Washington is home to some incredible hikes full of alpine lakes, epic mountain views, and gorgeous waterfalls. In this guide we’re sharing some of the best hikes in Washington, ranging in skill level and distance!
As those who follow us on Instagram may know, we LOVE to hike! When we lived in Washington (from 2016-2019), we tried to hike every single weekend, rain or snow or shine, and in 2018 we even completed the 52 Hike Challenge!
Hiking is our way of de-stressing after a long week, spending quality time together, and enjoying all of the beauty that this world has to offer. From mountains, to lakes, to waterfall hikes, we love ‘em all! And throughout all of our hiking experiences worldwide, Washington is still one of the most incredible places to hike.
While there are way more than 38 epic hikes in Washington (our hiking to-do list is so long!), these are all trails we’ve personally hiked and loved. They tend to be pretty popular trails and get busy (get there early!), but for those of you visiting the Seattle area, just getting into hiking, or looking for new ideas, we hope this helps you find the perfect trail for your own adventure.
Warning: this blog is lengthy! If you’re short on reading time, we’re including a table of contents at the beginning so you can skip down to the hikes you’re most excited to learn about.
We’ve also linked to the Washington Trails Association for each hike, which we highly recommend reading before any hike to see recent trip reports, as well as reading AllTrails. For more details on the hikes, such as mileage (all mileage is round trip), elevation, passes you need, and insight from our experiences, keep on reading!
Want to get 30% off an AllTrails+ membership? Click this link or use our code aplusk30 (you must redeem this code on the website, not the app)!
We use AllTrails+ 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.
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.
PS: If you’re looking for more ideas of things to do in Washington, then check out all of our Washington blogs & guides!
Our Favorite Hikes in Washington
Short on time? Here is a quick list of some of the best hikes in Washington! Want to learn more about them? Keep on reading!
Snoqualmie Region
Snoqualmie is the region just Southeast of downtown Seattle. It’s the most convenient area to hike from Seattle and therefore home to some of the busiest hikes in Seattle.
For this blog, we’re considering Issaquah to Cle Elum the Snoqualmie area, and the hikes in this section are between 30 minutes-2 hours from downtown Seattle. The further you go, the less busy it should be!
Rattlesnake Ledge
Miles (round trip): 5.3
Elevation Gain: 1459 ft.
Pass: None
Rattlesnake Ledge is a classic Washington hike! It was our first ever hike in Washington, so it holds a very special place in our hearts.
It’s always crazy busy, but its closeness to the city, easier distance and elevation, and incredible views make it a solid choice any time of the year. If we are ever short on time and want a quick hike, then we go to Rattlesnake.
Poo Poo Point
Miles (round trip): 6.6
Elevation Gain: 1794 ft.
Pass: None
Is it just us or is it impossible not to laugh at the name?! There are a couple ways to get to the top of Poo Poo Point (this is the shorter route). Try to go on a clear day to see the paragliders take off from the top! You will also get to enjoy views of Mount Rainier and Issaquah/Bellevue from the multiple viewpoints.
Gold Creek Pond
Miles (round trip): 1.2
Elevation Gain: 45 ft.
Pass: Northwest Forest Pass
It may be a bit of a stretch to call Gold Creek Pond a hike, but if you’re looking for a super easy and short nature experience close to Seattle, Gold Creek Pond is a great option!
In just a few minutes from the parking area, you reach a pond with a beautiful mountain backdrop. The trail is even wheelchair and stroller accessible, making it the perfect spot to take any guests who want to see some of Washington’s nature, but are unable to do a longer hike.
PS: Gold Creek Pond is a popular spot to snowshoe in the winter, which you can read all about in our 11 Winter Hikes in Washington post!
Ira Spring + Mason Lake
Miles (round trip): 6.8
Elevation Gain: 2309 ft.
Pass: Northwest Forest Pass
We enjoyed Ira Spring + Mason Lake so much more than we expected! On the way to the top you get great views of the Snoqualmie and North Bend areas (and maybe Mount Rainier if you’re lucky!) before heading to Mason Lake, a beautiful, small alpine lake.
