Welcome to NWHikes
Since 2003, we have been in an ongoing, albeit slow, process of gathering hike information for trails throughout the Pacific Northwest including: Washington, Oregon, British Columbia, Idaho, Alaska, Montana, and Wyoming.
So far, we have collected trail information for hikes in Washington, Oregon, and a couple in Wyoming. As of yet, there is not complete hike details for all hikes that are listed. Keep checking back as you'll see more information added to Northwest Hikes. Also, in the near future, we'll be asking you for your favorite hikes that we've missed.
Our goal is to have a single home on the web that has hiking information for the entire region.
What trail will you take?
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Recent Journal Entries
Difficulty: Moderate
Beach Trail (Dugualla)
Dugualla State Park contains a few different trails that wind throughout the park. The Beach Trail starts off as an easy hike and for the majority of it’s length, it is. At the nexus of trails at... More.
Difficulty: Easy
Bluff Trail
A 1.43-mile hike with 149 feet of elevation gain on a well-trodden trail with scenic views of Saratoga Passage and Whidbey Island. The hike was easy, with a variety of flora and fauna observed.
Difficulty: Easy
Rockport State Park
Most of this hike, spent along the old campground roadway, relishing how nature overcomes what mankind has put in place. The camping spots are mostly still recognizable but the spots where vehicles... More.
Difficulty: Easy
Padilla Bay Shore Trail
Although the tide was out during this particular trek, the views were spectacular. The wind today helped keep comfortable while the mid-day sun was beating down. Interesting to see the serpentine... More.
Difficulty: Accessible
Guemes Channel Trail
An accessible paved path along the Guemes Channel on the North side of Fidalgo Island. Great place for a walk to catch views of neighboring islands, maritime traffic, and shore birds. 😊
Difficulty: Moderate
Sharpe Park Trail
A nice nearby hike for folks in western Skagit County or Whidbey Island to get to and after a, relatively short distance be able to get spectacular views across the Salish Sea.Hike Difficulty Ratings
Different people have different abilities. By the same token, different hikes require different abilities. Throughout the hike listings at NWHikes, you will notice a rating identifying the difficulty of the hike. These are what the different difficulties mean:
| Difficulty | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Unknown | NWHikes does not yet have difficulty level information for this hike. |
| Accessible | Usable trail by all skill levels and hardly, if any, challenges will be encountered. Often paved or board-walked and mostly level trails. |
| Easy | Use of the trail requires limited skill and few challenges will be encountered. |
| Moderate | Use of the trail requires some skill and will experience more challenging terrain. |
| Difficult | Use of the trail will require a high degree of skill and challenging travel will be encountered. |
| More Difficult | Use of the trail will require a higher degree of skill and more challenging travel will be encountered. |
| Strenuous | Use of the trail requires great effort. A high degree of skill will be required and many challenges encountered. |
The Ten Essentials
Whenever anyone hits the trail, there are ten essentials that they should always have with them. You may have not thought to include these items with you when you take a hike, but they should become staples in any pack you take with you when you go hiking.
read more...Leave No Trace
We are all very fortunate that we have the trails that we do have. Many people have devoted countless hours from working with legislators to protect wild areas, to being a part of work details who build and maintain trails. We all have a responsibility with this to make sure these trails are available and usable for generations to come. The Leave No Trace principles will help to ensure that happens.
read more...Be smart, be safe. Come back!
Hiking can be dangerous. Know your limits. The information provided on NWHikes is for informational purposes only. Be sure to check other sources and know the conditions when you venture out on your hike. Remember, you are responsible for your safety.