17+ Gorgeous Winter Hikes in Washington: from Locals!

Last updated on November 20th, 2025

We’re sharing a list of our favorite winter hikes in Washington, including mileage, elevation gain, and any tips we have.

Although winter in Washington is known for being a tad gloomy and rainy, there are some serious perks to braving the cold and wet for an adventure! The summer crowds have died down, the mountains have snow, and you can go on a sunset adventure and still make it home in time for dinner.

Since moving to Washington we made a promise that we would never let weather stop us from exploring and we have discovered quite a few incredible hikes that are still a blast in the snow and rain. Here’s a list of our 18 favorites winter hikes in Washington, including mileage, elevation gain, and any tips we have.

PS: If you’re looking for some non-hiking rainy and snowy day activities, make sure check out our How to Survive Washington’s Rainy Season blog! And if it’s not winter and you’re looking for a good warmer weather hike, read about our 38 favorite hikes in Washington.

Safety Tips for Winter Hikes in Washington

Avalanches

Avalanches are a dangerous threat in the winter, so please make sure that any trail you explore is safe. We tried to only include safer trails on this list, but recommend that you always do research in advance to see conditions. Northwest Avalanche Center is a great resource for winter hikes in Washington!

Proper Gear

Having the proper gear, as mentioned below, can make or break your winter hike in Washington. You must always be prepared with the proper footwear and warm attire to safely complete these hikes. Not every one of these hikes requires special gear, but many do so be prepared!

Read the Conditions

Always read the current weather and trail conditions before you head out to explore. We recommend looking at the most recent reviews on AllTrails before you hike. It is one of the best ways to learn what the current conditions are from people who have recently hiked that trail.

The national parks and state parks will typically update their websites with conditions and you can visit the visitors centers when there is one for more information as well.

GPS Device

For extra safety on the trails, we recommend bringing along the Garmin InReach Mini. This is a satellite device that allows you to send messages when out hiking. It also has the ability to send your location, and has a SOS in case of emergencies. You do have to pay for a monthly subscription, but it can be as low as around $10/month.

Before embarking on your adventure, please review the Leave No Trace principles to ensure you leave every place better than you found it, so that others can enjoy these beautiful places for many years to come!

These seven principles include planning ahead and preparing, hiking and camping on durable surfaces, disposing of waste properly (pack out what you pack in!), understanding campfire rules and always fully extinguishing your fires, respecting wildlife, and being considerate of other visitors. 

Packing List for Winter Hikes in Washington

We share our full winter hiking gear list here, but here are a few must-have items when going on winter hikes in Washington!

Microspikes

One of the most important things you must have for winter hikes in Washington are microspikes. They help you hike in snowy and icy conditions making it safer and preventing falls. They just attach on to the hiking shoes you already own, so it’s also less gear to take up space! These are an absolute must in our opinion and these are the spikes we own and love.

Crampons also attach to your hiking shoes and are especially helpful when hiking icy slopes or climbing. They have much longer spikes and allow you to essentially climb on the ice. They’re not necessary for the hikes on this list.

Snowshoes

Snowshoes are another option for winter hikes in Washington instead of wearing spikes. This option is better when hiking in fresh snow or especially deep snow. The wide base allows you to walk on the show without sinking down. They are much larger and take up more space in your luggage. We recommend these snowshoes!

Waterproof Hiking Boots

Since hiking in the winter typically means lots of snow, that snow will eventually turn to water making the trails, and your feet, very wet. Avoid wet, cold feet during your winter hikes in Washington by wearing a high quality pair of hiking boots to keep your feet dry! Kathryn wears these waterproof hiking boots and Adam has these for snowy hikes!

Warm Coat 

A warm coat is an absolute must when exploring the best winter hikes in Washington. It can get very cold the higher up you hike, so a high quality coat is important to keep you warm! It’s worth it to invest in a high quality coat that will keep you very warm and last you a long time. We recommend either the LL Bean Down Jacket or Patagonia Jacket for something lighter. For something heavier, Adam loves his LL Bean Mountain Classic Sherpa Lined Jacket and Kathryn has a North Face Parka!

Hiking pants

When going on a winter hike in Washington, you’ll want pants that can keep you warm and protect you from any snow. We recently purchased snow pants (mens & womens), which have worked well for us on cold and snowy days!

Base Layers

Equally as important when trying to stay warm are high quality base layers! Be sure to wear a high quality form fitting long sleeve tops and pants to keep you warm. MERIWOOL and Minus33 are great baselayer brands!

Gloves

Keeping your hands warm is important too! So be sure to remember warm gloves before you venture out on these winter hikes in Washington. We recommend these gloves!

