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Best Forest Hikes in Washington

We track 415 routes that match this search in Washington. They average 8.9 km and 207 m (679 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 116 km.

That is 37 percent of the 1,136 routes we map in Washington.

Forest trails are the dependable choice: shade when it is hot, shelter when it is not, and a completely different character once the leaves turn. The mix is broad: 225 are rated easy and 66 are hard or harder, so there is something here whether you have two hours or a full day.

Trails

Moderate

Colonel Bob Trail #851

Washington · United States

Distance
10.6 km
/ 6.6 mi
Elevation gain
233 m
Typical duration
2 hr 34 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
  • Forest
Expert

Summit Trail (Wilderness)

Washington · United States

Distance
48.1 km
/ 29.9 mi
Elevation gain
1,058 m
Typical duration
12 hr
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
  • Forest
Expert

PCT - Washington Section J

Washington · United States

Distance
116 km
/ 72.2 mi
Elevation gain
2,556 m
Typical duration
31 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Long-distance path
Easy

Glacier View Trail #267

Washington · United States

Distance
4.1 km
/ 2.6 mi
Elevation gain
91 m
Typical duration
1 hr
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
  • Forest
Easy

Falls View Canyon Trail #868

Washington · United States

Distance
1.5 km
/ 0.9 mi
Elevation gain
32 m
Typical duration
21 min
  • Waterfall
  • Lake
  • Canyon and gorge
Moderate

High Lakes Trail #116

Washington · United States

Distance
14.5 km
/ 9.0 mi
Elevation gain
319 m
Typical duration
3 hr 30 min
  • Lake
  • Forest
  • Volcano
Easy

Beckler Peak Trail

Washington · United States

Distance
6.0 km
/ 3.7 mi
Elevation gain
132 m
Typical duration
1 hr 27 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
  • Forest
Easy

Circle Peak Trail

Washington · United States

Distance
6.2 km
/ 3.8 mi
Elevation gain
136 m
Typical duration
1 hr 29 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
  • Forest
Easy

Clearwater Peak Trail

Washington · United States

Distance
1.8 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
39 m
Typical duration
25 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
  • Forest
Moderate

Davis Peak Trail

Washington · United States

Distance
7.4 km
/ 4.6 mi
Elevation gain
162 m
Typical duration
1 hr 47 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
  • Forest
Moderate

Domerie Peak Trail

Washington · United States

Distance
15.4 km
/ 9.6 mi
Elevation gain
338 m
Typical duration
3 hr 43 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
  • Forest
Hard

Garland Peak Trail

Washington · United States

Distance
16.5 km
/ 10.2 mi
Elevation gain
363 m
Typical duration
4 hr 1 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
  • Forest
Easy

Hamilton Peak Trail #109

Washington · United States

Distance
1.5 km
/ 0.9 mi
Elevation gain
32 m
Typical duration
21 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
  • Forest
Moderate

Hannegan Peak Trail

Washington · United States

Distance
8.4 km
/ 5.2 mi
Elevation gain
185 m
Typical duration
2 hr 2 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
  • Forest
Easy

Higley Peak Trail

Washington · United States

Distance
0.7 km
/ 0.4 mi
Elevation gain
15 m
Typical duration
10 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
  • Forest
Easy

Iron Peak Trail

Washington · United States

Distance
5.3 km
/ 3.3 mi
Elevation gain
118 m
Typical duration
1 hr 17 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
  • Forest
Moderate

Miller Peak Trail

Washington · United States

Distance
6.8 km
/ 4.3 mi
Elevation gain
150 m
Typical duration
1 hr 39 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
  • Forest
Easy

Surprise Lake Trail #1249

Washington · United States

Distance
3.9 km
/ 2.4 mi
Elevation gain
86 m
Typical duration
57 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
Moderate

Blue Lake Ridge Trail #271

Washington · United States

Distance
12.3 km
/ 7.6 mi
Elevation gain
270 m
Typical duration
2 hr 58 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Expert

Hidden Lakes Trail

Washington · United States

Distance
36.9 km
/ 22.9 mi
Elevation gain
811 m
Typical duration
9 hr 33 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Hard

Falls Creek Trail #152

Washington · United States

Distance
16.0 km
/ 9.9 mi
Elevation gain
352 m
Typical duration
3 hr 53 min
  • Waterfall
  • River
  • Forest
Hard

Prince Creek Trail #1255

Washington · United States

Distance
18.7 km
/ 11.6 mi
Elevation gain
411 m
Typical duration
4 hr 37 min
  • River
  • Coastal
  • Forest
Hard

Klickitat Trail #7

Washington · United States

Distance
22.9 km
/ 14.2 mi
Elevation gain
504 m
Typical duration
5 hr 46 min
  • River
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Hard

