Cle Elum, Washington

Looking for the best hiking in Cle Elum? We've got you covered with the top trails, trips, hiking, backpacking, camping and more around Cle Elum. The detailed guides, photos, and reviews are all submitted by the Outbound community.

Top Hiking Spots in and near Cle Elum

  • Ashford, Washington

    Upper Palisades Lake

    7.05 mi / 1601 ft gain
    Park at the Sunrise Point parking lot and find the Palisades Trail at the northeast corner of the parking lot. If you bring along a pair of binoculars, you can stop at the first overlook on the left and scan the adjacent mountain slopes for the white dots of mountain goats. Continue down the trai...
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  • Skykomish, Washington

    Tank Lakes via Necklace Valley

    18.94 mi / 4721 ft gain
    Tucked high in the heart of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, Tank Lakes has everything you could ask for out of a Washington hike. You start low at the Necklace Valley trailhead just south of Skykomish along Highway 2 and meander five miles to a giant log crossing of the East Fork Foss River. From h...
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  • Skykomish, Washington

    Jade Lake via the Necklace Valley Trail

    15.26 mi / 3323 ft gain
    This hike is definitely one of our all-time favorites. The first time we did it was in August 2015 and due to the exceptionally mild winter that year, fall was already beginning to show its colors. We wanted to see it again in the springtime when everything was in bloom, so we decided to go again...
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  • Skykomish, Washington

    Pacific Crest Trail's Section J: Stevens Pass to Snoqualmie Pass

    70.27 mi / 14911 ft gain
    This is the Section J hike of the Pacific Crest Trail between Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass. It is about a 70 mile hike, and I started near Stevens Pass heading South. The PCT starts at the Stevens Pass Ski Resort off of Highway 2. The trail starts out under chairlifts and through ski runs – I chos...
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  • Skykomish, Washington

    Climb Slippery Slab Tower

    13 mi / 4200 ft gain
    Start out at the Tunnel Creek trailhead. You will follow the trail for about 1.6 miles until you reach Hope Lake and the PCT. From here, you want to travel south along the PCT.For the next 3/4 of a mile, you will hike up switchbacks until you reach the saddle, where it will start to level out a b...
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  • Leavenworth, Washington

    Scenic Hot Springs

    3.21 mi / 1135 ft gain
    Scenic Hot Springs is a privately owned hot spring located near Stevens Pass outside of Leavenworth, Washington. To access the three steaming pools, please visit ScenicHotSprings.com to make a reservation. Reservations are required.  The three tubs have varying temperatures and only 10 people ar...
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  • North Bend, Washington

    Middle Fork Snoqualmie River Trail

    5.0
    27.57 mi / 3609 ft gain
    This beautiful tucked-away trail offers runners, hikers, and backpackers a new view of their favorite neighboring peaks - like Mailbox Peak and Mt. Si - from one of the most scenic river trails in the Seattle area. Often overlooked in favor of more rigorous hikes, the Middle Fork is a gently gra...
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  • North Bend, Washington

    CCC Road: Upper Trailhead

    6.34 mi / 1102.61 ft gain
    While the full Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) road trail can be quite a challenging adventure, the upper section of the trail is perfect for a modest hike or trail run through some beautiful classic PNW forest terrain. Just adjacent to the Middle Fork Road the 3.4-mile trail runs between a sm...
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  • North Bend, Washington

    Otter Falls

    4.0
    8.37 mi / 853 ft gain
    The hike begins at Snoqualmie Lake Trailhead, but you'll actually have to start your hike about a half mile down the road from the trailhead as some cement barricades are up. There is plenty of room to park below the barricades, and the walk up to the trial head is easy and quick. Once at the tr...
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  • Ashford, Washington

    Scramble to Tamanos Mountain

    10 mi / 3000 ft gain
    Soon after entering Mt. Rainier National Park via the White River Entrance, pull into the Owyhigh Lakes Trail parking area. From the parking lot, walk across Sunrise Road to the Owyhigh Lakes Trailhead to begin an exceptional hike to the summit of Tamanos Mountain.Start by hiking 3.5 miles on the...
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  • North Bend, Washington

    Rainy Lake Trail

    4.0
    9 mi / 3205 ft gain
    This is an abandoned trail that heads south along Rainy Creek, off of the downstream section of the Middle Fork Snoqualmie Trail, and up to Rainy Lake. The lake is popular among fisherman, since it is home to lots of trout, but be warned -- route-finding skills are a must on this trip. I do my be...
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  • North Bend, Washington

    Pratt Balcony

    2.32 mi / 692 ft gain
    This one can be a bit tricky to find. The trailhead is unmarked and is a bit hidden around a curve of Middle Fork Road so it is easy to miss. At about 9.80 miles from the junction of 468th St. and Middle Fork Road, look for two signs on the right warning of upcoming gravel patches (probably will ...
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  • Ashford, Washington

    Panhandle Gap

    5.0
    11.11 mi / 3127.08 ft gain
    The trail is 12 mi round trip but don’t let the distance for an out and back turn you off - this hike is fantastic and even better with a beer at the top. The trail winds its way through an old growth forest and shortly joins the Wonderland Trail. After crossing a crick the trail steepens and beg...
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  • Ashford, Washington

    Summerland Trail

    5.0
    8.62 mi / 2359 ft gain
    The Summerland trail is by far the easiest trail that I ever experienced. The trail is well maintained and for the first 3 miles you are surrounded by trees and the sound of waterfalls and rivers, and it's green everywhere. The last 1.3 miles, you encounter switchbacks and you can get some view...
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  • Ashford, Washington

    Climb Little Tahoma/East Shoulder

    17 mi / 7450 ft gain
    Start from the Summer Land Trail Head at the Fryingpan Creek parking lot just West of the White River Ranger Station in Mount Rainier National Park. Beginning at an elevation of 3,800 feet, you'll head southeast along the Summer Land Trail for 4.5 miles, tracing the Fryingpan Creek. There are a f...
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  • North Bend, Washington

    Mount Washington

    4.3
    8.02 mi / 3117 ft gain
    You start out at an elevation of about 1200 feet and you gradually make your way up to the top at 4450 feet. You are hiking through forest land the whole time with peaks of a beautiful view to the north every so often. Along the way there are many rock walls which you can climb at, however on our...
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