Washington

Looking for a hike that will make you feel like you're in a foreign landscape, but don't have to deal with that far of a drive? Then consider hiking Gothic Basin. This hike is located only 30 miles down the Mountain Loop Highway, which is nearly a hour shorter for people that live in the greater Sea...

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 main w...

The trail up to Lake of the Angels, known as the Putvin Trail, starts out pretty mellow with a gradual uphill climb. Your first marker will be an old roadbed at around 1.4 miles, but you'll need to cross two ravines before making it there. It's thick forest with gorgeous views in the clearings, so m...

This hike is a short, 4.0 mile round trip, half-day or less hike, located just past the Hurricane Ridge entrance into Olympic National Park. Being relatively level and the trail head just off loop E of the Heart O' the Hills Campground, the Heart O' the Forest hike offers those looking for a taste o...

Coyote Wall is a relatively uncrowded trail system in the Columbia River Gorge that provides outstanding views of the Columbia River. The trail system is made up primarily of user-created mountain biking trails, allowing hikers a choose-your-own-adventure approach to exploring the area. Start out at...

Formerly the site of an old fire lookout, Bearhead Mountain located in the Clearwater Wilderness, provides great unobstructed views of the north side of Mount Rainier, Little Tahoma, and many other surrounding Cascade mountain peaks. In the summer months you are likely to encounter great wildflowers...

Escape the crowds at Paradise and come enjoy the best views in the park! Start from the visitor's center parking lot and head up the Sourdough Ridge Trail and hike the 1.3 miles to Frozen Lake. Along the way (depending on the season) you'll hike up snow, through glorious fields of wild flowers, or t...

High Rock Lookout is aptly named. Perched at 5,685' on a slab of rock, it has sweeping views of the valleys below, Cora Lake, and Mount Rainier. Although it is only a short 1.6 mile hike to the top, it is a steep one. You gain 1,365' to reach the lookout, but the reward is grand. The trail follows a...

Once you reach the parking lot, walk down the hill and find the trail head, which is easily seen as it is marked. Begin your trek up the trail. The way up is pretty much all uphill, and is a great workout for the legs. You will walk through forests and over many rocks on the way up. As soon as your ...

Grab a permit on your way in at the Wilderness Information Center (WIC) in Port Angeles or at the Quinault USFS/NFS Recreation Information center before parking at the Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center and use the wash station and rest room before you head out on the trail. The first five miles of the ...

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 Pea...

As if erupting volcanoes weren't awesome enough, ancient lava flows also left behind these giant, hollow tubes as they cooled. Spend all day exploring deep underground in this 2.5 mile cave. To get there, head to the SOUTH side of Mount Saint Helens. You must pass through the town of Cougar to get h...

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 fa...

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 G...

The trail to Rattlesnake Ledge is one of the busiest in Washington. Usually, a Saturday or Sunday is a no go for a lot of avid hikers due to the crowds. Adding a little snow and cold diminishes the crowds nicely. While it is no secret, this hike is popular for a reason. The 2 miles it takes to get t...

The trail takes you on a gradual climb up to Heather Lake with beautiful second growth to admire along the way. The trail can be very wet and muddy with many tree roots to catch your toes, so make sure to wear a sturdy pair of tennis shoes or hiking shoes. Dogs are permitted on this trail on-leash. ...