Washington State has one of the largest state park systems in the country. The Evergreen State offers beautiful landscapes, fantastic scenery, amazing wildlife, and a great reason for time well spent in beautiful nature. You will be amazed with what you can find on a journey into nature, so come explore these five excellent hiking trails in the state.
Enjoy this beautiful eight-mile loop trail that has it all: beautiful mountain scenery, alpine lakes suitable for swimming, and gorgeous wildflowers in springtime. Suitable for all sorts of trips, go for a short loop hike, backpack trip, or day hike. Stunning views and accessible trailheads makes coming to Chain Lakes Loop in the Northern Cascades mountain range a must! Enjoy the stunning view of Mount Baker in the background as you hike the trail up to Herman Saddle. Witness panoramic views of the area and hike back down to the pristine Iceberg Lake for a refreshing plunge or a quick dip of the feet to replenish yourself. This hike is great for first timers as well as seasoned hikers.
Washington State is lucky enough to have miles and miles of beautiful, untouched coastline. Take advantage of this natural wonder while you still can, Rialto Beach to Hole-in-the-Wall is a beautiful beach hike that is perfect for families. Take an easy stroll on the beach to Hole-in-the-Wall for a pleasant four-mile round trip hike on the beautiful Olympic Peninsula. Enjoy that enlivening sea air as you meander north up the beach. Maybe you’ll catch a glimpse of migrating grey whales, orca whales, or sea otters. Get there at low tide to explore tidal pools or hike up onto the adjacent bluff to enjoy panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean. There’s nothing quite like watching the sun set here.
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Hike into some of the most beautiful scenery in the state as you take the trail up to Snowgrass Flat. Hike though beautiful wildflower meadows as volcanoes dominate the sky. See Mount Rainier, Mount St. Helens and even Mount Hood on a clear day. Hike in the beautiful Goat Rocks area, which is a remnant of an ancient volcano that existed well before the birth of the volcanoes we know and see today. This beautiful eight-mile loop hike starts out in stunning dense forest, then as you go up, the forest opens up to reveal the breathtaking views.
This hike is perfect for the family or beginning backpackers. Start out in a beautiful hemlock forest and make your way up to a well-maintained pathway through wild flowered meadows. After that, you can hike your way down to Anderson and Watson Lakes. This place is particularly great for hikers of all ages, as it is a relatively short round trip hike of only six miles. As a general rule, it is always a good idea to bring insect repellant and sunscreen on all hiking adventures, especially in the peak summer months.
This short but beautiful loop hike is perfect for a less intensive trek. Naches Peak Loop Trail offers a great range of alpine experiences including mountain views, wildflowers, and even wild berries if you catch it in season. Naches Peak Loop follows the famous Pacific Crest Trail, a long-distance trail running from Mexico to Canada. Hopefully you can meet through hikers along the way, these people are hikers who are amazingly adventurous and dedicated to traversing the entire 2,659-mile length of the PCT.
