Renton, Washington

This hike takes you past 5 lakes and a few different waterfalls, so if you don't wish to push on to Big Heart, you won't be disappointed! Start at the West Fork Foss River Trailhead, about 2.6 miles past the Necklace Valley Trailhead. The first mile is relatively flat. Once you reach the bridge t...

Choose from Trout Lake (1.6 miles each way with 500 feet of elevation gain), Copper Lake (4.2 miles each way with 2400 feet of elevation gain), or Big Heart Lake at 7.3 miles each way, with 3300 feet elevation gain). There are plenty of camp sites if you decide to go overnight at any of the lakes...

Getting There From Seattle, drive Interstate 90 to Exit 62, Signed Kachess Lake/Stampede Pass. Turn left and head north over the interstate; you'll reach Kachess Lake Campground in five miles. Turn left where the pavements ends and drive four miles on Box Canyon Road (FS Road #4930) to the Rachel...

Getting There: From I-90 East, take exit 62. Take a left, heading over the highway. After 5.2 miles, the road veers left, passing Lake Kachess Campground. Go another 0.3 miles on the gravel road and take a right at a sign for Rachel Lake/Trail 1313. At this point, the road gets a little rough, bu...

Start off at Trail #1313 to Rachel Lake. The first 2.5 miles is a flat, slow uphill hike till you get to a river crossing. From there, the next 1.3 miles will be a 1,000 foot elevation gain to Rachel Lake. Once you arrive, this is a good spot to rest, eat some snacks, and replenish your water sup...

Begin at the Rachel Lake Trailhead and fill out the registry with your individual/group information.As you start the hike heading Northwest towards the lake itself, the trail begins to steadily climb from its initial elevation of 2500 feet. Once you cross the Alpine Lake Wilderness sign, the path...

This hike is 8 miles roundtrip, with 1600 feet of elevation gain. Once you're on the trail, it starts heading uphill to help get your heart rate up on the hike. As you enter the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, the trail starts to level out. You'll cross a few streams and hike through a fair amount of ve...

Greider Lakes Trail is an approximately 8+ mile hike out-and-back from the trailhead, which is labeled after a long drive up a gravel road. First 2 miles are flat, next 3 are switchbacks up. Once you reach the first larger lake, keep going! The second one is also gorgeous. This is a beautiful hik...

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...

If you have been trying to get behind a waterfall Eatonville Falls is the place to hike and get a great feeling out of it. Hiking to the waterfall would lead you to a railroad and pass it would lead to a river where you would follow it down to get to the waterfall. The hike itself is pretty sim...

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...

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...

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...

The climb to Buckhorn Mountain above Marmot Pass is a must see for every PNW adventurer with the endurance to tackle nearly 14 miles and 4,400 feet of gain.  Listen to the rushing waters of the Big Quilcene River as the trail gently traverses up 5.5 miles to Marmot Pass.  Be sure to filter water ...