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Hard Hiking Trails near Seattle

There are 7 hikes near Seattle in our database that fit. They average 29.5 km and 737 m (2,418 ft) of ascent.

That is 4 percent of the 165 routes we map near Seattle. They run noticeably longer than average for the area, 29.5 km against 4.0 km, so budget more daylight than a typical outing here. The climbing is steeper too: 737 m (2,418 ft) on average versus 100 m (328 ft) across the wider area.

Hard routes mean sustained ascent, long descents and a real need to watch the clock and the forecast. These lean toward the demanding end, so plan for a full day and check the forecast before you commit.

Trails

Expert

Snoqualmie Valley Trail

Washington · United States

Distance
50.3 km
/ 31.3 mi
Elevation gain
1,107 m
Typical duration
13 hr
  • River
  • Mountain
Expert

Burke-Gilman Trail

Washington · United States

Distance
33.9 km
/ 21.1 mi
Elevation gain
746 m
Typical duration
8 hr 45 min
  • Mountain
Expert

Interurban Trail

Washington · United States

Distance
52.1 km
/ 32.4 mi
Elevation gain
1,147 m
Typical duration
13 hr
  • Mountain
Hard

East Lake Sammamish Trail

Washington · United States

Distance
16.8 km
/ 10.4 mi
Elevation gain
369 m
Typical duration
4 hr 6 min
  • Lake
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
Hard

SR 520 Trail

Washington · United States

Distance
18.1 km
/ 11.2 mi
Elevation gain
397 m
Typical duration
4 hr 27 min
Hard

Lake to Lake Trail

Washington · United States

Distance
24.7 km
/ 15.3 mi
Elevation gain
543 m
Typical duration
6 hr 15 min
  • Lake

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
Snoqualmie Valley TrailWashington50.3 km1,107 m13 hrExpertApril to October
Burke-Gilman TrailWashington33.9 km746 m8 hr 45 minExpertApril to October
Interurban TrailWashington52.1 km1,147 m13 hrExpertApril to October
East Lake Sammamish TrailWashington16.8 km369 m4 hr 6 minHardApril to October
Mt. Jupiter Trail #809Washington10.7 km848 m3 hr 29 minHardApril to October
SR 520 TrailWashington18.1 km397 m4 hr 27 minHardApril to October
Lake to Lake TrailWashington24.7 km543 m6 hr 15 minHardApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with Snoqualmie Valley Trail, Burke-Gilman Trail, Interurban 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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