Sherman Peak Loop– In general, the views are great

Quick Facts: Location: Kettle River Range, Ferry County Land Agency: National Forest Service Roundtrip: 6.0 miles Elevation gain: 1200 feet Contact: Colville National Forest, Republic Ranger District Notes: Hunting season has begun, wear orange  Access: From Republic, head east on SR 20 for 16.8 miles to Sherman Pass. Turn left and follow access road .1…

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Indian Henry’s Hunting Ground via Kautz Lake — Head to a fabled land of wildflowers!

Quick Facts: Location: Nisqually Valley, Mount Rainier National Park Land Agency: National Park Service Roundtrip: 11.6 miles Elevation Gain: 3200 feet Contact: Mount Rainier National Park Green Trails Map: Mount Rainier National Park 269S Notes: National Park Entrance Fee or Interagency Pass required; Dog prohibited Timed entry pass required for entrance into Mount Rainier National Park (Longmire and Sunrise…

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Paradise Glacier Trail — The ice caves are no more, but the views are still incredible  

Quick Facts: Location: Mount Rainier National Park Land Agency: National Park Service Roundtrip: 5.6 miles Elevation Gain: 1,000 feet Contact: Mount Rainier National Park Green Trails Map: Green Trails Mount Rainier National Park 269SX Notes: National Park entrance fee; Dogs Prohibited; Practice Leave No Trace Principles; Timed entry pass required for entrance into Mount Rainier National…

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Tubal Cain Mine and Buckhorn Lake — Take a “rhody trip” to an historic mine

Quick Facts: Location: Buckhorn Wilderness, Olympic National Forest Land Agency: National Forest Service Roundtrip: 12.4 miles Elevation Gain: 2,100 feet Contact: Olympic National Forest, Hood Canal Ranger District, Quilcene, Green Trails Map: Olympic Mountains East 168SX Notes: Wilderness regulations apply Access: From Discovery Bay (Jct SR 20 and US 101), drive no US 101 north and turn left…

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Steens Mountain– Into the heart of Oregon’s “Big Empty”

Quick Facts: Location: Great Basin, Eastern Oregon Land Agency: Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Area (BLM) Roundtrip: Kiger Gorge Rim; up to 4.0 miles Elevation gain: Up to 500 feet Difficulty: moderate Contact: BLM Burns Office  Access: From Burns, Oregon travel 60 miles south to Frenchglen. Take Steens Mountan Loop Road for 23 miles.…

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Lookout Mountain

Look out over the Methow Valley and beyond Quick Facts: Location: Methow Valley, WA Distance: 3.0 miles one way Elevation Gain: 1170 feet Contact: Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, Methow Valley Ranger District Maps: Green Trails Methow Valley 51SX Recommended Guidebook: Day Hiking North Cascades (Mountaineers Books) Notes: trail open to mountain bikes and motorcycles; Final 1.5…

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Mount Wells– Victoria area summit gushes with flowers and views

Quick Facts: Location: Victoria—Langford, BC Land Agency: Capital Regional District Parks Roundtrip: 2.0 miles/ 3.2 km Elevation gain: 865 feet/ 264 m Maps: CRDP site Contact: Capital Regional District Parks Notes: dogs permitted on leash; please stay on trail to protect rare plants Access: From Victoria, follow Trans-Canada Highway 10.5 for miles (17 km) exiting…

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Little Giant Pass

Shortest (but not easy) portal to the fabled Napeequa Valley Quick Facts: Location: Chiwawa River Valley Round Trip: 10.4 miles Elevation Gain: 4100 feet Contact: Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, Wenatchee River Ranger District, https://www.fs.usda.gov/okawen/Detailed Information: Day Hiking Central Cascades 2nd edition (Mountaineers Books) Notes: Wilderness Rules in effect; Chiwawa River must be forded—dangerous in high water…

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Sunrise Ridge─What a setting!

Quick Facts: Location: Olympic National Park – Hurricane Ridge Road Land Agency: National Park Service Roundtrip: 5.2 miles Elevation Gain: 1,100 feet Green Trails Map: Elwha North-Hurricane Ridge No. 134S Contact: Olympic National Park Access: From Port Angeles, follow Race Street south to Mount Angeles Ave to the Heart O’ the Hills Parkway (Hurricane Ridge…

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