Mount Si
Miles (round trip): 7.9
Elevation Gain: 3395 ft.
Pass: Discover Pass
Ooof this one is a doozy! Mount Si is known as one of the tougher day hikes near Seattle (want something a little easier? Try Little Si!), but despite its difficulty, it’s still incredibly popular. We went on a foggy spring day, so we unfortunately didn’t get to experience any views, but it’s towards the top of our summer hike to-do list!
Mailbox Peak
Miles (round trip): 7.4
Elevation Gain: 4000 ft.
Pass: Discover Pass
This hike is intense! It’s by far the hardest hike on our list, but definitely the most rewarding. We suggest taking the old trail up to Mailbox Peak, which is way harder than the new trail (but way more fun!) with a killer 4,000 ft gain in 2.7 miles. After you catch your breath and relax at the top, take the new trail down for 4.7 miles.
Franklin Falls + Melakwa Lake
Miles (round trip): 10.5
Elevation Gain: 2500 ft.
Pass: Northwest Forest Pass
These two hikes are great on their own, but make for a fun, long adventure when combined. Visit the popular Franklin Falls first before heading to Melakwa Lake. On your way to Melakwa Lake you’ll cross a stream (be careful and don’t cross if it’s flooded!) and pass a beautiful waterfall before arriving to the upper and lower lakes. The two lakes make for a great picnic spot!
Snow Lake
Miles (round trip): 6.7
Elevation Gain: 1699 ft
Pass: Northwest Forest Pass
This was the second hike we ever did in Washington and we loved it! We got there super early on a sunny summer morning (it gets very busy!) and enjoyed some peace and quiet at the lake before the crowds rolled in. Snow Lake is super picturesque and makes you feel like you stepped into a postcard. We can’t wait to backpack to Gem Lake (just past Snow Lake) later this summer.
Annette Lake
Miles (round trip): 7.0
Elevation Gain: 2043 ft
Pass: Northwest Forest Pass
We did this hike on a sunny fall day, just as the snow was beginning to thickly coat the trail. It was a beautiful hike, with some views along the way, but the real reward is the gorgeous lake at the end, Annette Lake.
Mount Washington
Miles (round trip): 7.9
Elevation Gain: 3261 ft
Pass: Discover Pass
We hiked Mount Washington on a sunny late spring day and were rewarded with insane views of Mount Rainier, as well as views of the Cascades, North Bend, Mount Si, and even Rattlesnake Lake. The trail is pretty challenging and rocky, but we really enjoyed the workout. It’s also a little less busy than some of the other options.
Warning: The trail can be a bit hard to find at the beginning. After you take the main trail from the parking lot, you’ll reach a clearing with a sign that shows a couple trail options. Someone was kind enough to write Mount Washington below the sign and direct you towards the right. A minute or two after going towards the right, you’ll see an opening on your left where the Mount WA trail begins (someone etched into a tree “Mount WA” to help confirm you’re going the right way).
Navaho Peak
Miles (round trip): 12.8
Elevation Gain: 4146 ft.
Pass: Northwest Forest Pass
Navaho Peak is a gem! One of our Instagram followers recommended this hike to us, as it is less busy than some of the more popular hikes in Washington. And we’re so glad they
did!
The hike is 12.8 miles, making it a long day hike, so we decided to backpack it instead. We hiked up to Navaho Pass, set up our tent with an epic view, and then towards sunset hiked up the rest of the way to Navaho Peak.
And WOW, what a sunset spot! We had the entire peak to ourselves (and same with our campsite!) and enjoyed one of the best mountain sunsets we have ever seen. While the 2 hour (from Seattle) drive out to this hike may be a bit longer than other hikes on this list, it’s absolutely worth the trek for a bit more solitude and mountain views.
Pete Lake
Miles (round trip): 9.0
Elevation Gain: 734 ft.
