Port Townsend, Washington

The Washington Park Arboretum is the perfect place to swing through if you're looking for a short and gentle trail run without leaving the city. This expansive park includes the UW Botanic Gardens, Japanese Gardens, entire length of the Arboretum Creek - all landmarks you'll pass on this trail. ...

The Brothers is a notable peak on the border of Olympic National Park. The dual summits are a distinguishing feature of the Olympic Range, viewed from Seattle. This is a challenging route, testing a climber's route finding skills, physical fitness, and mental fortitude. From the parking lot, you ...

The trail climbs gently up and is accessible almost every season, weather permitting. Snowshoes may be needed December-February, so make sure and check with the Hoodsport Ranger Station. Just 45 minutes north of Hoodsport (a darling small town on the shores of Puget Sound), this trailhead has sp...

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...

There are 2 ways to get to Blake Island: private boat or via the Argosy Cruises tour boat (or if you're ambitious, I guess you can swim there!). If traveling by private boat, there is a marina with limited dock space as well as buoy moorings around the island for a moorage fee. Blake Island is ...

Take Highway 1 west from Victoria. Turn onto Exit 10 (View Royal/Colwood) and continue on the Island Highway. Turn right at Six Mile Road, which leads straight to Thetis Lake Regional Park. Note that this park is also accessible by bike via the Galloping Goose Trail. With minimal elevation (~60...

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...

These two quaint lakes in the Chuckanuts are a must-do for people looking for a day hike, short camping trip or steep trail run in the Bellingham area. Starting at the trailhead off of Old Samish Road, one begins the 2 mile ascent to the two lakes. The first 1,400ft climb has its fair share of up...

Sitting very close to the southernmost point of Vancouver Island, facing west towards the mouth of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the open Pacific Ocean, East Sooke Park is a unique and magical place for a hike or trail run. Your first visit will spark the desire to keep returning, to keep explor...

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, s...

South Bay Trail is an out-and-back trail that provides a good opportunity to view wildlife located near Bellingham, Washington.

This hike is only doable if you are already on Stuart Island! There is no public transportation to Stuart Island, so you must already be there or have a plan to be there in order to complete this hike.I frequent this island during the summer months and it is one of my favorites. I always stay in ...

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...

Goldstream Provincial Park is just a short drive from Victoria. Within 20 minutes of leaving the city center, you can be immersed in an old growth temperate rain forest. From Victoria, take the Trans-Canada highway to the start of the Malahat. The Goldstream day use area is well marked. Stop her...

Mount Finlayson in Goldstream Provincial Park is 19 km north of Victoria on Hwy 1. The trail takes you up to a scenic lookout of Victoria. For the majority, this trail is quite easy, however, it gets slightly more challenging toward the end when the terrain gets steeper. Park at Goldstream Provi...

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...