On a clear day, the views reach all the way to Vancouver Island, and the alpine meadows turn gold and purple in late July.
You may immediately understand why people return here, or you may not.
Hiking in Washington doesn’t come with one type of terrain.
This guide includes seven trails throughout the region – from a 0.8-mile rainforest loop that’s accessible to just about anyone, to a 13-mile PCT through open wilderness.
Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park Starts at 5,242 Feet – and the Wind Tells Everything
The Hurricane Ridge Trail in Olympic National Park begins at the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center, which is just above the tree line, with open mountains within the first half mile. There are no miles of bush warming. You’re in it fast.
Hurricane Ridge is my route and I’ve been back more times than I can count since I first discovered it on a trip down from Langley.
You get out of the car at 5,242 feet and the wind is chest-pounding, cold and constant from the Olympic Mountains. The spirit does not sleep there. A lot of people pull their jackets around them and go fast and I just stand there and read, the direction, the pressure, the way it rolls over the line.
On a clear day the views stretch all the way to Vancouver Island and the alpine meadows in late July are gold and purple making you immortal in your tracks. Bring a real coat and go during the week when the weather doesn’t lie.
Barbara Robinson, Marketing Manager, Weather Solve
The Hoh Rainforest Gets Up to 170 Inches of Rain a Year — Here’s Why You Should Go
The Hoh Rainforest in Olympic National Park receives between 140 and 170 inches of rain per year. That number explains the big-leafed maples covered in clubmoss along the Hall of Mosses trail – the canopy blocks so much light that even during the day they can feel their surroundings, and the moss grows thick enough to muffle the sound. The loop covers 0.8 miles and takes 20 minutes at walking pace, or an hour if you stop, which you will.
For hikers looking for more, the Hoh River Trail extends 17 miles to the Blue Glacier at the base of Mount Olympus.
The first 12 miles follow the river through Sitka spruce and western red cedar – trees that have been growing since before European contact. The trail gains only 400 meters in those 9 miles before climbing sharply towards the glacier. Hikers who take the first four or five kilometers will see enough growth to understand what this forest really is.
Many visitors stop at the Hall of Mosses and leave. Those who travel even two or three kilometers up the river route encounter a version of the Olympic backcountry that is not easily photographed. It must be traveled at the right pace, under the right conditions, with no particular destination in mind – the rainforest rewards patience more than any other type of terrain on this list.
The Chain Lakes Loop Around Mount Baker Encircles Three Alpine Lakes with Two Volcanoes on the Horizon
The Chain Lakes Loop’s trail head at Artist Point sits at 5,100 feet, so the hike starts above tree line without climbing to get there. The 6.5-mile circuit passes three alpine lakes – Mazama, Iceberg, and Hayes – with Mount Baker and Mount Shuksan sharing the horizon for much of the route. At Hayes Lake, near the center, Shuksan’s pyramid structure reflects directly on the water on a calm morning.
The Chain Lakes Loop gains about 1,700 feet in total, spread over two short, steep sections rather than a continuous climb. The landscape changes from lava rock to river to glaciers depending on the season – late July to mid-September is a reliable window, after Highway 542 opens to Artist Point and before the road closes for the season. In a heavy snow year, the road can remain closed until early August.
The compressed access window is what keeps this track up to par with what it offers. Commuters who travel on a weekday in mid-August – when the road is open and the September crowds haven’t arrived – will find the road unusually quiet for its grade. The view from the ridge section above Iceberg Lake is among the most unobstructed volcano views in the state, and the early morning shows at the lower lakes make an early start worth planning.
Maple Pass Loop in the North Cascades Has a 10-Day Window in October When the Larches Turn to Gold
The Maple Pass Loop does not retain its beautiful view of the summit. At 1.5 miles, the trail reaches a direct view of Lake Ann sitting in a circle with Maple Pass rising directly above it. The remaining 5.5 miles are spent skirting the rim of that basin, finding a skull, and descending back through subalpine fir. The full 7 mile loop gains 2,000 feet, with an elevation of 6,950 feet.
Trailhead access is easy: the Rainy Pass parking lot sits directly on Highway 20 in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. The Maple Pass Loop runs from late July to mid-October, with one important caveat: in late September and early October, the subalpine larches along the upper ridge turn a deep gold that changes the character of the climb completely. That window is about 10 days wide, and the crowds know it.
What sets this loop apart from other Washington mountains is its consistency. There isn’t one amazing moment. The quality is evenly distributed throughout the 7 miles – lake, cirque, ridge traverse, down through the trees – making it one of the few Washington rides that rewards going slow rather than pushing to the top. Hikers who have made Maple Pass often return during the larch window. Hikers who do it during the larch window tend not to go anywhere else that week.