Pass: Northwest Forest Pass
During one of our final weekends living in Seattle, we took a little backpacking trip to Pete Lake. At 9 miles and a small elevation gain, it’s definitely doable as a day hike, but also a great fairly easy overnight trip.
Maybe it’s just us, but before an Instagram friend went to Pete Lake, we had never heard about it. Similar to Navaho Peak, it’s a little bit farther out of town than some other hikes, so it is a nice spot to visit if you want to run into less hikers.
The trail to the lake is great, with a nice river along the way, but the lake at the end is stunning! We cannot believe we hadn’t heard more about this trail, but we’re glad it’s kept away some of the larger crowds.
Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier is one of the most jaw dropping mountains in Washington! While you can see the mountain from Seattle, getting up close and personal is even better. There are tons of hikes both in and around Mount Rainier National Park that’ll give you incredible views. These hikes are both around 2 hours from downtown Seattle.
See all of our best things to see and do plus places to stay and out tips for the park in our Mount Rainier Guide!
Mount Fremont Fire Lookout
Miles (round trip): 5.7
Elevation Gain: 1,108 ft
Pass: National Park Pass
We’ve been to Mount Rainier a handful of times and Mount Fremont Fire Lookout is hands down our our favorite hike in the park. With a historic fire lookout, 360 degree mountain views, Mount Rainier right in your face, and relatively low mileage to get to the top, the Mount Fremont Lookout Trail is one of the most popular hikes in Mount Rainier National Park, and for good reason!
The trail takes you through alpine meadows, past a small lake, and up a rocky trail to the Mount Fremont Lookout Tower, which is one of the four remaining fire lookouts in the park and also the highest lookout at 7,181 feet.
If you want to experience Mount Rainier up close and personal, see a cool structure, and say “wow!” a ton, the Mount Fremont Lookout Trail is the perfect pick when exploring Mount Rainier National Park.
Naches Peak Loop
Miles (round trip): 3.5
Elevation Gain: 659 ft
Pass: Northwest Forest Pass
Even after three years of living in Washington, we still would gasp every time the mountain (Mount Rainier) is out. The Naches Peak Loop is a great family friendly hike with insane views of Mount Rainier on a clear day, as well as surrounding mountains. We recommend doing the loop clockwise for the best Rainier views!
Tolmie Peak
Miles (round trip): 5.6
Elevation Gain: 1555 ft.
Pass: National Park Pass
If you’re Mount Rainier obsessed like us, then Tolmie Peak is a must-do! You not only get a killer view of Mount Rainier, but you get to visit a fire tower and get to see a beautiful lake.
Just like all Mount Rainier hikes, try to pick a clear day to get the best views! When we did this hike it was a bit smokey from wildfires, so the view wasn’t crystal clear, but it’s on our list to try again when we are back in Washington.
Stevens Pass
Stevens Pass is an area on Hwy 2, just Northeast of Downtown Seattle. The hikes here are absolutely beautiful and also very popular, so get there early!
Blanca Lake
Miles (round trip): 8.1
Elevation Gain: 3415 ft.
Pass: Northwest Forest Pass
Our experience at Blanca Lake was not what we had hoped for, but from the little bit we did get to see, it definitely would be one of our favorite hikes in Washington on a sunny day. Even though we didn’t get very lucky, it’s a memory we will never forget!
We had seen photos of Blanca Lake for years—it’s a milky green-ish blue lake surrounded by mountains. You see the color of the lake and instantly want to rush there to see if it’s real or photoshopped.
On the day of our hike, we arrived at the Blanca Lake trailhead very early and began our hike to the lake. The weather was iffy, but we hoped it would clear up. When we got to the lake, we could only see small sections of the famous lake color—the rest was totally fogged in. And then the torrential downpour began. We sat there, trying to heat up our backpacking meals, while freezing in the pouring rain.
Moral of our story: go on a guaranteed nice day and you’ll be treated to epic views! We will 100% be doing a re-do of this hike!
