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Sunrise trail during sunrise at Mount Rainier National Park
When you think of the Pacific Northwest, what do you think of? My hope is that you imagine Washington State with its lush coniferous trees, blue lakes, snowcapped mountain ranges, and opportunities to see wildlife during a fun day of hiking! After recently moving back to the Evergreen State, I shared my 8 reasons of why I love living in Washington and the outdoor experience with all of its beauty alone was put at the very top! It was a no-brainer that I had to next share 12 summer day hikes from Seattle.
Planning for Your Hiking Trip
Before you go straight into your hiking search, make sure to book your accommodations and/or rental car in advance. I also created a packing list to make sure you're prepared for all the necessities on your hiking trip from Seattle - check it out!
Accommodations: Maybe you live in Washington State and want to stay nearby at the trailhead first thing in the morning, or you're an out-of-towner wanting to both sightsee in Seattle and see some wild animals or wildflowers for a few days. Whether you want to stay in downtown Seattle, or closer to nature, be sure to check out Booking.com for the best prices in the surrounding areas. You can use Booking.com in the search box below to reserve anything from an apartment in Belltown where you're overlooking Pike Place and the Puget Sound, to a small, quintessential cottage away from the city where it's more peaceful and serene. Whichever your preference, booking now will save you time and money for your summer trip!
Rental cars: Most of the hikes you'll see listed below usually require just about any standard or compact SUV such as a Toyota Rav4 or Honda CR-V during the summertime. If you're wanting to hike in more remote areas such as in the North Cascades, consider driving a 4WD car as some of the roads leading to the trailheads can be unpaved or have large potholes. To compare the best prices for rental cars, check out Economybookings.com so you can be prepared for your next hike from Seattle!
Packing list: Here's an extensive list with links of what you'll need for these easy to moderate-ish/hard hikes this summer!
1. Sunrise Nature Trail at Mount Rainier National Park
Level - Easy
Roundtrip length - 1.5 miles Dogs allowed - No Required parking pass - National Park Pass Estimated drive time from downtown Seattle - 2-2.5 hours
Naturally, the Sunrise Nature Trail hike during sunrise at Mount Rainier is not only just a bucket list hike, but if it were the only hike you could make time for on your summer trip, let it be this one!
This is a fairly easy hike but requires coordination if you truly want the sunrise experience! Although Washington is known for its gloomy overcast, you don't want to miss this remarkable moment on a morning that is forecasted with clear skies or minimal cloud coverage. Don't forget to bring a headlamp because you will be hiking in the dark at least 20-30 minutes prior to arriving at this phenomenal view of Rainier as the sun rises. 
Sunrise hike at the Sunrise Nature Trail in Mount Rainier National Park
2. Boundary West Trail at Mount St. Helens National Monument
Level - Moderate to hard
Roundtrip length - up to 10 miles Dogs allowed - No Required parking pass - National Park Pass, Northwest Forest Pass Estimated drive time from downtown Seattle - 2.5 - 3 hours
From one volcano to the next, Mount St. Helens is now a favorite of mine. Arriving before 6am and hiking through the clouds was quite the experience! What's great about this hike is you don't need to hike the entire 10 miles to get the great views. Take a few breaks in between and then plop down to eat some snacks while you enjoy the volcanic views!
A few miles into the trail and above the clouds at Mount St. Helens
3. Big Upper Creek Trail at Olympic Peninsula
Level - Moderate
Roundtrip length - 4.3 miles Dogs allowed - Yes, on a leash Required parking pass - National Park Pass, Northwest Forest Pass Estimated drive time from downtown Seattle - 2-2.5 hours
A great summer hike that's mostly shaded with rushing water in the background and mist spraying is Big Creek trail in the Hood Canal of the Olympic Peninsula. Aside from passing bridges over the creeks, try spotting the troll under the bridge as well!
For awesome views of the river from up top, hike another 1.4 miles at the junction of the Mt Ellinor Trail but be prepared for some huffing and puffing! 
The views above the Mt Ellinor Trail looking over the river below
4. Lake 22 Trail at North Cascades
Level - Moderate
Roundtrip length - 4.3 miles Dogs allowed - Yes, on a leash Required parking pass - National Park Pass, Northwest Forest Pass Estimated drive time from downtown Seattle - 1.5 hours
Lake 22 was the first trail I hiked when I first moved to Washington, but it was a little too early in the summer season (pre-summer, actually). The lake was still covered in snow but still worth the views! This trail is best to hike starting July after the snow melts.
Descending the Lake 22 trail
5. Burroughs Trail at Mount Rainier National Park
Level - Moderate to hard
Roundtrip length - 9 miles Dogs allowed - No Required parking pass - National Park Pass Estimated drive time from downtown Seattle - 2.5 hours
Here's another trail that you typically don't have to do the whole hike to get the great views on a sunny day. I ended up only getting to the Second Burrough, mostly because of the cloud coverage but also, I shamefully admit that I was just too tired to get to the Third Burrough with its elevation gain of an extra 1,155 feet. The Third Burrough is something to consider after you get to the Second Burrough!
Second Burrough of the Burroughs Mountain at Mount Rainier National Park
6. Skyline Trail Loop/Myrtle Falls at Mount Rainier National Park
Level - Easy to moderate
Roundtrip length - .8 to 5.5 miles Dogs allowed - No Required parking pass - National Park Pass Estimated drive time from downtown Seattle - 2.5-3 hours
Lots of travelers and hikers alike at times want to take the easy, calm, and scenic route - Myrtle Falls at Mount Rainier National Park is perfect for them! If you want to extend the hike further, continue on the Skyline Trail Loop for more intensity!
