Day Hiking Trails: 6 Great Day Hikes in Washington State

Monday, September 11, 2017

6 Great Day Hikes in Washington State

Fog rising from moss-covered tree trunks on Hall of Mosses Trail.

Wilderness Peak Loop
Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park
The Wilderness Peak Loop, a circle of connecting trails, serves as nice summer jaunt through the forest for kids. The 3.6 miles of trails sit on the southeastern side of Cougar Mountain – the nearest of the Issaquah Alps east of Seattle – in Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park.

Hall of Mosses Trail
Olympic National Park
Hikers can walk among the greenest places on Earth on the Hall of Mosses Trail at Olympic National Park. The trail runs 0.9-miles round trip through the park’s famous Hoh Rain Forest. A popular trail, it can be crowded, even in summer when humidity levels can make the air feel thick.

Best trails for seeing North Cascades' sites
Among the best ways to see North Cascades National Park’s top sights is via a day hike. Just four short trails will allow you to enjoy each of the park’s highlights – glaciers, an ancient Native American travel route, an alpine landscape, and mountain lakes.

Learn more about national park day hiking trails in my Best Sights to See at America’s National Parks series.

Meet the Author

My name is Rob Bignell. I'm a long-time hiker, journalist and editor. My son Kieran and I have been hiking together for the past decade. Before Kieran, I taught middle school students in New Mexico and Wisconsin, served as an infantryman in the Army National Guard, and worked in newspapers. I've won several journalism awards, from editorial writing to sports reporting. In 2001, The Prescott Journal, which I served as managing editor of, was named Wisconsin’s Weekly Newspaper of the Year. Currently I own and operate an online editing business, Inventing Reality Editing Service. After spending several years in Southern California, my son and I now live in Wisconsin on the scenic Red Cedar River.