Southwest Washington Hikes
From Portland Hikers Field Guide
Contents |
Columbia River Floodplain
| Hike | Difficulty | Distance | Elevation Change | Notes | |
| Vancouver Area | |||||
| Burnt Bridge Creek Hike | Easy | 8.1 | 180 | Easy, 8-mile paved greenway in a pretty valley; described in three sections | |
| Ellen Davis Trail Hike | Easy | 5.2 | 420 | Wind up and around low hills in central Vancouver | |
| Columbia Springs Hike | Easy | 3.1 | 165 | Explore a network of trails east and west of the Vancouver Fish Hatchery | |
| Whipple Creek Loop Hike | Easy | 3.1 | 300 | Wind in and out of gullies in this 300-acre forest | |
| Cathlamet Area | |||||
| Columbian White-tailed Deer Refuge Loop Hike | Easy | 6.1 | 10 | Flat hike on refuge roads with a variety of wildlife | |
| I-5 Corridor | |||||
| Paradise Point Loop Hike | Easy | 1.8 | 240 | Swampy bottomland and forested slope hike on East Fork Lewis River | |
| La Center Bottoms Hike | Easy | 2.2 | 10 | Hike along the East Fork Lewis River and extensive wetlands | |
| Ridgefield Area | |||||
| Ridgefield Wildlife Refuge Hike | Easy | 2.0 | 40 | Easy stroll with waterfowl, deer, and wildflowers | |
| Gee Creek Bottomland Hike | Easy | 3.8 | 85 | Explore a quiet part of the Ridgefield Refuge with oak groves and scabland lakes | |
| Kiwa Trail Loop Hike | Easy | 1.2 | 0 | Short seasonal birdwatching loop around sloughs and marshes | |
| Camas Area | |||||
| Lacamas Heritage Trail Hike | Easy | 7.0 | 30 | Flat hike along the west shore of Lacamas Lake | |
| Lacamas Creek Hike | Easy | 4.3 | 300 | See two waterfalls and a lake without leaving town | |
| Lacamas Park Lily Field Hike | Easy | 2.3 | 100 | Camas and fawn lilies in season | |
| Round Lake Loop Hike | Easy | 1.5 | 100 | Walk around scenic Round Lake | |
| Washougal River Greenway Loop Hike | Easy | 2.6 | 70 | Loop around a section of the Washougal River using a new footbridge | |
| Washougal Area | |||||
| Columbia River Dike Hike | Easy | 6.4 | 30 | Walk above the Columbia to get views and observe wildlife | |
| Steigerwald National Wildlife Refuge Hike | Easy | 2.8 | 0 | Refuge hike with art and interpretive signs | |
Silver Star Area
| Hike | Difficulty | Distance | Elevation Change | Notes | |
| Silver Star Area | |||||
| Silver Star Hike | Moderate | 5.6 | 1240 | Shortest climb to the summit of Silver Star | |
| Silver Star Loop Hike | Moderate | 5.7 | 1460 | Take Ed's Trail through a natural arch to Silver Star | |
| Silver Star via Grouse Vista Hike | Moderate | 6.0 | 2010 | Most common route to Silver Star | |
| Silver Star via Bluff Mountain Hike | Difficult | 12.4 | 1660 | Longer, ridgeline hike to the summit | |
| Silver Star via Starway Trail Hike | Moderate | 9.8 | 2790 | Lower elevation trailhead | |
Trapper Creek Wilderness Area
| Hike | Difficulty | Distance | Elevation Change | Notes | |
| Observation Peak Hike | Moderate | 5.6 | 1400 | Hike into this tiny wilderness from the north side for spectacular views | |
| Soda Peaks Lake via Trapper Creek Hike | Difficult | 10.2 | 3110 | Steep hike through old growth to a secluded cirque lake | |
| Soda Peaks Lake West Hike | Moderate | 4.4 | 1270 | Longer drive and higher trailhead, but much shorter hike to this quiet wilderness lake |
Wind River Area
| Hike | Difficulty | Distance | Elevation Change | Notes | |
| Bunker Hill Hike | Moderate | 6.0 | 1500 | Take a flat stretch of the PCT to a vigorous climb up to a former lookout site | |
| Falls Creek Falls Loop Hike | Moderate | 6.2 | 1250 | Forested hike to a thundering waterfall | |
| Whistle Punk Trail Hike | Easy | 1.5 | 100 | Interpretive loop trail dedicated to the logging days of old |
Mount St. Helens
| Hike | Difficulty | Distance | Elevation Change | Notes | |
| Mount St. Helens | |||||
| Trail of Two Forests Loop Hike | Easy | 0.3 | 30 | See and even crawl through tree molds from a 2,000 year-old lava flow | |
| Ape Cave Hike | Easy | 2.0 | 180 | Exploring the Lower Cave is fun for all; the more difficult Upper Cave is a loop of 2.7 miles | |
| Mount Saint Helens Hike | Difficult | 9.6 | 4665 | Hike to the summit of Mount St. Helens. | |
| June Lake Hike | Easy | 2.5 | 400 | Short hike to a waterfall spilling into a small lake. | |
| Pine Creek Hike | Easy | 0.8 | 90 | Stroll to a restored shelter with option for a short extension | |
| Ape Canyon Hike | Moderate | 11.0 | 2485 | Magnificent hike up an old-growth ridge to the Plains of Abraham | |
