Here’s hoping you’ll need the sunscreen. Whether it is a destination lake, a stroll along a creek or an adventurous climb, there are lots of places nearby where you can let the city noise fall to the trailside and sleep in your own bed by nightfall. How do you locate the day hike that fits your style?
Day Hike! Mount Rainier – The visitor centers may be crowded, but a short distance down a trail you just might find yourself alone in a field of wildflowers. This guidebook provides nice trail descriptions, maps and pictures of features you might see along the way.
Day Hiking Central Cascades – This little book packs in a lot of great hikes near Seattle. The “Hikes at a Glance” grid at the beginning helps you compare trail features, distances, difficulty ratings and much more.
Hiking Washington’s Alpine Lakes Wilderness – There are some breathtaking hikes in the Alpine Lakes wilderness. I’ve found that they tend to be steep. If you are looking for more strenuous trails with rewarding destinations, this has some great ones. There are a couple shorter jaunts in the book too.
For a selection of less vigorous walks, try Take A Walk: 110 Walks within 30 Minutes of Seattle and the Greater Puget Sound. It features some city trails and a few lowland hikes.
Trail conditions change, roads wash out and trees come down. In addition to the books, I like to consult a website like Washington Trails Association where people post their trip reports.
Of course, I’ve gotten many a good recommendation at the ranger station. They even have one inside the Seattle REI. Before you go, it is a good idea to see if the trailhead requires a permit.
Got any other suggestions of how you locate a good day hike?
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