Blanca Lake– A strikingly beautiful lake set beneath a formidable wall of jagged peaks

Quick Facts: Location: Wild Sky and Henry Jackson Wildernesses, North Fork Skykomish River Valley Land Agency: Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Roundtrip: 8.4 miles Elevation gain: 3,300 feet Green Trails Map: Monte Cristo, WA- No. 143 Contact: Skykomish Ranger District: Mount Baker Snoqualmie National Forest Notes: Northwest Forest Pass or Interagency Pass required. No fires allowed…

Read More

Ruby Beach─Easily accessible but still wild

Quick Facts: Location: Olympic Coast Land Agency: National Park Service Roundtrip: To Ruby Beach: 0.5 mile; To Hoh River: 6.0 miles Elevation Gain: 80 feet Green Trails Map: Olympic Coast 99S Notes: Dogs permitted but must be on a leash. Access: From Forks, head south on US 101 for 27 miles to Ruby Beach trailhead.…

Read More

Four Springs Lake Preserve

Explore a former farm in the heart of Camano Island Quick Facts: Location: Camano Island Land Agency: Island County Parks Round Trip: 1.5 miles of trails Elevation Gain: up to 200 feet Contact: Island County Parks Detailed Information: Urban Trails Everett (Mountaineers Books) Notes: Dogs permitted on leash. No map online but available in pamphlet,…

Read More

Quartz Creek–Hike through a majestic primeval forest along a crystal clear creek

Quick Facts: Location: North Fork of the Skykomish River Land Agency: Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Roundtrip: 8.6 miles Elevation gain: 1450 feet Green Trails Maps: Monte Cristo, WA-No. 143 Contact: Skykomish Ranger District: Mount Baker Snoqualmie National Forest  Notes: Northwest Forest Pass or Interagency Pass required. Access: The North Fork Skykomish River Road from Index, the…

Read More

Mount McCausland—Rise above Valhalla!

Quick Facts: Location: Henry M. Jackson Wilderness Land Agency: National Forest Service Roundtrip: 6.4 miles Elevation Gain: 1,800 feet Green Trails Map: Alpine Lakes Stevens Pass No. 176S Contact: Wenatchee River Ranger District: Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest Access: From Everett head east on US 2 to Stevens Pass. Continue east for another 4.0 miles. Just after the…

Read More

White Pass–Sprawling meadows and stupendous views high on the Cascade Crest

Location: North Fork Sauk River Land Agency: Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Roundtrip: 19.4 miles High Point: 5,850 feet Elevation gain: 4,000 feet Difficulty: strenuous Green Trails Maps: Mountain Loop Highway 111SX Contact: Darrington Ranger District: Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Note: Northwest Forest Pass or Interagency Pass Required Access: From Darrington, travel south on the Mountain…

Read More

Green Mountain –Banal is thy name—Breathtakingly beautiful is thy game

Quick Facts: Location: Glacier Peak Wilderness, Suiattle River Road Land Agency: Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Roundtrip: 8.0 miles Elevation gain: 3,100 feet Green Trails Maps:  North Cascades Ross Lake 16SX Contact: Darrington Ranger District: Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Notes: wilderness rules apply Access: From Darrington, travel north on SR 530 for 7.5 miles turning right…

Read More

Twin Lakes—The fishing is good, but only if you’re an osprey!

Quick Facts: Location: Lake Wenatchee Area Land Agency: Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest Roundtrip: 6.8 miles Elevation Gain: 1,200 feet Green Trails Map: Wenatchee Lake- No. 145 Contact: Wenatchee River Ranger District (Leavenworth) Notes: Northwest Forest Pass or Interagency Pass required; wilderness rules apply Access: From Everett head east on US 2 to Coles Corner. Turn left (north)…

Read More

Mount Rose–How sweet are thy views!

Quick Facts: Location:Mount Skokomish Wilderness, Southeast Olympic Peninsula Land Agency: Olympic National Forest Roundtrip: 6.7 miles Elevation gain: 3,500 feet Green Trails Maps: Olympic Mountains East No. 168SX Contact: Hood Canal District, Quilcene Notes: Wilderness regulations apply Access: From Shelton, travel north on US 101 for 15 miles to Hoodsport. Turn left onto SR 119…

Read More

Happy Panther Trail–Take a joyful catwalk in the North Cascades

Quick Facts: Location: North Cascades Scenic Highway Land Agency: Ross Lake National Recreation Area, National Park Service Roundtrip: 11.8 miles Elevation gain: 1200 feet Green Trails Maps: Green Trails, North Cascades Ross Lake No. 16SX Contact: North Cascades National Park complex Notes: Dogs must be leashed Access: From Burlington follow SR 20 east to Marblemount. Then…

Read More