Region: Seattle

Hiking Distance: 2 to 6 miles

Transit options: Metro buses 28, 40, D Line

Travel Time from Downtown Seattle: ~35-45 minutes

Located in far northwest Seattle, Carkeek is another remarkable forested park on the Puget Sound that can easily make you forget you’re in one of the fastest growing cities in the country. The woods are filled with crisscrossing trails that lead down to the beach where one can find bathrooms and water fountains. The Piper Creek Trail begins at 6th Avenue NW and NW 100th Place, behind the QFC on Holman Road. The 28 and the D Line both stop on 100th Place, less than a block from Piper Creek Trail. The 40 stops on Holman Rd.

Piper Creek Trail is a wide, gently graded gravel trail that takes you on a direct, one mile route down to the beach. Cutting left on the S Ridge Trail takes you on a more roundabout route up and down and up and down steep hills enroute to the water. Once at the water, you can make a loop by continuing past the playground and up to the N Bluff Trail and Traverse Trail.  

Region: Seattle

Hiking Distance: 0 to 5 miles

Transit options: Metro buses 19, 24, 33

Travel Time from Downtown Seattle: ~35 minutes

Located in the corner of northwest corner of Magnolia, Discovery Park is an urban gem. The former Army Post has forest, meadow, a beach, a lighthouse, and old officer housing. The 33 and 24 drop you off just a block or two, respectively, from the eastern entrance near the main park office where there’s bathrooms and an information desk. There’s a 19 stop on the south end of the park.

The classic choice is the 2.8-mile Loop Trail which takes you through the woods and meadows to the park’s literal and figurative highpoint: a bluff overlooking Puget Sound that offers a great view of the downtown skyline. If you’re looking for more you can drop down to the beach and lighthouse before hiking back up to the Loop Trail.

Region: Seattle

Hiking Distance: 1 to 3 miles

Transit options: Metro buses 50, 56, 57

Travel Time from Downtown Seattle: ~22-30 minutes

At 53 acres, Schmitz is not a big park, but it more than makes up for it with the quality of its forest. It is one of just a few places in Seattle where you can find old growth trees. The north end of the park is accessed off Admiral Way which has nearby stops for the 50 and 56 bus. The 57 bus stops at 49th Ave SW and Hinds St, less than a block from the east entrance to the park.

There are only a few trails through the park, but it’s fun to loop around exploring the forest and admiring the ancient trees. The Schmitz to Alki trail runs through the center of the park and, as its name implies, will take you northwest to Alki Beach via the Alki Playground Park.

Region: Seattle

Hiking Distance: 1 to 5 miles

Transit options: Link Light Rail to Metro Bus 50

Travel Time from Downtown Seattle: ~40 minutes

Jutting out on a peninsula into Lake Washington, Seward Park is a southeast Seattle classic with thick, lush forest, lots of trails, and lots of good waterfront grass on which to post up and have a picnic. The Metro 50 bus stops at Seward Park Ave and Juneau St, just one block from the park entrance. The 50 runs from West Seattle through Sodo to Columbia City and Seward Park. If you’re coming from the north the best way to catch it is by taking light rail to the Columbia City station. The 50 stops on Alaska St less than a block from the light rail station.

At the entrance, you’ll find the Seward Park Audubon Center, bathrooms, a playground, a water fountain, and even a swimming beach staffed by lifeguards in the summer. There’s a two-mile paved loop around the entire peninsula that’s popular with walkers, runners, and bicyclists. Starting from the upper parking area, the wide, gravel Spine Trail traverses through the forest to the tip of the peninsula. To the west-northwest of the Spine Trail, you’ll find narrower, more primitive dirt trails that roll up and down hills and make for a great hike or run.

This map point originally referred to the Seward Park Audubon Center as Seattle Audubon Center, when the two are separate organizations.

Region: Seattle

Hiking Distance: .1 to more than 5 miles

Transit options: Metro buses 131 and 60

Travel Time from Downtown Seattle: ~45-60 minutes

Just above the southern city limits in West Seattle, Westcrest Park has a choose-your-own-adventure network of interconnecting trails (see Seattle Trails’s map here) at gentle-to-moderate difficulty, lined with Douglas fir, red cedar, maple, and madrone trees. Westcrest is among Seattle’s largest parks, and offers plenty of opportunities for exploration, although WTA notes that it’s easy to stray off the path if you’re not careful.

