Washington
Looking for the best backpacking in Washington? We've got you covered with the top trails, trips, hiking, backpacking, camping and more around Washington. The detailed guides, photos, and reviews are all submitted by the Outbound community.
Top Backpacking Spots in and near Washington
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Enumclaw, Washington
Snowshoe to Sun Top Peak
12 mi / 2000 ft gainFrom Tacoma, Wa. take Hwy 167 to Hwy 410 and follow that until you get to the Chinook Pass Hwy. Then from there follow this road and take the second Service Road on the right and follow this road until it dead ends. The trail starts on NF-7315. You have to walk this road until you reach the first...Read more -
Rockport, Washington
Sourdough Mountain Trail
5.09.34 mi / 5046 ft gainGoing east from Newhalem on highway 20, turn off towards the small town of Diablo. There are signs from there on where to park. This hike is very difficult. It is very steep and gains elevation very quickly and right from the start. Once you get above tree line though you are greeted with great ...Read more -
Packwood, Washington
Hike Tatoosh Ridge from Tatoosh Trail #161
12 mi / 4100 ft gainAt the trailhead kiosk be sure to get one of the provided (and required) self-serve Wilderness Permit. Starting at the trailhead begin your initial accent following the marked trail on the side of the road. In the first two 2.5 miles you will climb 2,745 feet, it's hard but luckily a majority of ...Read more -
North Bend, Washington
Talapus & Olallie Lakes
5.71 mi / 1266 ft gainWith a moderate grade on a wide trail, the hike to Talapus Lake is the perfect introduction to the outdoors for hikers and beginning backpackers. Upon arrival at Talapus, break out lunch or pitch camp. Either way, you can cool off in the large lake. If you feel like pressing on, Ollalie Lake is j...Read more -
Ashford, Washington
Climb Little Tahoma/East Shoulder
17 mi / 7450 ft gainStart from the Summer Land Trail Head at the Fryingpan Creek parking lot just West of the White River Ranger Station in Mount Rainier National Park. Beginning at an elevation of 3,800 feet, you'll head southeast along the Summer Land Trail for 4.5 miles, tracing the Fryingpan Creek. There are a f...Read more -
Marblemount, Washington
Terror Basin and West McMillan Spire
16.98 mi / 8868 ft gainThe Picket Range is a remote and rugged subrange of Washington's North Cascades. It draws very few visitors per year, and the odds of seeing another human on your adventure are very low. West McMillan Spire is an 8,000' peak located in the Southern Pickets. It is a Class 3 climb involving bot...Read more -
Yakima County, Washington
Mount Adams Circumambulation
35.1 mi / 8881 ft gain***Before you go on this trek, give the Yakama Nation a call and talk to a Ranger to make sure the trail is open to backpackers or hikers.*** 1-509-865-5121 or 1-509-395-3402 There are a few places you can start this adventure, but starting from the South Climb Trail Head and Cold Spring Campgrou...Read more -
Marblemount, Washington
Climb Eldorado Peak via the East Ridge
8 mi / 6800 ft gainStanding on the knife edge summit, the terrain around you plummets steeply into glacier-filled basins that trickle into turquoise alpine lakes. Serrated snowy peaks give way to forest covered valleys below that craft a rugged landscape. Eldorado Peak delivers you atop this wild and mountainous wo...Read more -
North Bend, Washington
Hike Pratt Balcony
2.2 miThis one can be a bit tricky to find. The trailhead is unmarked and is a bit hidden around a curve of Middle Fork Road so it is easy to miss. At about 9.80 miles from the junction of 468th St. and Middle Fork Road, look for two signs on the right warning of upcoming gravel patches (probably will ...Read more -
Gold Bar, Washington
Greider Lakes Trail
8.5 mi / 2054 ft gainGreider Lakes Trail is an approximately 8+ mile hike out-and-back from the trailhead, which is labeled after a long drive up a gravel road. First 2 miles are flat, next 3 are switchbacks up. Once you reach the first larger lake, keep going! The second one is also gorgeous. This is a beautiful hik...Read more -
Skykomish, Washington
Backpack from Dorothy Lake Trailhead to Snoqualmie Lake
18 mi / 1900 ft gainThe trail was not crowded although when we got to Snoqualmie Lake there were only a couple camping spots left. The trail up from Dorothy is not too hard at all. The weather was perfect. After passing Dorothy you have to ford a creek where the bridge has been washed out. We went through it on foot...Read more -
Brinnon, Washington
Hike Lower Big Quilcene River
13 mi / 1800 ft gainWhile this hike does not provide any sort of fantastic views, its does provide an easy ~13 mile roundtrip hike from the trailhead to a parking lot for the Upper Big Quilcene Trail which leads to Marmot Pass. Along the way you will cross several bridges, some large and wide, other simple log bridg...Read more -
Port Angeles, Washington
Badger Valley Trail to Grand Pass Trail Loop
4.010.42 mi / 3235 ft gainBadger Valley Trail to Grand Pass Trail Loop Trail is a loop trail that takes you by a lake located near Port Angeles, Washington.Read more -
Skykomish, Washington
Jade Lake via the Necklace Valley Trail
15.26 mi / 3323 ft gainThis hike is definitely one of our all-time favorites. The first time we did it was in August 2015 and due to the exceptionally mild winter that year, fall was already beginning to show its colors. We wanted to see it again in the springtime when everything was in bloom, so we decided to go again...Read more -
Enumclaw, Washington
Backpack Noble Knob via Greenwater Trail
16.9 mi / 3920 ft gainFrom Greenwater heading south: Pass the fire station to FR 70 on the left. Follow FR 70 for about nine miles to FR 7033. Take a right and follow the road to the trailhead. Northwest Forest Pass required. The trail is in good shape and mostly flat to Greenwater Lakes which is great for families a...Read more -
Loomis, Washington
Backpack the Pasayten Wilderness via Iron Gate Trailhead
24 miWe started our adventure at the Iron Gate Trailhead. The trail to begin with was pretty flat for about a mile and then begins to ascend higher and higher making for a bit of a workout. You walk through forests with hints of aspen trees and wildflowers, after that it changes to walking through a v...Read more