Backpacker Magazine – September 2010

Seattle Hikes

The best hikes near Seattle, WA.

by: Kim Phillips

Tags:
• Adventures
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• Seattle
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• Washington
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Your Guide
Washington Trails Association (wta.org)

Your Hikes
» Granite Mountain Trail, Snoqualmie NF  The thigh-burning climb, gaining 3,800 feet in 4.3 miles, to this 5,600-foot summit and fire tower (open frequently in the summer) is worth the sweat. At the top, you’ll find views of wooded Cascade ridgelines that stretch for miles in every direction. Miles from city center 47; Trip ID 8243

» Spray Park, Mt. Rainier NP “Rainier is known for its spectacular wildflower displays, and this trail puts on one of the best shows in the park,” says communications and outreach director Lauren Braden. The eight-mile hike begins at Mowich Lake, passes a half-mile side trip to Spray Falls, and climbs to broad meadows carpeted with pink heather, lilies, and Indian paintbrush. Turn around at mile four on a rocky, 6,400-foot spine with big-screen views of Mt. Rainier seven miles to the southeast. Miles from city center 70; Trip ID 754778

» Boulder River Trail, Boulder River Wilderness “If towering, moss-draped trees and pounding waterfalls are your thing, you’ll love this trail,” says Braden. Winding through one of the few low-country, old-growth forests in the Cascades, the lush, seven-mile out-and-back passes cedars, sword ferns, and cliffside waterfalls that tumble into the trail’s namesake river. Miles from city center 71; Trip ID 8375

» Mt. Townsend Trail, Olympic NP This 8.5-miler tops out on a 6,280-foot perch with postcard-worthy views of Seattle’s skyline and the snow-capped Cascades. From the trailhead, track through old-growth, then scale two dozen switchbacks that zigzag up Townsend’s southeast slopes. After traversing the summit ridge, climb a short side trail that leads to the highpoint. Miles from city center 73; Trip ID 754806


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