Wool Socks

Wool socks are super important for winter hikes in Wahsington state because they not only keep your feet warm, but they also help to keep them dry should any snow get on them. But be careful when buying wool socks, as they are often advertised as wool, but in reality, contain a very small percentage of wool. Some reliable brands are MERIWOOL and Smartwool.

America the Beautiful Pass

Some of the hikes recommended below are located within national parks. So we always recommend buying the America the Beautiful pass to allow you unlimited access to all of the country’s national parks. It’s only $80 for the year and well worth the money. Buy your America the Beautiful pass here before hitting the trails!

AllTrails+

And last but not least on the packing list is a membership to AllTrails+. We cannot recommend this enough for any hiker no matter the weather. But hiking in Washington in the winter makes this even more necessary!

When you’re exploring the trails while they’re covered in snow it can be harder to follow the path. AllTrails+ allows you to download the map in advance ensuring that you can follow the trail the entire way.

Want to get 30% off an AllTrails Plus membership? Use our code aplusk30 (you must redeem this code on the website, not the app)!

We use AllTrails Plus on every single hike and it is the most helpful hiking tool out there! Some of the features we love are offline maps (so we can navigate even without cell service), wrong-turn alerts, and its 3D maps feature, so we can get a feel for trails before we hike.

Map of the Best Winter Hikes in Washington

1. Franklin Falls

Miles (RT): 2 (7 miles in the winter)
Elevation gain: 400 ft
Difficulty: Easy
Location: Snoqualmie Pass
AllTrails: Franklin Falls

Franklin Falls is a classic, quick hike only an hour from downtown Seattle, perfect for winter hikes in Washington. Its accessibility makes it a popular hike year round and it has become one of our favorites for a rainy day. But this winter we finally made it out to the falls to see them in a more frozen state and it was MAGICAL. Although they weren’t as frozen as they can be when we went, they were still gorgeous!

One important thing to know is that they close the road to the trailhead in the winter, so you have to hike about 2.5 miles each way on the road to the trailhead, making the hike quite a bit longer, but still an easy and relatively flat journey. Make sure you bring spikes for this hike!

Want to get 30% off an AllTrails Plus membership? Use our code aplusk30 (you must redeem this code on the website, not the app)!

We use AllTrails Plus on every single hike and it is the most helpful hiking tool out there! Some of the features we love are offline maps (so we can navigate even without cell service), wrong-turn alerts, and its 3D maps feature, so we can get a feel for trails before we hike.

2. Gold Creek Pond

Miles (RT): 1
Elevation gain: 10 ft
Difficulty: Easy
Location: Snoqualmie Pass
AllTrails: Gold Creek Pond

Similar to Franklin Falls, Gold Creek Pond is a super easy “hike” (more like a walk) that is perfect in the winter. It’s a popular snowshoeing area and has a few good spots to enjoy a nice picnic lunch (we took Wild Zora soups with us there to make and it was awesome to have a hot snack!). There are also beautiful mountain views if you go on a clear day!

Gold Creek Pond will be closing in 2025 for up to 10 years for a restoration project. They will likely be reopening it for the winter season, but make sure to check its current status here.

3. Lake Serene

Miles (RT): 8.2 (including Bridal Veil Falls)
Elevation: gain 2000 ft
Difficulty: Hard
Location: Welches
AllTrails: Lake Serene

Lake Serene in the winter is breathtaking, and is another one of the best winter hikes in Washington! The trail has so much to offer–views, a gorgeous waterfall, and an impressive lake surrounded by some awesome peaks. The super clear blue water against the white snow is one of the most beautiful things we have ever seen. Make sure you bring some spikes for this hike!

4. Mount Rainier Snowshoeing

Miles (RT): 5
Elevation: 1900 ft
Difficulty: Varies
Location: Mount Rainier National Park
AllTrails: Panorama Point

We have recently fallen in love with snowshoeing. We aren’t very talented skiers, but still love getting out in the mountains when there is a ton of snow, so snowshoeing is perfect for us! Late this fall we went snowshoeing at Mount Rainier and had the best time wandering around and seeing Mount Rainier up close (still one of our favorite things about Washington!). Panorama Point is a popular route, but you don’t even have to do the entire thing (we didn’t) and still benefit from the amazing scenery.

One thing to keep in mind is that they usually open the gate to access the Paradise Visitor Center at 9 AM everyday, but it can vary, so make sure to check their Twitter for updates. You’re also required to carry chains (even 4×4 and AWD) to drive up to Paradise, so come prepared!

If you are looking for another good snowshoeing route, we hear Skyline Lake is awesome! Both would make for great winter hikes in Washington.

