Arlington, Washington

NOTE: The trail is currently closed about 1 mile in due to landslides.  This trail starts right off the Mountain Loop Highway outside of Granite Falls. Look out for a brick sign with the trail name, as it's easy to miss otherwise. There's parking next to the highway, but since there is a history...

Have you ever dreamed of snow skiing and water skiing in the same day? This March, plan your adventure of a lifetime to Stevens Pass and Lake Stevens, Washington. You will need a winter coat, a wet suit, and a heart made of love for the outdoors.Keep an eye on mountain and lake weather conditions...

Boulder River is a great outing for those days when you feel like you just need a good hike through the forest. This makes for a nice long day hike, but because both of the large waterfalls are within the first half of the trail, you can still see the falls without going the whole way. One of the...

Approximately 11 miles east of Granite Falls, WA, on the Mt. Loop Highway,  turn onto Forest Service road 41 and follow this road for 18.0 miles to the trailhead. The road is quite rough and it is recommended you have a four-wheel drive vehicle. There is a washout about halfway along the road, an...

Hike the well-maintained Mount Pilchuck Lookout trail through a variety of terrain: old-growth forest and granite boulder fields. At the top, you'll reach a lookout tower perched on Mount Pilchuck. Pilchuck sits on the western edge of the Cascades, which offers up amazing panoramic views once you...

If you're looking for a taste of the Mountain Loop Highway area, but don't have it in you for a longer, steeper journey, look no further than Lake 22. The trail starts out as flat and well-maintained, from the parking lot, before becoming a true mountain rainforest trail. Water and dampness are f...

Skagit Valley is an important agricultural region of Washington State, but the prettiest time of year to attend is during the spring when flower season takes hold. Daffodils first, then tulips, and then irises bloom and cover fields as far as the eye can see. The Skagit Tulip Festival is held eve...

If you plan to hike to this beach on the weekend, arrive early because the parking lot fills up fast. From the trailhead, hike down through an old forest along a stream to reach Meadowdale Beach Park. Take in the sounds of birds, wildlife, and the stream adjacent to the trail. At one mile you wil...

Along the Mountain Loop Highway, past the crowds crawling over Mt. Pilchuck, lies the muddy, unkempt Walt Bailey Trail into a verdant subalpine basin speckled with tiny tarns. The Cutthroat Lakes are a delightful location to spend the night with optional day hikes up to exposed ridgelines and cra...

Just walk straight past the restroom to find the start of the trail route. The Bluff trail heads up a set of stairs to the top of the hillside on the right. After climbing the stairs, you come right up on farmland (Ebey's Prairie), with a grassy two-track trail leading up toward the top of the bl...

Once you've parked your car, there is a $10 fee which can be paid at the station right next to the bridge unless you have a Discover Pass. From there, you can either go down the stairs to the beach or continue to walk across. Towards the middle, there are some stairs to get down and take some pho...

This campsite is located along the Mountain  Loop Highway. There are various options for dispersed camping around the area, as well as some you can reserve ahead of time such as the Coal Creek Campground and the Beaver Creek Group Campground. This campsite is located just before Beaver Creek grou...

North Lake is everything you could want in a subalpine lake: emerald green hues, cold, clear water, lots of brook trout and far from cell-phone reception. This backpack is perfect when the weather gets hot and sunny, though it does reside in what is known as “the wettest section of the Cascades,...

THE TRAIL: On the north side of the bridge, you'll come across Rosario Rd. Take this down to the Bowman Bay parking lot and your trailhead begins here. Take a moment to walk out on the fishing pier or watch what people are catching before you continue south on the trail towards Lottie Bay/Lightho...

Starting from the Rosario Beach parking lot, the trail heads out past a large recreation area for families and into a wooded area leading up to Rosario Head.  At this point in the trail there are beaches on either side that provide a great opportunity to explore some tidal pools. If you choose to...

This trail offers amazing views of Mt. Baker, Vancouver Island, the San Juan Islands, and the Cascade Mountains. The Point Wilson trail is located in Fort Worden State Park on the Olympic Peninsula, along the Strait of Juan De Fuca. The trail is 2.5 miles round trip, and is accessible regardless ...