Hiking is such a welcoming activity that anyone of all ages and levels of expertise can enjoy. Another great thing about hiking is that it’s something you can do anywhere you are.
Thus, if you’re an avid traveler, it’s an activity that’s worth your time.
If you’re a beginner and find yourself in Washington, you might want to go hiking. There are plenty of beginner-friendly sights there worth trying.
Here are ten of the most beginner-friendly, but still gorgeous, hikes in Washington that you should try.
1. Tiger Mountain
Tiger Mountain is a mountain with several peaks, six to be specific, and you can find it in the Issaquah Alps in Washington.
There are several hiking trails that you can take on Tiger Mountain. Although it depends on the sights you want to see and the difficulty you can manage.
As a beginner, there are two trails that you should try the most, depending on how long you want to go hiking:
- Tiger Mountain: Around the Lake Trail: This hiking trail hugs the Tradition Lake in Tiger Mountain, so if you want a short and easy hike, this is the way to go. The entire trail that hugs around the like is almost two and a half kilometers long or about one and a half miles.
- Tiger Mountain Tradition Lake Loop Trail: This loop trail is another popular choice for many people. It’s also one of the more accessible trails that you can do on Tiger Mountain. This trail again loops around Tradition Lake, but it has a more extended path that ends up looping around it. Thus, its length is about six kilometers or almost four miles.
2. Barclay Lake
Another lovely hiking trail that you can take with your kids and family members is the Barclay Lake Trail. You can find this hiking trail at Mt. Baker Snoqualmie National Forest.
It is a beautiful, wooded trail that opens up to a gorgeous and peaceful lake. Sometimes, the stillness can make you feel like you’re the only person there. This makes it ideal to bring your military grade scopes to admire the luscious scenery while enjoying a quiet moment for yourself.
The entire hiking trail is about four and a half miles long or around seven kilometers. It’s short and has plenty of water access, so you can even bring your dog’s there, as long as they’re on a leash.
The effort it takes to get to the Barclay Lake itself is minimal, but with such an excellent reward at the end. The best time to go here would be around early summertime.
You can appreciate the shade covering you from the sun because of the woods. And it will feel like a grand opening once the view starts to clear and make way for the picturesque Barclay Lake.
This trail can be a contender for one of the best hikes in Washington state that’s also beginner friendly.
3. Cape Flattery
Cape Flattery is a beautiful, but short round-trip hike that is worth a stop if you find yourself in Washington. It’s at the most northwestern point of the country. Thus, expect incredible views of cascading cliffs looming over the rough but majestic coastline.
Despite being such a gorgeous sight, this hiking trail is also great for beginners.
The entire hike is a two-kilometer hike or around a little over one mile in length. So, it’s not a challenge depending on how long the walk will take you.
Since Cape Flattery is the most northwest you can get in the country, it makes sense that you consider going to Cape Flattery to admire the sunset here.
By the way, the Makah Tribe manages this hiking trail, so you need to get a permit if you want to park in Cape Flattery. Also, given current circumstances, make sure that you check whether this trail is open.
Due to the pandemic, the Makah Tribe might only open this trail up for tribe members. Thus, you should check with them before going.
4. Hoh Rain Forest Loop
If you find yourself in Washington and are looking for some of the best hikes in Washington state, you can’t go wrong with choosing a state or national park.
One such national park worth your time is the Olympic National Park. You can find it around 88 miles or 142 kilometers to the southwest of Port Angeles.
In the Olympic National Park, you can find all sorts of hiking trails with varying difficulties.
If you’re traveling with beginners or younger hikers, you want to look for more comfortable and more family-friendly hikes. You can’t go wrong with trying out the Hoh Rainforest Loop hiking trail for that type of walk.
This hiking trail is simple, but it gives you the best views of the Hoh Rainforest. The entire course itself is almost one and a half miles long or a little more than two kilometers.
Since this hiking trail is in a rainforest, make sure that you bring your reliable rain jacket with you if it starts raining.
5. Wallace Falls Trail
One of the most popular and best hikes in Washington State is the trail that you can find in Wallace Falls State Park. The Wallace Falls Trail gets quite a bit of foot traffic, so it might be a good idea to go there early.
If you manage to start your hike early, you’ll appreciate the tranquility you get after hiking through the trail.
The Wallace Falls Trail features the Lower, Middle, and Upper Falls. The higher you go along, the more challenging it is to get there. Yet, it’s still a beginner-friendly hike.
The hike is about a nine-kilometer hiking trail or a little more than five and a half miles. It’s not too long of a walk, but it will get you beautiful views of the falls.
The best time to go here would be during the summer. The shade of the trees around you will keep you cool, and the falls themselves will be a refreshing sight once you get there.
6. Murhut Falls
Murhut Falls is in the western area of the Hood Canal region in Washington, and it’s an excellent choice of a hiking trail when traveling with kids.
You can find the falls in the Olympic National Forest, and it’s not too long either. It’s only around a mile or so to take or a little more than one and a half kilometer in length.
It’s another hiking trail that rewards you with a view of cascading waterfalls at the end, but it’s still a gorgeous sight. The striking picture of the waterfall against the green, mossy background of the forest is something that you’d want to see for yourself.
The best time to take this trail to the Murhut Falls would be between March to October.
7. Silver Falls Trails
Another beginner-friendly hiking trail that you can take to lead you to a flowing waterfall would be the Silver Falls Trails. You can find the trails near Randle town, inside of Mt. Rainier National Park.
The hiking trail is a loop that used to be about four miles long but is now cut short to about two and a half-mile long or around four kilometers in length.
Unlike some of the other falls in this list, the Silver Falls trails don’t lead you to a loud and roaring waterfall that’s a hundred feet or more in the air. Instead, it gives you a tranquil and peaceful waterfall.
Even though it might not be as grand, you still need to be careful if you don’t want your things to get wet. The falls can always give quite a splash, especially around the Spring season.
8. Heybrook Lookout
If you want to get to higher points in Washington, you should consider trying out the Heybrook Lookout. It’s still ideal for beginners to take.
But keep in mind that certain areas are steep. So, prepare for those parts of the track by getting sturdy shoes and keeping yourself hydrated.
It’s a short almost four kilometers in the length of a trail or around two and a half-mile track. But since there are some steeper parts, it’s still a bit of a challenge.
You can reach the lookout tower that will give you picturesque and panoramic views of Seattle, so make sure you get your cameras ready!
9. Cape Disappointment
The opposite of Cape Flattery is Cape Disappointment because it is the most southwest location that you can reach in Washington.
Funny name aside, it’s still a gorgeous place and is anything but a disappointment to hike. Cape Disappointment is in the Cape Disappointment State Park and has several walking trails that you can try.
The difficulty of the trails ranges from easy to moderate, but most of them are relatively straightforward. So, you won’t have too many problems with their routes.
In Cape Disappointment, you can see all sorts of sights. You can see views like a lighthouse, a fort, a cove, and so much more, depending on your trail.
10. Twin Falls
Last but not least, just outside Seattle, around 35 miles or 56 kilometers away, is the Olallie State Park, home to the Twin Falls.
The hike to get to the Twin Falls is easy to moderate, and the view at the end is that of the spectacular falls. If you can, try and look at both the upper and lower Twin Falls to get the most out of the hike.
The hike is almost six miles in length or around nine and a half kilometers, so it’s also family-friendly, and beginners can enjoy the walk. The best time to hike here is between March to October.