5. Rattlesnake Ledge

Miles (RT): 4
Elevation: 1160 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Location: North Bend
AllTrails: Rattlesnake Ledge

Rattlesnake Ledge is most likely the most popular hike close to Seattle. And for good reason! It’s accessible year round (usually no snow), low mileage, and has awesome views! While this hike usually stays snow and ice free, make sure to check trip reports on WTA beforehand, because you’ll definitely want some spikes if it’s at all icy! We suggest going for sunrise to have less crowds and to enjoy a colorful sky.

6. Murhut Falls

Miles (RT): 1.6
Elevation: 250 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Location: Brinnon
AllTrails: Murhut Falls

Murhut Falls became one of our favorite waterfalls in WA this past fall, and its also one of the best winter hikes in Washington. It’s a tiered waterfall on the Olympic Peninsula that only requires a short hike to get to. But one of the best things about this waterfall is that you can get really close to it (a huge bonus!). It also makes for a great stop on an Olympic Peninsula road trip!

7. Hoh Rainforest to Five Mile Island

Miles (RT): 10.6
Elevation: 300 ft
Difficulty: Varies
Location: Olympic National Park
AllTrails: Hoh River Trail

The Hoh Rainforest is the first place we ever backpacked and it’s such a Washington gem! While you may encounter a lot of rain here, it’s a safe and fun place to explore in all seasons. The mossy green trees are endless and so much fun to walk through. We recommend making it to Five Mile Island, but if you are short on time, doing just a small portion of the trail will still give you a great rainforest experience.

Also, the majority of the Olympic Peninsula is super accessible and fun no matter the season. It’s one of the most fun things to do in all of Washington state after all! Get more Olympic Peninsula adventure ideas in our Olympic Peninsula Road Trip guide.

Visiting multiple National Parks? We highly recommend getting the America the Beautiful pass, which costs about $80 per year and gives you free access to over 2,000 federal recreation sites, including ALL National Parks.

8. Poo Poo Point

Miles (RT): 7.2
Elevation: 1858 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Location: Issaquah
AllTrails: Poo Poo Point

Poo Poo Point is one of the closest hikes to Seattle and a very unique one! At the top, you can watch paragliders take off, which is one of the coolest things to see! There’s also a great view of Mount Rainier if you go on a clear day. While this hike can get snow (we hiked it for the first time in the snow), it tends to be snow-free most of the year. However, if there is snow, definitely bring spikes! We hiked this without spikes and it was insanely slippery and a challenge.

9. Barclay Lake

Miles (RT): 4.4
Elevation: 500 ft
Difficulty: Easy
Location: Baring
AllTrails: Barclay Lake

Barclay Lake is a great quick and low elevation gain hike with a big payoff at the end. Follow the wooded trail for 2.2 miles until you reach the lake, where you’ll have a crazy view of Mount Baring! You can also camp here, making it a great winter backpacking spot without crazy amounts of snow.

10. Wallace Falls

Miles (RT): 5.6
Elevation: 1300 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Location: Wallace Falls State Park
AllTrails: Wallace Falls

We’re throwing in a lot of waterfalls on this winter hikes in Washington list because 1. Waterfalls are awesome! And 2. They are the perfect hike for non sunny days! We have hiked to Wallace Falls 3 or 4 times, with the first time being in the winter. We got to see the waterfall partially frozen, our first time ever seeing one like that, and it was stunning! Make sure to visit all 3 viewpoints to see the waterfall from different heights and angles.

11. Twin Falls Trail

Miles (round trip): 2.5
Elevation Gain: 616 ft.
Difficulty: Moderate
Location: Olallie State Park
AllTrails: Twin Falls Trail

Another great option for winter hikes in Washington state includes the Twin Falls Trail, just 35 minutes east of Seattle. It is a super easy place to get to from the city and a perfect winter activity for those looking to get outside during the colder months.

The trail leads you through lush vegetation to a series of large waterfalls. There are several viewpoints to see the falls.
Since this trail is so close to the city, it’s very popular in the warmer months, so the winter is a great time to visit without the crowds. But be warned it might be a little muddy this time of year, so be sure to wear your waterproof hiking boots!

12. Mount Storm King

Miles (round trip): 4.1
Elevation Gain: 2,106 ft.
Difficulty: Hard
Location: Olympic National Park
AllTrails: Mount Storm King

Another great hike in Olympic National Park to add to your list of winter hikes in Washington is Mount Storm King. While the trail can be a little sketchy at times, the views from the top are so worth it. And we felt so accomplished once we made it!

