Heart O' the Forest Trail─Peaceful path in the shadow of Hurricane Ridge

Quick Facts: Location: Heart O’ the Hills Campground Land Agency: Olympic National Park Roundtrip: 4.6 miles Elevation Gain: 550 feet Notes: Dogs prohibited, National Park Entry fee. Green Trails Map: Elwha North/ Hurricane Ridge No-134S Access: From Olympic National Park Visitors Center in Port Angeles, follow Hurricane Ridge Road (aka Heart O’ the Hills Parkway) south. Continue 5.4 miles turning left into…

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Blanca Lake– A strikingly beautiful lake set beneath a formidable wall of jagged peaks

Quick Facts: Location: Wild Sky and Henry Jackson Wildernesses, North Fork Skykomish River Valley Land Agency: Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Roundtrip: 8.4 miles Elevation gain: 3,300 feet Green Trails Map: Monte Cristo, WA- No. 143 Contact: Skykomish Ranger District: Mount Baker Snoqualmie National Forest Notes: Northwest Forest Pass or Interagency Pass required. No fires allowed…

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Perry Creek─Old growth, a cascade, sublime views to rugged peaks

Quick Facts: Location: Mountain Loop Highway Land Agency: National Forest Service Roundtrip: 11.4 miles Elevation Gain: 3.500 feet Green Trails Map: Mountain Loop Highway 111SX Recommended Guidebook: Day Hiking North Cascades 2nd edition (Mountaineers Books) Contact: Darrington Ranger District: Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Access: From Granite Falls follow the Mountain Loop Highway east for 27 miles…

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Pyramid Lake–A puny lake, but monumental surrounding forest

Quick Facts: Location: Ross Lake NRA, North Cascades Scenic Highway Land Agency: National Park Service Roundtrip: 4.5 miles High Point:  feet Elevation gain: 1500 feet Difficulty: moderate Contact: North Cascades National Park  Green Trails Map: North Cascades Ross Lake 16SX Notes: Dogs permitted on leash. Access: From Marblemount follow the North Cascades Highway (SR 20) east for 21 miles to trailhead located…

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Quartz Creek–Hike through a majestic primeval forest along a crystal clear creek

Quick Facts: Location: North Fork of the Skykomish River Land Agency: Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Roundtrip: 8.6 miles Elevation gain: 1450 feet Green Trails Maps: Monte Cristo, WA-No. 143 Contact: Skykomish Ranger District: Mount Baker Snoqualmie National Forest  Notes: Northwest Forest Pass or Interagency Pass required. Access: The North Fork Skykomish River Road from Index, the…

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White Pass–Sprawling meadows and stupendous views high on the Cascade Crest

Location: North Fork Sauk River Land Agency: Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Roundtrip: 19.4 miles High Point: 5,850 feet Elevation gain: 4,000 feet Difficulty: strenuous Green Trails Maps: Mountain Loop Highway 111SX Contact: Darrington Ranger District: Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Note: Northwest Forest Pass or Interagency Pass Required Access: From Darrington, travel south on the Mountain…

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Horse Creek Trail–Trot through towering coastal old-growth forest

Quick Facts: Location: Drift Creek Wilderness, Siuslaw National Forest Land Agency: National Forest Service Roundtrip: 7.2 miles Map: Online from Forest Service Elevation gain: 1,400 feet Difficulty: moderate Contact: Central Coast Ranger District (Waldport), Siuslaw National Forest Notes: Drift Creek Wilderness is south of Newport. Do not confuse with popular Drift Creek Falls near Lincoln…

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Eight Mile Creek–Enjoy elegant cedars and polished granite outcroppings on the way to Squire Creek Pass

Quick Facts: Location: Boulder River Wilderness, Mountain Loop Highway Land Agency: Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Roundtrip: 6.0 miles High Point: 4,075 feet Elevation gain: 2,300 feet Difficulty: difficult Green Trails Maps: Mountain Loop Highway 111SX Contact: Darrington Ranger District: Mount Baker Snoqualmie National Forest  Recommended Guidebook: Day Hiking North Cascades 2nd edition Access: From Darrington, follow…

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Red Pass─High Portal to Glacier Peak

Quick Facts: Location: North Fork Sauk River Land Agency: Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Roundtrip: 20.6 miles Elevation Gain: 4,300 feet Contact: Darrington Ranger District: Mount Baker Snoqualmie National Forest (360) 436-1155; www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs Green Trails Map: Mountain Loop Highway 111SX Special Note: Northwest Trail Pass required. Access: From Darrington, travel south on the Mountain Loop Highway…

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Gee Point─ great views from this little-known peak!

Quick Facts: Location: Finney Block, Skagit Valley Land Agency: Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Roundtrip: 3.0 miles Elevation Gain: 700 feet Contact: Mount Baker Ranger District: Mount Baker Snoqualmie National Forest (360) 856-5700; www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs Green Trails Map: Oso, WA-No. 77 Access: From Burlington head east 28 miles on SR 20 towards Concrete turning right onto the…

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