Wallace Falls
Miles (round trip): 4.9
Elevation Gain: 1469 ft
Pass: Discover Pass
This is a great waterfall hike that is perfect for a rainy PNW day. The falls are beautiful and the trail is very well maintained. Don’t forget to go to all three viewpoints! Wallace Falls is also a good hike during the winter, as it tends to not get super icy or snowy and the falls are even cooler when frozen!
Heybrook Lookout
Miles (round trip): 1.9
Elevation Gain: 879 ft
Pass: None
Heybrook Lookout is the perfect hike if you’re short on time or just want something a little easier. The tower at the end of the trail is super fun to walk up and has gorgeous views of the mountains, including Mount Index (if you look closely then you can see Bridal Veil Falls), Mount Persis, and Mount Baring.
Lake Serene + Bridal Veil Falls
Miles (round trip): 8.1
Elevation Gain: 2772 ft.
Pass: Northwest Forest Pass
Our favorite hikes in Washington were always the ones with a combination of mountain views, lakes, and/or waterfalls. The Lake Serene + Bridal Veil Falls trail checks all three off the list!
The journey to Lake Serene can be a bit tedious at times, but with occasional mountain views and the detour to Bridal Veil Falls (which are super pretty!), it helps the time go by a bit quicker.
Once you get to Lake Serene, the climb will be worth it, as you’ll be treated to a stunning blue lake surrounded by some of the most epic mountain peaks. It is crazy beautiful!
A few things to note: The hike to Lake Serene alone is about 7.2 miles. Also, this hike gets busy in the summer, so come early to get a parking spot!
Barclay Lake
Miles (round trip): 4.3
Elevation Gain: 387 ft
Pass: Northwest Forest Pass
While we love the challenging hikes, sometimes you just want a nice forest stroll with a pretty view at the end. Enter: Barclay Lake. While this hike isn’t overly hard, the lake and mountain views at the end make you feel like you ventured many miles up into the mountains!
North Cascades
North Cascades National Park may be the most beautiful area in Washington. With mountains, gorgeous colored lakes, and easy to access spots, it makes for a great road trip! This area can be a bit of a trek from Seattle, with Heather-Maple Pass being about a 3 hour drive, so we suggest spending the weekend out there. You can see all of our tips in our North Cascades guide!
Heather-Maple Pass Loop
Miles (round trip): 7.2
Elevation Gain: 2000 ft
Pass: Northwest Forest Pass
Heather-Maple Pass Loop is definitely high up on the list of our top hikes in Washington! The view from the top is breathtaking, with endless mountain peaks and a lake below.
We hiked this trail in the fall during the larches season (highly recommend!). But Mother Nature decided to give us snow instead.
We were totally unprepared for the snowy conditions (as was everyone else on the trail), but had a blast sliding around and admiring the beautiful contrast of yellow larches against the snow. We will definitely be doing this trail again this fall, but we will be more prepared for the everchanging weather in the mountains this time.
Blue Lake Trail
Miles (round trip): 4.6
Elevation Gain: 915 ft.
Pass: Northwest Forest Pass
Oh my lanta, Blue Lake Trail is a beaut! This relatively short hike leads you to, as the name implies, a very blue lake with the bonus of a nice mountain backdrop. If you’re visiting the North Cascades, then it’s the perfect length to stretch your legs without eating up too many hours.
And just like Heather-Maple Pass, it is amazing during larch season in the fall!
South Cascades
The South Cascades are Southeast of downtown Seattle, close to the Oregon border. This area is about a 3 hour drive (one way) from Seattle, so it makes for a long day trip, or a super fun weekend!
Mount St. Helens
Miles (round trip): 8.5
Elevation Gain: 4,655 ft.
Pass: Northwest Forest Pass + Summit Permit
Summiting Mount St. Helens, one of the five active volcanoes in Washington, is without a doubt one of our favorite hiking memories. The hike is challenging, very rocky and ashy, and for us, super windy, but the feeling when you reach the summit is indescribable—even on a less than perfect weather day like we had!