There’s spots with big drop-offs where you have to hold onto the rope to get by, and the winter weather can make this a little more tough, but that’s when we completed this trail and we are so glad we did! Just make sure you bring microspikes for the top.

13. Bowl and Pitcher Loop Trail

Miles (round trip): 2
Elevation Gain: 124 ft.
Difficulty: Easy
Location: Spokane
AllTrails: Bowl and Pitcher Loop Trail

The Bowl and Pitcher Loop Trail is a gem in Eastern Washington and great thing to do in Spokane! This super easy loop trail is a perfect outdoor adventure for the whole family in the winter months. While we hiked it in the summer, it’s a low elevation hike that would still be accessible in the snowier months. Although there’s not much elevation gain and epic mountain viewpoints, you’ll get some gorgeous views over the river for a good majority of the hike.

This trail is perfect if you have kids in tow, and is also dog friendly and good for biking as well!

14. Mailbox Peak Trail Loop

Miles (round trip): 7.4
Elevation Gain: 3,959 ft.
Difficulty: Hard
Location: North Bend
AllTrails: Mailbox Peak Trail Loop

The hardest trail on our list is by far the Mailbox Peak Trail Loop. But wow, is it rewarding! The views from the top are outstanding no matter what time of year you visit. This hike is doable in the winter, but you will definitely need your microspikes, as it is snowy and can get pretty icy.

We recommend you hike up the old route with a steep incline of almost 4,000 feet in about 2.7 miles. It’s way more fun than the new route! But plan to take the longer new route down.

This difficult hike will reward you with views of the surrounding snow covered mountain, plus you get to see the famous sticker covered mailbox that sits at the top. Take a few photos and then head back down as it will likely be pretty cold up here with high winds.

15. Quartz Mountain Lookout Trail

Miles (round trip): 4.5
Elevation Gain: 685 ft.
Difficulty: Moderate
Location: Mead
AllTrails: Quartz Mountain Lookout Trail

Located close to Spokane, this out and back trail is a great hike for beautiful winter views of the surrounding snow covered mountains. Once again, we hiked this in the summer, but the trails are groomed in the winter and based on our experience, it would be the perfect snowshoeing spot or winter hike in Washington. And with a moderate amount of elevation gain, this could be a good option for kids as well!

While the views at the top are great, one especially awesome feature of this trail is that there is a hut along the way. This is a great spot to warm up during the winter! We suggest packing a picnic lunch to enjoy inside!

16. Hurricane Ridge

Miles (round trip): 3.4
Elevation Gain: 826 ft.
Difficulty: Moderate
Location: Olympic National Park
AllTrails: Hurricane Ridge

Located in Olympic National Park near the city of Port Angeles in another one of the best winter hikes in Washington, Hurricane Ridge. The trail is open year round, and although there will likely be some snow in the winter, this hike can definitely be accomplished in the colder months!

However, the road to get here is only open Friday through Sunday during the winter months, so plan to hike this trail on the weekend. Be sure to bring your America the Beautiful Pass, as this trail is located within the national park.

17. Snow Lake Trail

Miles (round trip): 6.7
Elevation Gain: 1,699 ft.
Difficulty: Hard
Location: Alpine Lakes Wilderness
AllTrails: Snow Lake Trail

Another great option for winter hikes in Washington state includes the Snow Lake Trail. This hike is along the famous Enchantments route, but does not require a permit for a day hike. It is not far from Seattle and makes a perfect Seattle day trip during the winter.

It can be foggy around the lake, but the views are gorgeous along the trail either way. Be sure to wear snowshoes or spikes and always be cautious of avalanches.

Note that this trail can be hard to follow in the winter snow, so be sure to have AllTrails+ with the map downloaded in advance to follow along!

18. Cape Flattery

Miles (round trip): 1.2
Elevation Gain: 229 ft.
Difficulty: Easy
Location: Olympic Peninsula
AllTrails: Cape Flattery

This super short and easy hike offers gorgeous views for very little work! It’s easily one of the most unique winter hikes in Washington too since the viewpoint is on the northwestern-most point of the Contiguous US. How neat! Plus with views over the water like this, who wouldn’t want to hike Cape Flattery?

In the winter this hike is still super easy and manageable. The trail might be muddy and slippery depending on the amount of rain, so be sure to wear proper footwear and watch where you step!

It is important to note that this trail is located on the Makah Indian Reservation and a permit is required to visit. However it is only $20 per car and is good for the entire calendar year, so be sure to return as often as you can or explore some other areas on the reservation to get your money’s worth!

Ready for a winter adventure?

Pin this list of winter hikes in Washington to help plan your next winter adventure!