Magic in the Wilderness of Alpine Lakes: 75 Permits to Sleep in a Day, and Two Climbers Get One
Both entries below cover the same route – Enchantments in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness above Leavenworth. An overnight lottery opens every February through Recreation.gov, with 75 permits issued per day. Both pedestrians arrived separately and returned with the same message.
Enchantments is always at the top of my list, and I don’t say that lightly.
I’ve hiked dozens of Washington trails over the years, and nothing compares to entering that steep river for the first time. Green lakes are piled high on granite peaks. In October, the larches turn to gold, and the whole place feels like it exists outside of our time.
Getting there is not easy. A lottery system for overnight permits (only 75 are issued daily) keeps the crowds under control so you can enjoy the area to yourself. I remember thinking the permit process was a joke before I got there. After getting there? It made sense. The difficulty of access is what keeps it the way it is.
Reilly Renwick, Chief Marketing Officer (Brand, Growth, Demand Gen) | Full GTM Programs | Content, Art & Performance Leads, Wall Status
The Skyline Trail at Mount Rainier Goes from Wildflower Fields to Snowflakes with No Technical Skills Required
The Skyline Trail Loop in Mount Rainier National Park covers 5.5 miles and about 1,400 feet of elevation gain, winding above Paradise through subalpine meadows and the edge of the Nisqually Glacier.
The Skyline Trail. I always make a point to revisit this wonderful trail whenever I’m in Washington. What makes it special is how quickly the scenery changes as you climb. You start in the subalpine valleys, and within a short distance, you look over the glaciers, volcanic rocks, and wide, open ridges that surround Mount Rainier.
From a traveler’s perspective, it’s one of those rare trails that delivers a full-spectrum experience without requiring extreme technical skill. On a clear day, you’ll see fields of wildflowers in the foreground and snow-capped peaks in the distance, creating a contrast that’s hard to find elsewhere. I also found that blowing it up on your own felt incredibly low-key. Even though the route is popular, it doesn’t feel crowded, so you still get moments of peace.
Before you go, plan to start early because the weather near Rainier can change quickly, and visibility is everything on this route. If you catch it at the right time, it’s one of those mountains that reminds you why the Pacific Northwest has such a strong reputation for raw, unfiltered landscapes.
Declan Somers, CEO, Mobal Communications
Knife Edge in the Rocky Goat Wilderness Puts Three Volcanoes on the Horizon at 7,600 Feet
The Knife Edge section of the Pacific Crest Trail through the Gifford Pinchot National Forest’s Goat Rocks Wilderness sits at about 7,600 feet, exposed on both sides of the ridge, with Rainier to the north and Adams and Hood behind you to the south. The path is wide enough that it’s not technical, but exposure requires careful attention – loose rocks and thunderstorms are both real features from July to September.
The general route starts at the Snowgrass Flat trailhead off Forest Road 21, reaching the PCT in 2.5 miles.
A full-day hike that covers Snowgrass Flat, the PCT north to Knife Edge, and back runs about 13 miles with 3,000 feet of gain – long, but manageable with an early start. The overnight wilderness option to Packwood Lake is a two-day trail that requires a Northwest Forest Pass but no permit lottery — a logical difference from the Enchantments.
Goat Rocks draws the PCT to hikers and climbers, both of whom know this as one of the most demanding sections in Washington. Day hikers who plan accordingly find it less crowded than the Rainier area’s trails, and the view of three volcanoes from Knife Edge isn’t duplicated anywhere else in the southern Cascades. The Enchantments may be the most popular permit climb in Washington – Goat Rocks is what the climbers involved talk about when they’re not competing for a lottery spot.
Before You Go: Permits, Terms, and How to Choose
Permissions are important in this list. The nightly Enchantments lottery opens every February. Goat Rocks overnight requires a Northwest Forest Pass but no lottery. Mount Rainier and Olympic both charge an entrance fee; the America the Beautiful pass includes both. The Rainy Pass trailhead for the Maple Pass Loop and the Artist Point trailhead for the Chain Lakes also require a Northwest Forest Pass for day use.
Conditions are changing quickly in Washington, especially at high altitude. So be sure to check current snow levels, blowdown, and trailhead access before driving two hours down a closed road.
The Mount Rainier and Olympic National Park websites update trail conditions weekly during the summer. Highway 20 – which provides the Maple Pass trailhead – closes in November and reopens in the spring, the exact date varies each year.
The scope here is deliberate. Hurricane Ridge and the Hall of Mosses are accessible to anyone who can walk a few miles. Enchantments and Goat Rocks are full-day commitments that require planning.
Three trails in the North Cascades sit between those extremes — doable for the prepared hiker, spectacular enough to warrant off-country travel. Choose a route that fits where you are now. Some reasons to come back.