You have to obtain a permit to summit Mount St. Helens and similar to the Enchantments, it’s pretty difficult. We share how to get a permit, everything you need to know about the hike, and our experience here!
Tip: We highly recommend checking out the Ape Caves before or after summiting Mount St. Helens. It’s a lava tube you get to crawl around in (see the photo of Adam above!).
Mountain Loop Highway
Mountain Loop Highway is north of Stevens Pass, but south of North Cascades National Park. This road is home to many popular and fun hikes, with most ranging from 1-1.5 hours from Downtown Seattle (Goat Lake is about 3 hours each way).
Heather Lake
Miles (round trip): 5.4
Elevation Gain: 1210 ft
Pass: Northwest Forest Pass
We loved this hike to Heather Lake! We hiked it when the lake was still covered in snow and frozen (so magical!) and we can only imagine that it’s just as magical in the summer. The views are very similar to Lake 22, but with a little bit shorter distance and elevation gain.
Goat Lake
Miles (round trip): 10.5
Elevation Gain: 1722 ft
Pass: Northwest Forest Pass
Goat Lake is one of the longer hikes on this list, but the smaller elevation gain makes it feel a lot easier. There are two ways to access the lake, the upper and lower trail, and we recommend going to the lake on the lower trail and then taking the upper trail on the way back.
There are also some campsites if you’d like to backpack to the lake and stay the night. When we did this hike it was during all of the wildfires, so it was very smoky, but we can’t wait to go back and see this large lake on a clear day!
Lake 22
Miles (round trip): 5.9
Elevation Gain: 1450 ft
Pass: Northwest Forest Pass
The hike to Lake 22 gets crazy busy, but there’s a reason for that! Not only is it gorgeous, but it’s relatively short and easy to access. The parking lot can be a nightmare, so plan to arrive very early or on a weekday to easily snag a spot.
Leavenworth
Leavenworth is one of our favorite areas to visit in Washington! This Bavarian Village town is adorable and the gateway to many of Washington’s most epic hikes. We love spending the morning hiking and then the afternoon eating bratwursts and strolling around town. It’s only 2-2.5 hours from Seattle and is doable as a day trip!
See more of our Leavenworth tips in our 6 Seattle Day Trips guide!
Colchuck Lake
Miles (round trip): 8.7
Elevation Gain: 2342 ft
Pass: Northwest Forest Pass
This is by far one of our favorite hikes in Washington! The clear bright blue water and the jagged peaks of Colchuck Lake make for one of the most stunning backdrops for a picnic. This hike is located at the beginning of the Enchantments and does not require one of the coveted Enchantments permits for a day hike, making it a hot spot in the summer. As always, arrive early to grab a parking spot and make sure to bring a floaty so you can take a little swim around the crystal clear lake.
Eightmile Lake
Miles (round trip): 6.7
Elevation Gain: 1410 ft
Pass: Northwest Forest Pass
The hike to Eightmile Lake is located very close to Colchuck Lake and from our experience, was less crowded. Part of the hike is through a burnt forest with no cover, so make sure to bring sunscreen for those hot summer days! This lake is pretty large and has lots of rocks to sit on for a picnic (watch out for the marmots–we had one run right by us as we ate! Eeek!) and also has some camping spots if you’re able to snag a permit.
Icicle Ridge
Miles (round trip): 4.8
Elevation Gain: 1758 ft
Pass: None
This is a great hike if you’re hanging out in Leavenworth and don’t want to stray far from town. The Icicle Ridge hike overlooks Leavenworth and the mountains, giving it a mix of “city” and nature views. When we did this hike the summit was full of super deep snow, so we didn’t fully make it to the top, but we will definitely be back!
The Enchantments
Miles (round trip): 18.9
Elevation Gain: 4,500 ft.
