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Best Forest Hikes near Seattle

8 routes near Seattle qualify, ranked below by how much walkers rate them. They average 6.6 km and 299 m (981 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 14.3 km.

That is 5 percent of the 165 routes we map near Seattle. They run noticeably longer than average for the area, 6.6 km against 4.0 km, so budget more daylight than a typical outing here. The climbing is steeper too: 299 m (981 ft) on average versus 100 m (328 ft) across the wider area.

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: 3 are rated easy and 1 are hard or harder, so there is something here whether you have two hours or a full day.

Trails

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

Duckabush Trail #803

Washington · United States

Distance
10.1 km
/ 6.3 mi
Elevation gain
222 m
Typical duration
2 hr 26 min
  • Forest
Hard

Mt. Jupiter Trail #809

Washington · United States

Distance
10.7 km
/ 6.6 mi
Elevation gain
848 m
Typical duration
3 hr 29 min
  • Forest
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Moderate

Elbo Creek Trail #892.1

Washington · United States

Distance
3.9 km
/ 2.4 mi
Elevation gain
572 m
Typical duration
1 hr 41 min
  • River
  • Forest
Moderate

Big Quilcene Trail #833

Washington · United States

Distance
14.3 km
/ 8.9 mi
Elevation gain
315 m
Typical duration
3 hr 27 min
  • River
  • Forest
  • Alpine meadow
Easy

Murhut Falls Trail #828

Washington · United States

Distance
1.2 km
/ 0.7 mi
Elevation gain
26 m
Typical duration
17 min
  • Waterfall
  • Forest
Moderate

McClellan Butte Trail

Washington · United States

Distance
8.5 km
/ 5.3 mi
Elevation gain
186 m
Typical duration
2 hr 2 min
  • Forest
Easy

Deadfall Trail #849

Washington · United States

Distance
2.5 km
/ 1.6 mi
Elevation gain
192 m
Typical duration
49 min
  • River
  • 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
Falls View Canyon Trail #868Washington1.5 km32 m21 minEasyApril to October
Duckabush Trail #803Washington10.1 km222 m2 hr 26 minModerateApril to October
Mt. Jupiter Trail #809Washington10.7 km848 m3 hr 29 minHardApril to October
Elbo Creek Trail #892.1Washington3.9 km572 m1 hr 41 minModerateApril to October
Big Quilcene Trail #833Washington14.3 km315 m3 hr 27 minModerateApril to October
Murhut Falls Trail #828Washington1.2 km26 m17 minEasyApril to October
McClellan Butte TrailWashington8.5 km186 m2 hr 2 minModerateApril to October
Deadfall Trail #849Washington2.5 km192 m49 minEasyApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with Falls View Canyon Trail #868, Duckabush Trail #803, Mt. Jupiter Trail #809. 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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