Essential Washington: 20 Must-Do Hikes
Whether you've just moved to Washington state, or you've lived here for years and just want to show off Washington's stellar hiking trails to your out-of-state visitors, our list of must-do hikes for is a great place to start. How did we choose these twenty out of the hundreds of incredible trails? It was tough, but taken together, we felt these hikes do a great job of showing off Washington's incredible trail diversity.
North Cascades
Horseshoe Basin
Location: Pasayten
Length: 12 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 1,550 feet
Highest Point: 7,200 feet
Best Season: July - October
Horseshoe Basin. Photo by trip reporter Wild Side.
A backpacking favorite where you can spend a day—or a week—exploring the wonders of this alpine landscape. Climb the local peaks, check out the Canadian border monuments, or kick back and watch the marmots. At night, listen for the coyotes and count stars.
> Plan your visit to Horseshoe Basin using WTA's Hiking Guide
Blue Lake
Location: North Cascades -- North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
Length: 4.4 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 1,050 feet
Highest Point: 6,254 feet
Best Season: July - September
Blue Lake. Photo by trip reporter Willow's Humans.
When most hikers refer to Blue Lake, this is the one they're talking about. With towering granite peaks, forests, meadows, wildflowers, and of course the beautiful mountain lake surrounded by granite that reaches for the sky, this short hike is easily a classic and should be on your must-hike list. While the larches here turn a brilliant yellow in the fall, we recommend visiting this trail in the summer to avoid full parking lots and congestion.
> Plan your visit to Blue Lake using WTA's Hiking Guide
Park Butte
Location: North Cascades -- Mount Baker Area
Length: 7.5 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 2,200 feet
Highest Point: 5,450 feet
Best Season: Late summer - fall
Park Butte. Photo by trip reporter geezerhiker.
A stunning North Cascades alpine hike just south of Mount Baker. Day hike it or backpack here in late summer or fall, when it really shows off the best of autumn foliage. Along with unobstructed panoramic views of Mount Baker, the Twin Sisters, and the rest of the North Cascades, the route to Park Butte offers campsites, wildflower-filled alpine meadows, rushing waterfalls, and a stunning variety of mushroom species.
> Plan your visit to Park Butte using WTA's Hiking Guide
Gothic Basin
Location: North Cascades -- Mountain Loop Highway
Length: 9.2 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 2,840 feet
Highest Point: 5,200 feet
Best Season: Late July - mid-October
Gothic Basin. Photo by trip reporter Mountain_Vagabond.
This hike is a thrill for backpackers and day hikers alike. While it may look like an easy trek from the moderate elevation gain and length -- it is anything but. The miners who originally constructed it had little time for switchback or nicely graded trails. That said, all who make it to the top will be rewarded with unmatched views.
If you plan on spending the night here, please note that Gothic Basin is an extremely fragile area. Be sure that you're camping on an established site or sturdy surface, like rock or dirt, and avoid camping in meadows or grasses, as this can damage the landscape.
> Plan your visit to Gothic Basin using WTA's Hiking Guide
Central Cascades
Kendall Katwalk
Location: Snoqualmie Region — Snoqualmie Pass
Length: 12.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 2,600 feet
Highest Point: 5,400 feet
Best Season: Late July - September
An abundance of wildflowers in Spider Meadow. Photo by Woodsy.
Hike an iconic section of the PCT north of Snoqualmie Pass. This narrow and rocky trail also includes old-growth forest, gorgeous wildflowers, and stunning views into the Alpine Lakes Wilderness from both sides of the pass below Kendall Peak, where the Katwalk begins.
> Plan your visit to Kendall Peak using WTA's Hiking Guide
Carne Mountain
Location: Central Cascades — Stevens Pass - East
Length: 7.3 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 3,600 feet
Highest Point: 7,085 feet
Best Season: Late summer - fall
Larches in the early fall. Photo by dbaile16.
This challenging yet rewarding hike is known for the brilliant gold colors of western larches. Against a backdrop of blue autumn sky and the magnificent peaks of the Cascades, they are a dazzling sight and a Washington essential.
