Trail Conditions

Mt. Baker · 7.5 mi · 1,800 ft gain · 5,400 ft

Views of Baker and Shuksan. Great fall colors.

Leavenworth · 8 mi · 2,280 ft gain · 5,570 ft

Gateway to the Enchantments. Permit needed Jun-Oct.

North Cascades · 7 mi · 2,800 ft gain · 6,500 ft

Not easy. A steady climb to a larch-ringed pass looking down into Fisher Basin. It's the uncrowded alternative to Maple Pass in larch season.

Leavenworth · 18 mi · 4,500 ft gain · 7,800 ft

Lottery permits only. Alpine lakes, golden larches in fall.

Boulder · 3.4 mi · 1,400 ft gain · 6,950 ft

Boulder's iconic Flatirons. Royal Arch viewpoint is the highlight.

Mountain Loop · 9.2 mi · 2,840 ft gain · 5,200 ft

An easy river mile, then a rugged climb past waterfalls into a polished-granite basin of tarns beneath Del Campo Peak. Harder than the numbers suggest, and unlike anything else on this list.

Rough, rooty, steep trail. Closest of the planned hikes to Seattle.

Snoqualmie · 8.6 mi · 3,800 ft gain · 5,629 ft

A steep, direct climb straight off I-90 to a fire lookout on a pile of granite boulders. The upper mountain is open meadow that turns red and gold in fall, with Rainier and the Snoqualmie peaks all around. The shortest drive of the planned hikes.

Darrington · 8.5 mi · 3,300 ft gain · 6,500 ft

Suiattle River Road (FR 26) is closed to motor vehicles near MP 4–4.5 after the December 2025 flood washout. The Forest Service closure order runs through 2028-01-01 unless rescinded. Foot and bike only beyond the closure, roughly 20+ road miles each way to the trailhead. As of Sep 18, 2026.

Old growth to enormous open meadows to a 1933 lookout with Glacier Peak, Dome Peak and Baker on the horizon. A classic that the Suiattle River keeps taking away; on the list for when the road returns.

Suiattle River side of the Glacier Peak Wilderness.

Yosemite · 14.2 mi · 4,800 ft gain · 8,839 ft

Lottery permit required for cables. Iconic Yosemite summit.

Glenwood Springs · 3 mi · 1,200 ft gain · 7,320 ft

Reservation required. Travertine lake on a cliff. One of CO's most famous hikes.

North Cascades · 8 mi · 3,300 ft gain · 6,900 ft

FS Road 1540 is closed to vehicles at MP 2.6 (washout, since 2026-07-08). Adds ~2 mi of road walking each way; parking near the closure is limited. As of Sep 18, 2026.

Forest to meadow to bare granite, ending at a 1930s lookout above a deep-blue lake with Forbidden, Boston and Sahale lined up behind it.

Olympics · 3.2 mi · 700 ft gain · 5,757 ft

Panoramic views of Olympics and Strait of Juan de Fuca.

Silverton · 8.4 mi · 2,600 ft gain · 12,585 ft

Turquoise alpine lake in the San Juans. Stunning wildflowers.

Eastern Sierra · 211 mi · 47,000 ft gain · 12,000 ft

Yosemite to Mt Whitney. 211-mile thru-hike. Bucket list backpack.

Gold Bar · 7.2 mi · 2,000 ft gain · 2,521 ft

Alpine lake below Mt. Index. Bridal Veil Falls side trail.

Stevens Pass · 8 mi · 2,100 ft gain · 5,747 ft

An easy-graded walk from Smithbrook to a lake tucked under Lichtenberg Mountain, then a short, steep boot path up Mount McCausland for the view straight back down onto it. Moderate miles, big fall color.

From the Smithbrook trailhead. WTA lists the lake alone at 7 mi / 1,500 ft and McCausland alone at 7 mi / 1,800 ft.

North Bend · 9.4 mi · 4,000 ft gain · 4,841 ft

Relentless elevation gain. Old trail is steeper.

North Cascades · 7.2 mi · 2,020 ft gain · 6,650 ft

Ridgeline loop circling Lake Ann with 360° North Cascades views. The marquee larch hike in the state; gold typically late Sept to early Oct, with crowds to match.