| Lava Canyon Loop Hike | Easy | 1.5 | 500 | Recently re-constructed loop trail with informative signboards about the dramatic geological events that formed the canyon. | |
| Lava Canyon from Smith Creek Hike | Moderate | 6.5 | 1500 | Hike through a spectacular basalt canyon unearthed by the 1980 blast. | |
Lewis River Area
| Hike | Difficulty | Distance | Elevation Change | Notes | |
| North Fork Lewis River | |||||
| Big Creek Falls Hike | Easy | 1.4 | 180 | Hike gently downhill to the top of Big Creek Falls | |
| Curly Creek Falls Hike | Easy | 0.4 | 10 | Easiest of strolls to two waterfall viewpoints | |
| Lewis River Waterfall Hike | Moderate | 6.6 | 320 | Three wide, complicated waterfalls | |
| Middle Lewis River Falls Loop Hike | Easy | 1.4 | 190 | Easy loop viewing two small waterfalls and a major one | |
| Mount Mitchell Hike | Moderate | 5.0 | 2050 | View to a rocky summit with great mountain views | |
| East Fork | |||||
| Lucia Falls Loop Hike | Easy | 1.1 | 20 | Lazy walk to a small waterfall | |
| Yacolt Falls Hike | Easy | 0.6 | 60 | Short hike to a beautiful waterfall | |
| Battle Ground Lake Loop Hike | Easy | 0.9 | 20 | Popular walk around the lake | |
Indian Heaven Wilderness
| Hike | Difficulty | Distance | Elevation Change | Notes | |
| Eastern Indian Heaven Trailheads | |||||
| Indian Racetrack via the PCT Hike | Moderate | 8.0 | 850 | Gradual hike in woods and meadows to the Racetrack | |
| Tombstone Lake via the PCT Hike | Difficult | 16.4 | 2280 | Walk Indian Heaven's backbone to a secluded lake; optional return via the old CCT described | |
| Lemei Rock via Lemei Trail Hike | Moderate | 7.5 | 1980 | Hike to the base of an ancient volcanic crag | |
| Junction Lake from Cultus Creek Campground Hike | Moderate | 8.4 | 1310 | Hike deeper into the heart of Indian Heaven Wilderness | |
| Cultus Lake from Cultus Creek Campground Hike | Moderate | 4.8 | 1010 | Hike into the heart of Indian Heaven Wilderness | |
| Western Indian Heaven Trailheads | |||||
| Indian Racetrack Hike | Easy | 4.6 | 760 | Visit the site of an abandoned racetrack | |
| Basin Lakes Loop Hike | Moderate | 9.1 | 1795 | Take an abandoned trail to a secluded collection of lakes (experienced hikers only) | |
| Blue Lake Hike | Moderate | 6.6 | 700 | Stunning hike through meadows past a half dozen lakes | |
| Acker Lake Loop Hike | Moderate | 10.1 | 860 | Use an abandoned route to make a loop taking in meadows and lakes | |
| Chenamus Lake Hike | Easy | 4.1 | 485 | Visit two lakes and gather huckleberries in late summer! | |
| Placid Lake Loop Hike | Moderate | 10.1 | 1460 | Take advantage of an abandoned trail to make a loop taking in lakes and meadows | |
Mount Adams
| Hike | Difficulty | Distance | Elevation Change | Notes | |
| Mount Adams | |||||
| Adams Glacier Meadows Hike | Moderate | 8.2 | 2250 | Premier alpine area on Mount Adams. Can be busy but there's a large enough area to disperse crowds. | |
| Foggy Flat Hike | Difficult | 22.2 | 1550 | Less busy alpine area on Mount Adams. Continue an extra few miles to Devil's Garden. | |
| Horseshoe Meadows-Lookingglass Lake Loop Hike | Moderate | 13.2 | 2000 | Alpine area on southwest side of Mount Adams. | |
| Lookingglass Lake via Stagman Ridge Hike | Moderate | 10.8 | 2415 | Lollipop loop with wildflower meadows and views on the slopes of Mount Adams | |
| Salt Creek Hike | Moderate | 8.4 | 730 | Little-hiked trail past beaver marshes to a debris flow and view of Mount Adams | |
| Mt. Adams South Climb Hike | Difficult | 12.4 | 6740 | Hike up steep slopes (take ice-ax and crampons) to the summit of Washington's second highest peak | |
| Bird Creek Meadows Loop Hike | Moderate | 6.2 | 1000 | Easy hike to subalpine meadows and a great viewpoint on southeast side of Mount Adams. | |
Goat Rocks Wilderness
| Hike | Difficulty | Distance | Elevation Change | Notes | |
| Goat Rocks Wilderness | |||||
| Goat Rocks Traverse | Difficult | 25 | 6500 | See the spectacular Goat Rocks from one end to the other | |
| Goat Lake Loop Hike | Difficult | 12.8 | 2590 | Loop hike to Goat Lake basin that makes a good overnight backpack | |
| South Tieton Hike | Difficult | 17.6 | 1860 | Back side of Goat Rocks, nice alpine area far away from Portland and Seattle | |
Mount Rainier Area
| Hike | Difficulty | Distance | Elevation Change | Notes | |
| Mount Rainier National Park | |||||
| Burroughs Mountain Hike | Moderate | 6.2 | 1300 | Hike from Sunrise for expansive views of mountain and glacier | |
See Southwest area hikes and destinations in our Southwest Washington index