> Plan your visit to Carne Mountain using WTA's Hiking Guide
Olympic Peninsula
Hoh Rainforest Trail
Location: Olympic National Park
Length: up to 37 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain: up to 3,700 feet
Highest Point: 4,300 feet
Season: Year-round
A view of the river. Photo by trip reporter Akorn.
There is something incredibly magical about the Hoh. The huge trees, the cascading moss, the birds and Roosevelt elk, the Olympic Mountains rising above and the broad river valley extending up and downstream, all make this a hike that must be done at least once in a lifetime. The trail can be tailored to your needs too — hike for as little or as long as you like along the nearly 19 mile route. If you're short on time or are hiking with a family, you may also want to check out the Hall of Moses — a short and sweet rainforest loop beginning from the same trailhead.
> Plan your visit to Hoh Rainforest using WTA's Hiking Guide
Rialto Beach and Hole-in-the-Wall
Location: Olympic Peninsula — Pacific Coast
Length: 4 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain: minimal
Best Season: Year-round
Photo by trip reporter ErynnAllen.
With so many mountain hikes to choose from, many hikers forget about the glories of Washington's coast. There is some incredible coastal hiking all the way up and down the coast, but this little slip of the wild Olympic Coast is a classic. Plus, it's great for kids.
> Plan your visit to Rialto and Hole-in-the-Wall using WTA's Hiking Guide
mount angeles
Location: Olympic Peninsula — Northern Coast
Length: 6.25 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 1,254 feet
Highest Point: 6,454 feet
Best Season: July - August
Photo by trip reporter stani.
You can't go wrong finding wildflowers at Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park. While many folks head up the paved path to Hurricane Hill, solitude seekers climb up the Mount Angeles trail and branch off to attain Sunrise Ridge. Phlox, penstemon, lupine, bistort, larkspur and more greet hikers here.
> Plan your visit to to Mount Angeles using WTA's Hiking Guide
Mount Rainier Area
Naches Peak Loop
Location: Mount Rainier Area — SE - Cayuse Pass/Stevens Canyon
Length: 3.2 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 600 feet
Highest Point: 5,849 feet
Best Season: Late June - October
A small tarn along the trail. Photo by trip reporter TheKingBoar.
This is a trail to save until August or September. In this short window of time, hikers will rejoice by frolicking along the trail surrounded by fields of wildflowers and soaking in one of the classic views of The Mountain. Because it's a short, flat, loop, this is our pick for taking out-of-towners who may not hike much.
> Plan your visit to Naches Peak using WTA's Hiking Guide
Burroughs Mountain
Location: Mount Rainier Area — NE - Sunrise/White River
Length: 9.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 2,500 feet
Highest Point: 7,828 feet
Best Season: Mid-July - October
Photo by trip reporter NobleAdam.
Potentially one of the most iconic Mount Rainier hikes, the Burroughs trail will get you up close and personal with the mountain -- so close you feel like you can touch the summit. It's near impossible to choose just one or two essential Mount Rainier hikes, but make this hike is so well-rounded, it makes the cut.
> Plan your visit to Burroughs Mountain using WTA's Hiking Guide
South Cascades
Harry's Ridge
Location: South Cascades — Mount St. Helens
Length: 8.2 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 970 feet
Highest Point: 4,792 feet
Best Season: Late June - November
A cloud inversion below Mount St. Helens. Photo by trip reporter neverstophiking.
A classic Mount St. Helens hike, leaving from the Johnston Ridge Observatory. The hillsides are alive with wildflowers at mid-summer, and the view from the end of Harry's Ridge has you looking straight into the mouth of the crate, not to mention views of Spirit Lake, Mount Adams and even Mount Hood on a clear day.
> Plan your visit to Harry's Mountain using WTA's Hiking Guide
Bird Mountain Loop
Location: South Cascades — Mount Adams Area
Length: 10.25 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 1,875 feet
Highest Point: 5,230 feet
Best Season: July - October
Photo by trip reporter wishfulwanderer.
