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Hiking Trails Under 5 km near Bellingham

We track 9 routes that match this search near Bellingham. They average 3.1 km and 68 m (223 ft) of ascent.

That is 64 percent of the 14 routes we map near Bellingham. They are shorter than the local average, 3.1 km against 4.8 km, which is what makes this a practical shortlist for a half day. They also climb less than the area average, 68 m (223 ft) against 106 m (348 ft), so they suit a recovery day or a group with mixed fitness.

Short routes for a spare couple of hours, an evening walk, or a day when the weather only gives you a window. 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

Fragrance Lake Trail

Washington · United States

Distance
3.8 km
/ 2.3 mi
Elevation gain
83 m
Typical duration
55 min
  • Lake
Easy

Pine and Cedar Lakes

Washington · United States

Distance
4.7 km
/ 2.9 mi
Elevation gain
103 m
Typical duration
1 hr 8 min
  • Lake
Easy

South Bay Trail

Washington · United States

Distance
4.2 km
/ 2.6 mi
Elevation gain
92 m
Typical duration
1 hr 1 min
Easy

Waterline Trail

Washington · United States

Distance
1.1 km
/ 0.7 mi
Elevation gain
24 m
Typical duration
16 min
Easy

Padilla Bay Shore Trail

Washington · United States

Distance
3.6 km
/ 2.2 mi
Elevation gain
78 m
Typical duration
52 min
  • Coastal
Easy

Barkley Trail

Washington · United States

Distance
0.7 km
/ 0.4 mi
Elevation gain
15 m
Typical duration
10 min
Easy

Oyster Dome Trail

Washington · United States

Distance
3.2 km
/ 2.0 mi
Elevation gain
71 m
Typical duration
47 min
Easy

Trumpeter Trail

Washington · United States

Distance
3.1 km
/ 1.9 mi
Elevation gain
68 m
Typical duration
45 min

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
Fragrance Lake TrailWashington3.8 km83 m55 minEasyApril to October
Pine and Cedar LakesWashington4.7 km103 m1 hr 8 minEasyApril to October
South Bay TrailWashington4.2 km92 m1 hr 1 minEasyApril to October
Waterline TrailWashington1.1 km24 m16 minEasyApril to October
Padilla Bay Shore TrailWashington3.6 km78 m52 minEasyApril to October
Barkley TrailWashington0.7 km15 m10 minEasyApril to October
Oyster Dome TrailWashington3.2 km71 m47 minEasyApril to October
Skagit County Playfields TrailWashington3.5 km76 m50 minEasyApril to October
Trumpeter TrailWashington3.1 km68 m45 minEasyApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with Pine and Cedar Lakes, Fragrance Lake Trail, South Bay 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

Related guides

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