Washington is an amazing place for hiking. If you’re not already into hiking, you’ve no doubt been made aware of this fact by your friends and co-workers and bad first dates who’ve shared dull stories about their weekend hikes. (Hiking is great. Hearing stories about the long walk in the woods someone did usually is not.)
But their enthusiasm is not misguided. There are forests filled with giant, mossy trees and raging rivers and snow-capped mountains and views of even taller snow-capped mountains to be seen from the tops of the mountains you’re on. A good hike in a beautiful place instills a sense of wonderment and calm and satisfaction.
And lucky for those of us in Seattle, there is a lifetime of hikes to be done within an hour or so drive of the city. There are even fantastic hikes to be had within the city limits and the surrounding suburbs.
Here are 12 classic Seattle-area hikes to whet your appetite. And remember: These hikes may be close to the city, but the trails will take you to remote places where help will take a while to arrive. Come prepared with good, sturdy footwear, layers of clothes appropriate for the weather, food and water, a map, and all that good stuff. The Washington Trails Association (WTA) has lots of great advice for being a safe and respectful hiker.
Finished all these hikes already—or not interested? We have so many hiking maps to choose from over here.
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