Washington has some of the most beautiful national parks and the hiking there is top notch, but there is hiking outside of the national parks that is some of the best we have been on. A lot of these hikes are not open to hiking until the summertime because of the snow and elevation. So they are best marked for your next summer vacation!
Washington's Best Hikes Outside of National Parks
I am a huge advocate for getting outside into nature. As soon as the winter comes, I am already thinking about what hikes I want to do the next year. While exploring Washington state, we realized how many amazing areas it has. Some of our favorite hiking in the United States is here. Please remember to practice Leave No Trace while exploring these beautiful areas.
Ape Canyon
Mount St. Helen's is a magnificent area. The deadliest volcano in US history provides some amazing landscapes and one of the most incredible hiking trails through Ape Canyon to Windy Ridge. Depending on where you start this is a decent hike. It will be a minimum of 11 miles and what we did was 22 miles.
Colchuck Lake
This is probably the most popular hike in Washington. For good reason as the alpine lake at the end is stunning. Take a cool dip in the summer as the water is perfectly clear and crisp. This hike will have you going for 8 miles round trip with decent elevation gain.
Lake 22
What a pleasant surprise that Lake 22 was. This relatively easy hike will take you to another gorgeous alpine lake that you can enjoy a cool dip in during the summer. Located that is convenient to Seattle, this hike was not as busy as some, which made for an enjoyable day.
Wenatchee
This area may be better to explore during the early summer days when the wildflowers are abundant and there are cooler temps. This area has some amazing trails for running, hiking and mountain biking. Easy access from downtown it is a great place for anyone and for all abilities.
I hope you get the chance to experience one of these amazing trails. Again, remember to Leave No Trace and understand trail etiquette.
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