Westcrest is especially popular among dog owners, thanks to its massive dog park, and it’s common to see leashed dogs on the trails. But it also has off-leash trails around the perimeter of the dog park: one half-mile loop around the main off-leash area, and an extremely short, .1-mile stroll around the small-dog area.

Region: Issaquah

Hiking Distance: 5.5 to 7 miles

Transit options: Trailhead Direct Shuttle

Travel Time from Mt. Baker Transit Center: ~35 minutes

One of the Issaquah Alps that rise up from the Issaquah valley floor, Squak Mountain is a classic hiking destination that doesn’t see quite as much foot traffic as its neighbors Cougar and Tiger Mountains. Squak’s Margaret’s Way Trailhead is the first stop on Metro’s Trailhead Direct shuttle from the Mt. Baker Transit Center across the street from the Mt. Baker light rail station.

From Margaret’s Way, it’s a 2.75-mile hike up fairly steep switchbacks to Debbie’s Viewpoint, one of the best overlooks on the mountain. On a clear day it provides great views of Rainier. Another mile up the mountain on the appropriately named Bullitt Fireplace Trail, you’ll find a giant stone fireplace, the only remaining feature of the Bullitt Family summer home. The summit of Squak, about 3.5 miles from the trailhead, doesn’t provide much in the way of views, but it’s always satisfying to make it to the top.

Region: North Bend

Hiking Distance: 8 miles (with 3,150 feet of climbing)

Transit options: Trailhead Direct Shuttle

Travel Time from Capitol Hill: ~50 minutes

Getting to Mount Si from Seattle without a car used to be a three-bus proposition, one of which only ran on weekdays. Beginning on May 19, Trailhead Direct will provide a shuttle from the Capitol Hill light rail station to the Mount Si trailhead.

Si is arguably the classic Seattle-area hike. It’s in the opening credits of the original Twin Peaks. Everyone at your office has probably hiked it at least once. All that notoriety also means it’s one of the most popular hikes in the area. But popular does not mean easy. It gains 3,150 feet in just 4 miles. Your legs will be burning on the way up and back down, but on a clear day the panoramic views of the surrounding mountains make it worth the temporary suffering. See WTA’s hiking guide for detailed instructions.

Region: North Bend

Hiking Distance: 5.4 miles (with 1,585 feet of climbing)

Transit options: Trailhead Direct Shuttle

Travel Time from Capitol Hill: ~50 minutes

Mount Teneriffe is Mount Si’s next door neighbor and will be served by the same Trailhead Direct shuttle as Si beginning May 19. The full hike to the peak is a challenging 14 miles round trip with over 3,000 feet of climbing. Which is why many people instead choose to hike to the scenic Teneriffe Falls, making for a 5.4-mile round trip hike with just 1,585 feet of climbing.

You’ll certainly still feel the dozens of switchbacks to the falls and back. But the tall, cascading waterfall is a worthy destination. See WTA’s hiking guide for detailed instructions.

Region: Issaquah

Hiking Distance: 3.8 to 7.2 miles

Transit options: Trailhead Direct Shuttle or Sound Transit Express bus 554

Travel Time from Mt. Baker Transit Center: ~40 minutes

Poo Poo Point is an open grassy knoll on the west wide of Tiger Mountain. Supposedly it’s named for the sound of train steam whistles that loggers could hear while working on Tiger. Looming above downtown Issaquah, it’s another urban hiking gem. Those that hoof it up the steep slopes are rewarded with great views of Lake Washington and the surrounding foothills. Paragliders use it as a launch point. Kicking back and watching them float through the air makes for a lovely mid-hike break.

The Trailhead Direct shuttle provides two options for getting to Poo Poo. Chirco Trail is the shorter way to the top. It’s only 1.9 miles each way. But covering the same elevation in fewer miles, of course, means it’s the steeper option of the two. High School Trail is the longer, but somewhat less steep option. See the WTA guide for detailed directions. It is possible to get close to the High School Trail trailhead without Trailhead Direct. Sound Transit’s 554 bus goes from the International District to downtown Issaquah. From there it’s about a half mile walk to the start of High School trail.