Frenchman Coulee — This Canyon above the Columbia River C’est magnifique!

Quick Facts: Location: Columbia River Basin Land Agency: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Roundtrip: 4.0 miles Elevation gain: 100 feet Contact: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Columbia Basin Wildlife Area (Moses Lake) Notes: Discover Pass required Detailed Source: Day Hiking Eastern Washington (Mountaineers Books) Access: Follow I-90 to Exit 143 and head north…

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Quinault Rainforest Loop — Easily accessible trail system through an Olympic Rainforest

Quick Facts: Location: Lake Quinault Land Agency: Olympic National Forest Roundtrip: 3.9 miles Elevation Gain: 500 feet Contact: Olympic National Forest, Pacific Ranger District, Quinault Detailed Information: Day Hiking Olympic Peninsula 2nd Edition (Mountaineers Books) Notes: Northwest Forest Pass or Interagency Pass required; dogs should on leash Access: From Hoquiam travel north on US 101 for 35 miles.…

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Hertz Trail –Hike along a wild shoreline of Lake Whatcom

Quick Facts: Location: western Whatcom County, near Bellingham Land Agency: Whatcom County Parks Round Trip: 6.2 miles roundtrip Elevation Gain: 60 feet Contact: Whatcom County Parks Detailed Information: Urban Trails Bellingham (Mountaineers Books) Notes: Dogs allowed on leash Access: From Bellingham follow I-5 to Exit 253. Then follow Lakeway Drive east for 1.7 miles bearing…

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Southwest County Park─Emerald Swath above Edmonds

Quick Facts: Location: Edmonds Land Agency: Snohomish County Parks and Recreation Roundtrip: Up to 5 miles Elevation Gain: up to 250 feet Access: From Everett follow I-5 south to exit 181. Now follow SR 524 (196th St SW) west passing SR 99 and in about another mile turn right onto 76th Ave W. Proceed for about .5…

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Padilla Bay Dike Trail–shore fine hike in the Skagit Valley

Quick Facts: Location: Skagit County Land Agency: Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve Roundtrip: 4.8 miles Elevation Gain: 30 feet Contact: Padilla Bay NERR Access: From Burlington (exit 231 on I-5) proceed through roundabouts and head west on Josh Wilson Road for 6.4 miles. Upon entering the village of Bay View turn left onto 2nd Street…

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Candy Cane Park (Terrace Creek Park)-Tis the season for a visit

Quick Facts: Location: Mountlake Terrace, southern Snohomish County Land Agency: City of Mountlake Terrace Roundtrip: 2.0 miles Elevation Gain: 125 feet Access:  From Seattle: drive I-5 north to exit 178. Turn right and follow 236th Street SW for 0.7 mile. Then turn left onto 48th Ave W and drive north 0.2 mile to park and parking on your…

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Yost Park– Slice of Nature in the heart of Edmonds

Quick Facts: Location: Edmonds Land Agency: Edmonds Parks and Recreation Department Roundtrip: About 1.5 miles of trails Elevation Gain: up to 300 feet Contact: Edmonds Parks and Recreation Access: From Everett or Seattle take I-5 to Exit 179. Then head west on 220th Street SW for 2.1 miles. Turn right and head north on 96th Ave…

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Pilchuck Tree Farm─Quiet wood roads from Meadows to Ridge

Quick Facts: Location: Northern Snohomish County, near Stanwood Land Agency: Pacific Denkmann Company Pilchuck Tree Farm Roundtrip: 3.2 miles Elevation Gain: 400 feet Contact: Pilchuck Recreation Association: www.pilchuckra.org Notes: All trail users MUST sign a liability release and have it on file to use these trails. Download here and mail (with $2 donation) to Pilchuck Recreation Association. Dogs…

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Big Ditch─Dig in for some excellent swan and snow geese viewing

Quick Facts Location: Skagit Bay, Stanwood Land Agency: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Roundtrip: 3.6 miles Elevation Gain: None Access: From Exit 212 on I-5 head west on SR 532 for five miles to the town of Stanwood. Turn right onto the Pioneer Highway and proceed for 2.6 miles to the junction with the Old…

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Explorer Falls–It's an easy search to find these falls

Quick Facts: Location: Near Lake Roesiger between Monroe and Granite Falls Land Agency: Washington DNR Roundtrip: 2.0 miles Elevation gain: 200 feet Contact: Washington DNR Notes: Do not block gate, nor drive past it if open. Active logging area, be alert to trucks on roadway and yield right-of-way. Access:  From Monroe, follow Woods Road north…

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