Top 10 Day Hikes near Seattle, Washington

Seattle, the land of Amazon and Microsoft, is more than just a burgeoning tech hub. While yes, Seattle ranks as one of the fastest-growing cities in the USA, in addition to new skyscrapers this major metropolis also boasts incredible access to the outdoors. Why do you think REI, one of the largest outdoor retailers in the world, also calls Seattle home?

Seattle is sandwiched between two of the nation’s most beautiful national parks: Mount Rainier National Park and Olympic National Park, both of which boast incredible hiking opportunities. Closer to the city, a wide array of city parks, county parks, state parks, national forests, and other green spaces are home to an expansive array of beautiful hiking trails.

With so many stunning hikes accessible within a short drive from downtown Seattle, it was tough to narrow the list down to just 10 hikes. But after consulting a variety of resources, we’ve culled the list to the hikes you see before you.

This guidebook features hikes with a wide array of difficulties, distances, flavors, and even driving times from downtown Seattle. If you want to start off easy, head to Ebey’s Landing for a flat hike with stunning views of the bay. For an easily-accessible hike right on the outskirts of the city, head to Squak Mountain or West Tiger 3. Finally, for one of the most epic day hikes in the state of Washington, drive further from the city to the Summerland Hike in Mount Rainier National Park.

And that’s not all. With other epics like Mount Si, Mount Pilchuck, Kendall Katwalk, and even more, this guidebook will keep you busy for many weekends to come!

Sources:
CityLab.com
OutsideOnline.com
SwitchbackTravel.com
WTA.org