Pass: Northwest Forest Pass + Overnight Permit (if applicable)
While there are many smaller hikes that make up the Enchantments, like Colchuck Lake and Eightmile Lake on this list, hiking the entire Enchantments is one of the top bucket list hikes in Washington. The hike is full of epic peaks, gorgeous lakes, and if you’re lucky, mountain goats!
There are two ways you can hike the Enchantments.
1. You can get an overnight permit and go on a backpacking trip, which we did this past year. We shared all of our tips in this Enchantments Guide, including how to get a permit (spoiler alert: it’s hard!), different route options, what to bring, and more!
2. If you do not get a permit, you can hike the entire Enchantments in one day! Disclaimer: this is going to be a long day and very hard, so only tackle this if you’re an experienced hiker. You’ll need to start in the dark to finish the best parts of the hike in the daylight. We’d recommend parking a car at each end of the hike and starting at Colchuck Lake and ending at Snow Lakes. It will be an exhausting day, but VERY beautiful.
No matter which route you take, this is one of our absolute favorite hiking experiences in Washington and a must-do!
Columbia River Gorge
The Columbia River Gorge is the area around the Columbia River, just across from Oregon. While the Oregon side of the Columbia River may be more popular, the Washington side has some great adventures too! This area is a bit far from Seattle at about 3.5-4 hours each way.
Dog Mountain
Miles (round trip): 6.5
Elevation Gain: 2988 ft
Pass: Northwest Forest Pass + you need to buy a $1.50 permit per person to access this trail (they do have people checking for these)
Dog Mountain is a bit far from Seattle, but totally worth the drive for the views of Oregon and the Columbia River Gorge. There are a couple ways to make it to the top of this hike, the difficult route or the more difficult route. We took the more difficult route to the top and the less difficult route to the bottom. Regardless of which way you go, your legs will be burning!
Falls Creek Falls
Miles (round trip): 3.4
Elevation Gain: 600 ft
Pass: None
This is our favorite waterfall hike we’ve done in Washington! The tiered waterfall is gorgeous, powerful, and much larger than we expected. Our jaws dropped when we approached Falls Creek Falls after walking along the river in the forest. The road to the trailhead is rough, but the hike to the falls is well maintained and easy.
Olympic Peninsula
If you want to see mountains, the ocean, lakes, rivers, and a rainforest all in one day, the Olympic Peninsula is for you! You can get to the peninsula by car or by a car + ferry combination and it is a bit of a trek (about 3-3.5 hours to most destinations from Seattle), but it’s so worth it!
Plan a road trip on the Olympic Peninsula with our weekend guide!
Mount Storm King
Miles (round trip): 4.1
Elevation Gain: 2106 ft
Pass: None
We have an interesting relationship with this hike. The views at the top of Mount Storm King are stunning, but getting to the top is a bit sketchy at times. There are narrow sections with drop offs where you have to use ropes to assist you. We went on an iffy day weather wise, with snow at the top and crazy wind, which made it scarier than during the summer.
It took us two tries in the same day to summit the mountain, but when we finally did we felt SO accomplished. Despite the fears we (ok, just Kathryn) had getting to the top, it’s without a doubt one of the most rewarding hikes we have done in Washington.
Lena Lake
Miles (round trip): 6.2
Elevation Gain: 1532 ft
Pass: Northwest Forest Pass
We hiked the trail to Lena Lake in January and lucked out with a mostly snow free (although very wet) trail. Although it was foggy at the lake, the view was still gorgeous and we will definitely be back! There is a nice big rock overlooking the lake that makes for a great picnic spot.
Cape Flattery
Miles (round trip): 1.2
Elevation Gain: 200 ft
Pass: Makah Recreation Pass, which can be purchased at the Makah Tribal Museum or Washburn’s grocery.
Cape Flattery is one of the best effort-to-view ratio hikes in Washington. Just 0.6 miles one way leads you to a viewpoint of the northwestern-most point of the Contiguous US. Super cool! And the view of the rock structures in the water and the coastline is absolutely amazing. It’s a little bit of a trek to get to, but totally worth it!