Also signed Heather–Maple Pass. Crowded in larch season.

Aspen · 3.2 mi · 500 ft gain · 10,600 ft

Iconic Colorado scenery. Shuttle/reservation required in summer.

Yosemite · 5.4 mi · 2,000 ft gain · 5,900 ft

The quintessential Yosemite hike. Two massive waterfalls. Bring rain gear for mist.

Mountain Loop · 8.2 mi · 3,950 ft gain · 5,760 ft

A long run of forest switchbacks, then open berry meadows and a summit with the whole Mountain Loop laid out: Del Campo, Big Four, Sperry and Vesper across the valley. One of the best fall-color climbs this close to Seattle.

North Bend · 8 mi · 3,150 ft gain · 3,900 ft

Classic WA hike. Haystack scramble at top optional.

Eastern Sierra · 22 mi · 6,100 ft gain · 14,505 ft

Highest peak in the lower 48. Lottery permits. Long day or overnight.

Mt. Baker · 7.5 mi · 2,200 ft gain · 5,450 ft

Historic 1932 lookout perched directly across from Mt. Baker's glaciers. Moderate climb through meadows that turn red in September; optional Railroad Grade spur for an even closer look at the ice.

Issaquah · 3.7 mi · 1,650 ft gain · 1,791 ft

Paraglider launch site. Great sunset views.

Mt. Baker · 9 mi · 1,800 ft gain · 6,100 ft

A rocky ridge traverse that starts above treeline and walks straight at Mt. Baker. Minimal climbing for the scenery; turn around whenever you like.

Flexible turnaround. Exposed, and no water on the ridge.

Snoqualmie · 4 mi · 1,160 ft gain · 2,078 ft

Very popular. Best early mornings or weekdays.

RMNP · 9.4 mi · 1,900 ft gain · 10,900 ft

RMNP alpine gem. Passes Loch Vale, Timberline Falls, and Lake of Glass.

Mt. Baker · 9 mi · 2,500 ft gain · 6,563 ft

FR 37 (Deadhorse Creek Road) is closed at MP 3.1 from flood damage, with no repair date. The trailhead is ~9.6 road miles past the closure, so ~28+ mi round trip on foot, or a bike approach. As of Sep 18, 2026.

Two steep forest miles to a 6,000-foot meadow ridge that runs straight toward Mt. Baker's north face. One of the great ridge walks in the state, waiting on a road repair.

Moderate to hard. Stats are from the trailhead, which you currently cannot drive to.

Snoqualmie · 6.2 mi · 1,800 ft gain · 4,016 ft

Most popular alpine lake hike in WA. Very crowded weekends.

Mt. Rainier · 8 mi · 1,600 ft gain · 6,400 ft

The SR 165 Fairfax Bridge has been closed to vehicles, bikes and pedestrians since April 2025, with no alternate route. NPS lists no public access to Mowich Lake or Carbon River, so the Spray Park trailhead cannot be reached. As of Sep 18, 2026.

Wildflower meadows with Rainier backdrop. Stunning in summer.

Issaquah · 5 mi · 1,400 ft gain · 2,607 ft

Popular trail running destination close to Seattle.

North Cascades · 10.6 mi · 3,800 ft gain · 5,966 ft

A long forest approach pays off with a hands-on ridge scramble and a rare close view of the Southern Pickets, with the three Thornton Lakes stacked below.

Via the Thornton Lakes Trail. Class 2–3 scramble finish with some exposure.

Mt. Baker · 3.4 mi · 1,300 ft gain · 6,521 ft

The final 2 mi beyond the Yellow Aster Butte trailhead are steep, narrow and one-lane, so high-clearance AWD only. Walking the road from the YAB trailhead makes it ~10 mi / ~3,100 ft round trip. As of Sep 18, 2026.

Short, steep climb from Twin Lakes to a restored lookout with views into Canada. Pairs well with the quieter High Pass trail from the same lot.

Easy to moderate from Twin Lakes. Stats are from the Twin Lakes trailhead.

Mt. Baker · 7.5 mi · 2,550 ft gain · 6,241 ft

Steep climb to a high plateau scattered with tarns, with Baker, Shuksan and the border peaks all around. One of the best fall-color hikes in the North Cascades.