Myrtle Falls at Mount Rainier National Park
Staying in Seattle but don't have any wheels to get to Mount Rainier? Check out this full day, all-inclusive small group tour with pick up in Seattle to Mount Rainier National Park!
7. Teneriffe Falls Near North Bend
Level - Easy to moderate
Roundtrip length - 5.6 miles Dogs allowed - Yes, on a leash Required parking pass - Discover Pass Estimated drive time from downtown Seattle - 45 minutes - 1 hour
While I suggest this hike during the summer, to see the max flowing of the waterfalls, try to get there just before summer or early summer. By the time I got to this hike, the water from the waterfalls had dried up but it was still worth the views!
Descending from Teneriffe Falls
8. Hoh River Trail to Five Mile Island at Hoh National Rainforest
Level - Moderate
Roundtrip length - 10.6 miles Dogs allowed - No Required parking pass - National Park Pass Estimated drive time from downtown Seattle - 4-4.5 hours
Are you a Twilight fan like me? Well, I'd say I'm Twilight fan adjacent - Rewatching all the Twilight movies in my mid-30s versus when I was a late teen to early 20s feels way different now! Lots of cringe but also, lots to look back on and laugh about.
In any case, I had to make sure I made my way up to Forks and La Push to get the full Twilight fan experience. While Forks can be a bit underwhelming (except for the burritos at Taqueria San Juditas), it was still fun to take pictures at the welcome signs and get a feel of it while it's gloomy. What's even better is not too far from Forks is Hoh Rainforest - full of lush greenery and glowing moss! While I did not complete the entire 10.6-mile trail due to time constraints, the hike only has an elevation gain of 300 feet which makes it the classic hike for Hoh Rainforest. 
Hoh River Trail at Hoh Rainforest
If you're wanting a full day trip to Hoh Rainforest from Seattle, be sure to check out this all-inclusive small group tour showing the best of Olympic National Park, including Hoh Rainforest.
9. Lower South Fork Skokomish River Trail at Olympic Peninsula
Level - Moderate
Roundtrip length - 8.5 miles Dogs allowed - Yes, on a leash Required parking pass - National Park Pass, Northwest Forest Pass Estimated drive time from downtown Seattle - 2 - 2.5 hours
Here's a popular hike that you don't want to miss near Shelton, WA. Take some time either before or after your hike to relax near the Skokomish River and soak in all the views!
Skokomish River in the Olympic Peninsula
10. Cascade Pass Trail at North Cascades
Level - Moderate to hard
Roundtrip length - 7 miles Dogs allowed - No Required parking pass - None Estimated drive time from downtown Seattle - 3-3.5 hours
The North Cascades was a long-awaited hike that I still find quite memorable with its 30-something switchbacks (I think I counted 32? 33? Maybe 37? Too much to count). The reward was well worth it after crossing a large section of the trail filled with snow! This would've been a good time to have some micro-spikes on, but I was truly not anticipating needing them for this hike. I plan to return back to this trail but next time in August instead of the first week in July where snow was still prevalent up top. Who's coming? :)
Cascade Pass at the North Cascades
11. Rattlesnake Ledge Trail at North Bend in the Snoqualmie Region
Level - Moderate
Roundtrip length - 4 miles Dogs allowed - Yes, on a leash Required parking pass - None Estimated drive time from downtown Seattle - 45 minutes - 1 hour
When wanting so badly to check out a glowing, emerald green lake that was close by and didn't require 3,500 feet of elevation gain, I was recommended this hike at Rattlesnake Ledge which made it the perfect summer hike from Seattle! All types of hikers can do this hike, including children and dogs.
The top of Rattlesnake Ledge
12. Palisades Lakes at Mount Rainier National Park
Level - Moderate to hard
Roundtrip length - 7 miles Dogs allowed - No Required parking pass - National Park Pass Estimated drive time from downtown Seattle - 2-2.5 hours
I saved the... "best for last" because this hike will take you by surprise! Fair warning, the hike begins with immediate decline in elevation so your first thoughts will surely be how "awesome" getting back to the parking lot will be! I was not prepared for this hike with all of its ups and downs - it was a roller coaster but in a mental way!
Palisades Lakes at Mount Rainier National Park
While I was out of breath quite a bit, this hike was becoming a top favorite from the gorgeous lakes to the beautiful wildflowers all around! Suggested by my friend I hiked with, I pushed my way up top of what seemed to be off the beaten path to get some great views of the lakes below and of Rainier. But a push it was! Warm those knees up, you're going to need it!
Oh, one last warning... maybe you won't get eaten by a bear, but you'll surely be eaten alive by mosquitos! Do yourself a favor: don't forget to apply bug spray, especially near the water if you plan to hang out and take a dip in the water. Nonetheless, the reward of the hike outweighs those itchy bites! 
Palisades Lakes at Mount Rainier National Park
Have you hiked near Seattle? Tell me your favorite hike so far!
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Ada RodriguezHey y'all, I'm Ada! Lover of all things travel, I’m a former expat, and student of life. I thoroughly enjoy traveling, hiking, exploring, creating memories, being of resources to others, and sharing my life experiences through travel. I am currently based out of Washington State, USA but I lived in Germany for almost 8 years where I learned to see the world through a different lens. I started this blog to document my experiences and help others while traveling yet it became my everlasting voyage through Life. Hop right in and enjoy the journey! |
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