Washington

Crowds and mosquitoes were nonexistent as we went a bit early in the season. The trails were all covered in snow, but we were able to do some way finding with a GPS and topo map. 3.5 miles in we found a dry spot next to Blue Lake and set up shop. After dropping off our gear we climbed up Gifford...

When you park at the top of the trail, all you see is layers and layers of emerald trees and ground clear of any underbrush. Once on the trail, you start on a rapid decline that brings you to the first of the many streams along this hike. Cross the bridge made out of logs and head towards the ma...

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...

This hike shares the trailhead for Snow lake at the Alpental Ski area in Snoqualmie Pass. You'll start out with a great warm up, walking through dense green underbrush and a brief wooded area. Before too long the trail increases in inclination slightly and begins to offer up some small rocky sect...

Camp at scenic and easily-accessible Forlorn Lakes, where the 25 campsites ($10/night) are both isolated and roomy. Sites have a picnic table and fire ring and provide access to the series of lakes, as well as the East Crater Trailhead which leads into the Indian Heaven Wilderness.Nearby, explore...

On the hunt for a dry, scenic backpack during a weekend of dreary, wet, early September weather in the mountains, we decided to head toward the high desert outside of Quincy, WA. After a short hike in, we found a site seldom seen - waterfalls and lakes in the midst of the desert - an area known a...

The ancient rock walls, cave, and falls of Hawk Creek provide an unreal day hike experience! The best time to hike to Hawk Creek cave is early spring/summer before the water level of Lake Roosevelt is back to it's regular level by July. Any age explorer will be inspired on this adventure! Driv...

Snow Lake is a beautiful lake in Mount Rainier National Park in Washington. You can do the 2.6 mile roundtrip hike to the lake as either a day trip or as a backcountry camp. To camp at one of the two sites on the lake you must secure a permit from the permit office at Longmire. The hike to the s...

The hike to Upper Lena Lake is a beautiful one. It first takes you past Lena Lake, which is a very popular weekend destination for families. Luckily you're pushing on to Upper Lena Lake that sits in a peaceful alpine meadow with Mt. Lena and Mt. Bretherton towering above. The first part of the t...

Note to any hikers taking on this trail, this is a non-repeating trail meaning it goes in a big loop. The trailhead has 2 trail points of entrance. To the right (the pathway that is not paved) is the counter-clockwise route, a little less steep and more scenic at the start. To the left, the trail...

Distance: 5.4 milesElevation Change: 500ftThis Lewis River hike starts at Lower Falls then follows the Lewis River Trail #31, detours up to Copper Creek, before returning back to the main trail for the magnificent Upper Falls. Enticing views of the crystalline water in the Lewis River will make y...

As an initial note, to spend an overnight at Sahale Glacier Camp, you need to obtain a permit at the North Cascades Ranger Station in Marblemount, Washington. Permits are limited, so get there early or call in advance. To start, go to Marblemount, WA and then drive ~23 miles east on Cascade Rive...

The drive up to the starting point of the trail to Anderson and Watson Lake was easy, but at the end it gets a little tricky - the service road is sharp gravel and runs for about 10 miles to the trailhead. Some spots are steep and there are large potholes, but slow and steady wins the race. There...

Before you start this hike, you'll need to pick up a permit at the Wilderness Information Center in Port Angeles, WA - (360) 565-3100. The trail itself starts at Rialto Beach, which is at the end of Mora Road in La Push. There's a large parking lot for overnight campers so there shouldn't be any ...

The Grouse Vista Trailhead is located through the town of Washougal off of highway 14 just past Camas. Once you leave the city, the road will turn to gravel and dirt though it is fairly well maintained until snow arrive and accessible by most cars so long as you're willing to get drive over loose...

The trip to Goat Lake starts at the Walupt Lake campground parking lot. You will start on the Walupt Lake Trail (#101) and a short distance from the campground, take Trail #98 (Nannie Ridge) as it branches off and climbs steeply northeast onto an open, scenic ridge top.Continue on to Sheep Lake, ...