk along a ridge to a couple of high points in Central Washington, with gigantic views in all directions.
Silver Lake - Monte Cristo
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
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Length
- 13.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 3,791 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,405 feet
Visit the remains of an old mining town in a basin surrounded by high peaks. Climb to Silver Lake nestled under the steep side of Silvertip Peak with good camping and good views of surrounding peaks.
Perry Creek
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
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Length
- 10.5 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 3,400 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,250 feet
Perry Creek proves you can have it all in a single hike — old-growth forest, wildflowers, waterfalls, meadows, expansive mountain views, even lakes! Tread lightly, though — due to its unparalleled diversity of native plants, the area between the summits of Stillaguamish Peak, Mount Forgotten and Mount Dickerman is a research natural area that could (in theory) be closed to all uses but scientific study.
Old Government
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
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Length
- 4.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 300 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,400 feet
This is a pleasant, short, lowland forest walk, accessed in Barlow Pass, the popular jumping-off point for locations like Monte Cristo and Gothic Basin.
Mount Forgotten
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
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Length
- 13.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 4,300 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,005 feet
Mount Forgotten is an appealing target for the peculiarly determined hiker-turned-climber. Its sheer wall of a summit is very striking and easily instills visions of alpinism in those headed to Mount Forgotten Meadows, but the route takes a roundabout journey that requires not so much vertiginous daring-do as it does oodles of patience. The views from the top are spectacular, particularly the unobstructed view straight up Glacier Peak.
Mount Dickerman
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
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Length
- 8.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 3,950 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,760 feet
If the best views come to those who earn them, Mount Dickerman offers the fairest vantage along the Mountain Loop. You’ll huff and puff through 4,000 feet of elevation on your way to the summit; in return, you’ll get a superb panorama of nearly every peak in the Mountain Loop. In late summer, it also rewards the intrepid with a bounty of mountain blueberries.
Headlee Pass and Vesper Lake
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
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Length
- 7.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,700 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,950 feet
Vesper Lake is squeezed, like a thumbprint in clay, deep in the saddle between the twin summits of Sperry Peak and Vesper Peak. Rarely is a lake situated so close and steeply below two summits like this–its unique setting gives you remarkably up-close (and straight-up) views of mountainous terrain. And all that comes after the former mining trail that provides incredible scenery along the way.
Gothic Basin
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
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Length
- 9.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,840 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,200 feet
Rough and tumble is the trail, just like the miners that constructed this path. Becoming progressively more rugged, the ascent to Gothic Basin offers tremendous rewards at its end. Early on, one simply meanders alongside the relentless South Fork of the Sauk River, then turns into a forested, increasingly steep bee-line to the basin with waterfalls, flowers, and views of the surrounding mountains to keep one distracted once you leave the forest.
Glacier Basin
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
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Length
- 12.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,159 feet
This strenuous hike out of Monte Cristo features everything from smooth incline to rough rock scrambles. There is tough but absolutely beautiful trail along the way and it gets even better once you reach your destination.
Barlow Point
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
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Length
- 2.4 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 800 feet
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Highest Point
- 3,200 feet
From Barlow Point’s rocky promontory, hikers can take in views of Mount Dickerman, Big Four, and Stillaguamish Peak.
Vesper Peak
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
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Length
- 8.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 4,000 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,214 feet
Vesper Peak is definitely not for the novice hiker, but for those thirsting for one step beyond hiking into backcountry adventure, it's a good leaping off point. The smooth, low angle granite of Vesper's upper reaches make for relatively easy off-trail travel and beginning routefinding.
Twin Lakes - Monte Cristo
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
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Length
- 17.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,939 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,300 feet
Take a nice long walk up the old Monte Cristo Road grade and stop by the townsite on your way. Rougher terrain begins on entering the Henry M. Jackson Wilderness area, and past Silver Lake, the trail becomes difficult to find. Trek along a steep mountain-side before finally cresting the ridge to look down on Twin Lakes and make the steep descent to the camp sites.
St'auk Mountain
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
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Highest Point
- 4,715 feet
A scramble to a wooded summit near Barlow Pass. Climbing experience and route-finding skills required.
Sperry Peak
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
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Length
- 6.4 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 3,800 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,120 feet
Scramble to the top of this peak from Headlee Pass, located off the Mountain Loop Highway.
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
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.
Soaring Eagle Regional Park
Issaquah Alps
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Length
- 12.0 miles of trails
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Elevation Gain
- 0 feet
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Highest Point
- 500 feet
Soaring Eagle Regional Park features 12 miles of trails that are regularly used by hikers, mountain bikers and equestrians. The Pipeline Trail crosses through the park and is wide and flat—in fact, it is quite common to see families with baby strollers out enjoying the trail. Soaring Eagle is also popular for trail running competitions.
Dog Mountain
Southwest Washington > Columbia River Gorge - WA
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Length
- 6.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,800 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,948 feet
The stunning views and unparalleled springtime flowers make this one of the most popular hikes in the Gorge. On a good day, you can get a bird’s eye view of Mount Hood and the Columbia River. In the spring the top is carpeted with vibrant yellow balsam root. Although the trail is steep and sometimes crowded, this hike is unquestionably worth the effort.
Beach 2
Olympic Peninsula > Pacific Coast
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Length
- 0.2 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 30 feet
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Highest Point
- 30 feet
A short walk through a forest to a long beach.
Heybrook Lookout
Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West
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Length
- 2.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 980 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,800 feet
Heybrook Lookout is a short and moderately steep hike through a fern and moss covered forest to a fun, staircase-ridden lookout with great views of the nearby mountains. If you are introducing someone to hiking, limited on time, or trying to add on another hike or activity in the area, this is the hike for you.
Chief Joseph Wildlife Area - Green Gulch
Eastern Washington > Palouse and Blue Mountains
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Length
- 10.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,500 feet
Hike down into a canyon starting at 1000 feet of elevation and descending. The trail is an old road that goes for several miles.