A ten-mile loop that shows off the lakes, meadows and vistas (not to mention huckleberries) of Indian Heaven Wilderness and Mount Adams with a southern section of the Pacific Crest Trail.
> Plan your visit to Bird Mountain Loop using WTA's Hiking Guide
Lost Lake Lookout
Location: South Cascades — White Pass/Cowlitz River Valley
Length: 14 miles, one-way
Elevation Gain: 3,897 feet
Highest Point: 6,316 feet
Best Season: July - September
Photo by tripreporter JimmyBob.
The Goat Rocks Wilderness is a beauty, and this less-traveled access point is a great way to explore the area for yourself. Peaceful lakes, snow-capped mountain views, flower-filled ridgelines and more await you here.
> Plan your visit to Lost Lake Lookout using WTA's Hiking Guide
Southwest Washington
Cape Disappointment state park
Location: Southwest Washington — Long Beach Area
Length: varies
Elevation Gain: varies
Highest Point: 200 feet
Best Season: Year-round
A peek out to the Pacific Ocean. Photo by trip reporter WonderSmash.
Cape Disappointment is a stunning getaway spanning the southwestern tip of our state -- and despite the name, it is anything but disappointing. There are plenty of trails to choose from across the park. Whether you want to visit a historic lighthouse, hit the sandy beach, or stroll through coastal forests and overlooks, there is something for anyone.
> Plan your visit to Cape Disappointment using WTA's Hiking Guide
cape horn
Location: Southwest Washington — Columbia River Gorge - WA
Length: 7.2 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 1,300 feet
Highest Point: 1,350 feet
Best Season: Year-round
Views across the river and into Oregon from atop Cape Horn. Photo by trip reporter ZhuckYu.
This trail is a classic Gorge-area hike. The full loop provides fantastic views of the Columbia River Gorge, an intimate look at the Cape Horn Falls and a challenging workout as it climbs and descends the rocky slopes of Cape Horn.
> Plan your visit to Cape Horn using WTA's Hiking Guide
Central Washington
Steamboat Rock
Location: Central Washington — Grand Coulee
Length: 6 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 650 feet
Highest Point: 2,250 feet
Best Season: spring and fall
Photo by trip reporter Kimlaree.
Save a visit to this dramatic state park for spring or fall (when things cool off). This hunk of rock in Banks Lake is a distinct example of massive Ice Age floods 15,000 years ago. Explore the geology and admire the unparalleled views.
> Plan your visit to Steamboat Rock using WTA's Hiking Guide
White Bluffs
Location: Central Washington -- Tri-Cities
Length: varies
Elevation Gain: varies
Highest Point: 900 feet
Best Season: spring and fall
Classic, wide, central Washington views. Photo by trip reporter mytho-man.
White Bluffs is divied up into three sections -- North, Central Slope, and South Slope -- and all three are worth a visit. From massive sand dunes to river vistas and excellent shrub-steppe, this unique are is a delight for hikers' looking to switch up their usual forested treks.
> Plan your visit to White Bluffs using WTA's Hiking Guide
Eastern Washington
Mount Misery
Location: Eastern Washington -- Palouse and Blue Mountains
Length: 16 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 1,000 feet
Highest Point: 6,401 feet
Best Season: spring
Photo by trip reporter ejain.
Mount Misery is a delightful hike to the Oregon Butte Lookout, situated on a hilltop in the remote Blue Mountains. In the spring, this hike is a great one for wildflower meadows dotted with scarlet gilia, dutchman's breeches, calypso orchid, sulphur lupine, giant-head clover, elkhorn clarkia, and more. In autumn, the changing of the seasons brings Roosevelt elk to the area.
> Plan your visit to Mount Misery using WTA's Hiking Guide
Kettle Crest
Location: Selkirk Range
Length: 44 miles, one-way
Elevation Gain: 8,000 feet
Highest Point: 7,140 feet
Best Season: June - October
Photo by WTA staffer Holly Weiler.
The Kettle Crest is a high-country route stretching 44-miles along some of the most glorious areas of northeastern Washington. While this trail makes for an excellent thru-hike, it can also be be easily split into smaller chunks for a day hike or overnight.