Coupeville, Washington

The beauty of many of the north coast trails in the Olympic Peninsula is that your car does a lot of the heavy lifting for you.  This is certainly true of the Grand Valley Trail, which begins more than a vertical mile above the Strait of Juan de Fuca at the end of the Obstruction Point Road.  Six...

Badger Valley Trail to Grand Pass Trail Loop Trail is a loop trail that takes you by a lake located near Port Angeles, Washington.

NOTE: The trail is currently closed about 1 mile in due to landslides.  This trail starts right off the Mountain Loop Highway outside of Granite Falls. Look out for a brick sign with the trail name, as it's easy to miss otherwise. There's parking next to the highway, but since there is a history...

A short and scenic trail of tranquility that leads to the secluded Lake PJ, hidden on Hurricane Ridge. Nothing but nature stirs here. The trail, while well-traveled, is far quieter than others in the surrounding area of Olympic. You might see one other hiker. It is lined with wildflowers and in t...

Hiking to Klahhane Ridge is a rewarding experience that provides you with sweeping views of the Olympic Mountains. Further access to overnight opportunities is possible if you venture beyond the summit trail. Here’s the scoop: Get an early start. There is a decent amount of parking available at ...

This hike is only doable if you are already on Stuart Island! There is no public transportation to Stuart Island, so you must already be there or have a plan to be there in order to complete this hike.I frequent this island during the summer months and it is one of my favorites. I always stay in ...

Take Highway 1 west from Victoria. Turn onto Exit 10 (View Royal/Colwood) and continue on the Island Highway. Turn right at Six Mile Road, which leads straight to Thetis Lake Regional Park.Note that this park is also accessible by bike via the Galloping Goose Trail.With minimal elevation (~60m) a...

Boulder River is a great outing for those days when you feel like you just need a good hike through the forest. This makes for a nice long day hike, but because both of the large waterfalls are within the first half of the trail, you can still see the falls without going the whole way. One of the...

Discovery Park and its beach area great for walking, running, photography, and taking in a sunset. If you want to put your feet in the sand, head down to the western most part of the park. This beach is a sand beach with an iconic lighthouse at the end. Dirftwood also washes up on the beach provi...

The Loop Trail in Discovery Park offers a nice respite from the city, with views of the Puget Sound, open fields and forest. Given it's a loop, there are a couple of different options to begin the hike. The most common is to park at the East Visitor Center Parking lot and take a short connector t...

Woodland Plateau and Lloyd Trail Loop is a loop trail where you may see local wildlife located near Woodinville, Washington.

The trailhead to Murhut Falls is located about 7.5 miles off US-101 S but the last couple of miles are on NF-2530 which can be potholed and rutted. I made it up the road in my 2WD sedan but it took quite some time to dodge all of the potholes. This hike is nice and quick! It starts with a small ...

The winding roads and drop-off cliffs provide an outstanding journey to the trailheads on a clear day. If you have to bear through the fog, your reward at the top is worth every second of what you missed. The first image above is your view from the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center, so even if you a...

Hike the well-maintained Mount Pilchuck Lookout trail through a variety of terrain: old-growth forest and granite boulder fields. At the top, you'll reach a lookout tower perched on Mount Pilchuck. Pilchuck sits on the western edge of the Cascades, which offers up amazing panoramic views once you...

To get to this hike you drive up to Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park. The drive up to Hurricane Ridge is on a winding road with amazing views of the mountains. Once you reach the visitors center at Hurricane Ridge you can fill up water bottles or use the restroom. The trailhead for Hurric...

Approximately 11 miles east of Granite Falls, WA, on the Mt. Loop Highway,  turn onto Forest Service road 41 and follow this road for 18.0 miles to the trailhead. The road is quite rough and it is recommended you have a four-wheel drive vehicle. There is a washout about halfway along the road, an...