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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
Featured.GIF 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
Featured.GIF 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)
Featured.GIF 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
Featured.GIF 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

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Portland Hikers Field Guide is built as a collaborative effort by its user community. While we make every effort to fact-check, information found here should be considered anecdotal. You should cross-check against other references before planning a hike. Trail routing and conditions are subject to change. Please contact us if you notice errors on this page.