Hoh River Trail
Miles (round trip): 10.6
Elevation Gain: 300 ft
Pass: National Park Pass
The great thing about the Hoh River Trail, besides the awesome rainforest, is that you can make this hike as short or as long as you’d like. As soon as you enter the trail you’re in the middle of the rainforest, so you don’t have to travel miles and miles for views. In addition to the rainforest, you also get to hike along a beautiful river, with many spots to get closer to the water. We hiked this trail on our first backpacking trip and loved it! We went to the Olympus Guard Station (9 miles in) and then camped at Five Mile Island.
Mount Ellinor
Miles (round trip): 3.2-6.2
Elevation Gain: 3300 ft.
Pass: Northwest Forest Pass
Mount Ellinor is one of the most epic hikes on the Olympic Peninsula. While the trek to the top is long and tough (and full of boulders!), you get a nice view of Lake Crescent on the way up and then have a 360 degree view of the peninsula (and its peaks) when reaching the summit.
There are two trailheads to start the hike from: the lower trailhead and the upper trailhead. We started at the upper trailhead, which is a shorter hike at 3.2 miles, but steeper. The lower trailhead is 6.2 miles and eventually meets up with the upper trailhead. While it’s longer, it spreads out the elevation gain a bit more.
Murhut Falls
Miles (round trip): 1.5
Elevation Gain: 390 ft
Pass: None
Murhut Falls quickly became one of our favorite waterfall hikes in Washington. It’s short and sweet, but the waterfall at the end is gorgeous! It makes for a perfect, quick stop while road tripping around the Olympic Peninsula.
Ready to explore Washington?
Pin this blog with our favorite hikes in Washington to plan your adventure!
Great information as always….so thorough! Love reading your blog!
I love your blog. It was a great starting point for me starting my hiking journey in Washington. I’ve now done many of the trails you mention, alongside a few more in Rainier National Park. So hard to pick favourites, but would have to say Lake 22, Snow Lake and Naches Peak would be up there.
Thank you so much for reading Megan! We are so happy that our blog has helped you plan your own adventures! All three of those hikes are incredible and we are dying to spend more time at Mount Rainier. If you have any other favorites there, let us know! 😀
Mount Storm King is still the most rewarding hike I’ve ever done. The views at the top are great but I think it’s the feeling of achievement after the adrenaline from the treacherous roped sections. I do wish they would make is safer as I’m sure people will fall to their death in the future, but that’s part of the reason I loved it!
We totally agree! The views are amazing, but the journey to get there makes it extra special. We just did it for a second time and I did much better fear-wise, although was still terrified. I am all on board to make it safer lol…not sure I will do it again with the ropes lol!
Thank you so much for posting this! It’s definitely helping me with selecting my hikes for my short visit to Washington!
Yay! We’re so glad! Let us know which hikes you pick 😃
I’ve been looking for a thorough blog post like this! Took LOTS of notes. Thank you!!
Hi Kristina! We are SO happy you found this guide helpful! Thanks so much for reading and happy hiking 😄
Your video on Mt Fremont lookout in MRNP is great !! Note the ‘green meadow’ [flat] mentioned is probably Grand Park created by ancient lava flows filling a former valley, hence it being so level.
We heard from some others it may be Grand Park too, so I think you’re spot on! Such a beautiful spot!
I am new to hiking in PNW. This is a great summary for people like me. Thanks for making these detailed notes.
We are so glad you found it helpful!
Hi Kathryn! I have never been hiking in the Washington St area and I booked a cabin in Gold Bar. I this a good area for hiking? Should I book another area for optimal hiking? ( we are also spending a few days at Mt Rainer) Thank you for your input!
Hi! Sorry for the delay. There are lots of great hikes over there. Wallace Falls, Lake Serene/Bridal Veil Falls, and the Heybrook Lookout are all awesome! Highly recommend a day trip to Leavenworth as well and hiking Colchuck Lake (go very early, it gets super busy) and then spending the rest of the day wandering around town!