Valley Trail #270

Washington · United States

Distance
22.7 km
/ 14.1 mi
Elevation gain
499 m
Typical duration
5 hr 42 min
  • River
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Moderate

Big Creek Trail #252

Washington · United States

Distance
3.6 km
/ 2.2 mi
Elevation gain
378 m
Typical duration
1 hr 19 min
  • Waterfall
  • Lake
  • River
Easy

Falls Creek Trail

Washington · United States

Distance
5.6 km
/ 3.5 mi
Elevation gain
123 m
Typical duration
1 hr 21 min
  • Waterfall
  • Lake
  • River
Easy

Forks of Canyon Creek Trail

Washington · United States

Distance
2.0 km
/ 1.3 mi
Elevation gain
45 m
Typical duration
30 min
  • Lake
  • River
  • Canyon and gorge
Moderate

Teeley Creek Trail #251

Washington · United States

Distance
6.4 km
/ 4.0 mi
Elevation gain
262 m
Typical duration
1 hr 44 min
  • Lake
  • River
  • Mountain
Moderate

Soda Peaks Lake Trail #133

Washington · United States

Distance
8.2 km
/ 5.1 mi
Elevation gain
181 m
Typical duration
1 hr 59 min
  • Lake
  • River
  • Forest
Moderate

Walupt Lake Trail #101

Washington · United States

Distance
6.8 km
/ 4.3 mi
Elevation gain
151 m
Typical duration
1 hr 39 min
  • Lake
  • River
  • Forest
Expert

Boundary Trail

Washington · United States

Distance
112 km
/ 69.9 mi
Elevation gain
2,475 m
Typical duration
30 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Long-distance path
Easy

Monkey Bear Falls Trail

Washington · United States

Distance
3.4 km
/ 2.1 mi
Elevation gain
75 m
Typical duration
50 min
  • Waterfall
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Easy

Cloudy Pass Trail

Washington · United States

Distance
3.1 km
/ 2.0 mi
Elevation gain
69 m
Typical duration
46 min
  • Waterfall
  • Forest
Easy

East Crater Trail #48

Washington · United States

Distance
3.8 km
/ 2.3 mi
Elevation gain
200 m
Typical duration
1 hr 5 min
  • Forest
  • Volcano
Moderate

Goat Ridge Trail #95

Washington · United States

Distance
7.1 km
/ 4.4 mi
Elevation gain
157 m
Typical duration
1 hr 43 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Moderate

Green Mountain Trail #110

Washington · United States

Distance
8.9 km
/ 5.5 mi
Elevation gain
196 m
Typical duration
2 hr 9 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Moderate

Hamilton Buttes Trail #118

Washington · United States

Distance
9.5 km
/ 5.9 mi
Elevation gain
209 m
Typical duration
2 hr 18 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Hard

Lily Basin Trail #86

Washington · United States

Distance
17.9 km
/ 11.1 mi
Elevation gain
393 m
Typical duration
4 hr 24 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Moderate

Nannie Ridge Trail #98

Washington · United States

Distance
7.1 km
/ 4.4 mi
Elevation gain
157 m
Typical duration
1 hr 43 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Easy

10 Mile Falls Trail

Washington · United States

Distance
1.4 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
30 m
Typical duration
20 min
  • Waterfall
  • Lake
  • Forest
Moderate

Canyon Ridge Trail

Washington · United States

Distance
15.5 km
/ 9.6 mi
Elevation gain
341 m
Typical duration
3 hr 45 min
  • Mountain
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest
Easy

Copper Falls Trail

Washington · United States

Distance
0.8 km
/ 0.5 mi
Elevation gain
17 m
Typical duration
11 min
  • Waterfall
  • Lake
  • Forest

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
Colonel Bob Trail #851Washington10.6 km233 m2 hr 34 minModerateApril to October
Summit Trail (Wilderness)Washington48.1 km1,058 m12 hrExpertApril to October
PCT - Washington Section JWashington116 km2,556 m31 hrExpertApril to October
Canyon Lake (Glacier Peak Wilderness) TrailWashington9.2 km202 m2 hr 13 minModerateApril to October
North Fork Prince Creek Trail #1254Washington3.8 km84 m55 minEasyApril to October
Sullivan Lake National Recreation TrailWashington6.7 km147 m1 hr 36 minModerateApril to October
Glacier View Trail #267Washington4.1 km91 m1 hrEasyApril to October
Falls View Canyon Trail #868Washington1.5 km32 m21 minEasyApril to October
High Lakes Trail #116Washington14.5 km319 m3 hr 30 minModerateApril to October
Beckler Peak TrailWashington6.0 km132 m1 hr 27 minEasyApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with Colonel Bob Trail #851, PCT - Washington Section J, Summit Trail (Wilderness). Those are the routes people come back to. Every route on this page links through to a full guide with the map, elevation profile, seasonal advice and what to bring.

Frequently asked questions

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