Local Hikes: Northwest
See five volcanoes, camp at secluded lakes, and hike through a swarm of butterflies. (Click linked trips for GPS waypoints, photos, and more.)
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(Map by Andrew Matranga.)
(Map by Andrew Matranga.)
1. Best view: From Mt. St. Helens
The 10.6-mile Worm Flow Trail leads to a crater rim vista of Mts. Rainier, Adams, Hood, and Baker.
2. Best falls hike: Eagle Creek Trail
See seven falls in seven miles (tallest: 140-foot Twister Falls) on this cliffside trek.
3. Top basecamp: Middle Fork Campground
Easy access to Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie NF trails, like Snoqualmie Lake Trail (11 miles)
4. Favorite weekend: Alpine Lakes Wilderness
Day one: Climb to 7,800-foot Aasgard Pass from Stuart Lake trailhead. Camp on a spit on Leprechaun Lake. Day two: Hike to Prusik Peak; camp at Snow Lakes. End at Snow Creek trailhead. (22.2 miles)
5. Top dream trip: Denali NP
Do the 14.6-mile loop around Mt. Eielson for mind-melting Alaska Range views.
6. Best week: Grand Loop, Sawtooth NF
Gain almost 64,000 feet on a 65-mile loop through the jagged heart of one of America’s biggest (and least traveled) wildernesses. You’ll see 33 peaks higher than 10,000 feet, camp by quiet lakes, and finish with a Sun Valley Ale in Stanley.
7. Wildlife: Strawberry Mountain Wilderness
In summer, butterflies mob the milkweed that lines the trails here. Link Slide Basin and Skyline Trails in July for a 17.8-mile blizzard of monarchs.
Quick City Escapes
Amazon’s best-selling guidebook authors choose killer dayhikes near…
Boise from Steve Stuebner
Boise Trail Guide: 75 Hiking & Running Routes Close to Home, Boise Front Adventures, $17
> Hulls-Freeway Loop, Hulls Gulch/Camel’s Back Reserve
> Five Mile Trail, Bruneau Dunes SP
> Bogus Basin Contour Special route, Bogus Basin SP
Portland from Paul Gerald
60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Portland, Menasha Ridge Press, $17
> Siouxon Creek Trail, Gifford Pinchot NF
> Vista Ridge Trail, Mt. Hood NF
> Opal Creek Trail, Opal Creek Wilderness
Seattle from Peter Stekel
Best Hikes Near Seattle, Falcon, $19
> Barclay Lake Trail, Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie NF
> Iron Goat Trail, Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie NF
> Tiger Mountain Trail, Tiger Mountain State Forest