Best Hikes in Washington by Season
Washington possesses an incredible amount of national parks, national forests, wildlife refuges, and state parks to explore. Start planning your hiking adventure today!
Spring Hikes
▪ Hall of Mosses and Hoh River Trail
This is the best season to see wildlife at this popular Olympic National Park destination.
▪ Dog Mountain
In spring this peak is capped with vivid wildflower fields.
▪ Kamiak Butte
The rolling hills of the Palouse are most green in spring.
Summer Hikes
▪ Second Burroughs Loop
Alpine tundra, wildflowers, glacier views, and the rumble of rock and ice careening down Mount Rainier make this an epic summer hike.
▪ Chain Lakes Loop
Visit lakes on a North Cascades trail with views of Mount Baker and Mount Shuksan.
▪ Steamboat Rock
Start the day with a hike up a basalt butte in the Grand Coulee, and then spend the warmest hours playing on Banks Lake.
Fall Hikes
▪ Maple Pass Loop
For fall colors, it’s hard to beat this North Cascades loop.
▪ Lake Ingalls
October is the time to see mountain goats wandering among golden larches.
▪ Granite Mountain
This scenic climb is awash in reds, oranges, and yellows in autumn.
Winter Hikes
▪ Oyster Dome
This popular trail is open year-round and sees fewer visitors in winter.
▪ Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail
In winter, bald eagles fish for chum salmon at the refuge. In late January, hunting season ends and the final 700 feet of the estuary boardwalk reopens to hikers.
▪ Point of Arches via Shi Shi Beach
A worthy trip any time of year, you won’t have to share the beach with as many visitors in colder months.
Craggy coastal cliffs, towering active volcanoes, and cascading waterfalls: wherever you turn in Washington, adventure awaits. Pack a lunch, lace up your boots, and hit the trails with Moon Washington Hiking.
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