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Best Summit Hikes near Seattle

There are 8 hikes near Seattle in our database that fit. They average 2.9 km and 133 m (436 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 8.1 km.

That is 5 percent of the 165 routes we map near Seattle. They are shorter than the local average, 2.9 km against 4.0 km, which is what makes this a practical shortlist for a half day. The climbing is steeper too: 133 m (436 ft) on average versus 100 m (328 ft) across the wider area.

Summit routes are built around one moment. The climbing is front-loaded and the view arrives all at once. Most of these are on the gentler end, which makes the list a good starting point if you are new to the area.

Trails

Easy

Dirty Harry's Peak Trail

Washington · United States

Distance
6.4 km
/ 4.0 mi
Elevation gain
140 m
Typical duration
1 hr 32 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Easy

Long View Peak Trail

Washington · United States

Distance
0.6 km
/ 0.4 mi
Elevation gain
13 m
Typical duration
9 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
Moderate

Mailbox Peak Trail

Washington · United States

Distance
8.1 km
/ 5.1 mi
Elevation gain
179 m
Typical duration
1 hr 58 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
Easy

Radio Peak Trail

Washington · United States

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

Summit Trail

Washington · United States

Distance
0.5 km
/ 0.3 mi
Elevation gain
11 m
Typical duration
7 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
Easy

West Peak Trail

Washington · United States

Distance
0.8 km
/ 0.5 mi
Elevation gain
17 m
Typical duration
11 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
Moderate

Mt. Walker Trail #894

Washington · United States

Distance
3.1 km
/ 1.9 mi
Elevation gain
617 m
Typical duration
1 hr 34 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push

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
Dirty Harry's Peak TrailWashington6.4 km140 m1 hr 32 minEasyApril to October
Long View Peak TrailWashington0.6 km13 m9 minEasyApril to October
Mailbox Peak TrailWashington8.1 km179 m1 hr 58 minModerateApril to October
Radio Peak TrailWashington0.7 km16 m10 minEasyApril to October
Summit TrailWashington0.5 km11 m7 minEasyApril to October
West Peak TrailWashington0.8 km17 m11 minEasyApril to October
Whittaker Wilderness Peak TrailWashington3.3 km73 m48 minEasyApril to October
Mt. Walker Trail #894Washington3.1 km617 m1 hr 34 minModerateApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with Dirty Harry's Peak Trail, Long View Peak Trail, Mailbox Peak Trail. 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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