10 Best Summer hikes near Seattle according to a Seattleite
Posted On May 31, 2023
Last Updated on December 5, 2024
Seattle has some of the best summers in the entire United States. Lots of sun once summer actually gets going in July, warm days but usually not hot, no humidity, 16 hours of daylight and generally good air quality. Take this ideal weather and add in a backdrop of mountains, alpine lakes, beaches, rivers and forest and it’s no surprise that summer hikes near Seattle are so popular with locals and visitors!
I’m a born and raised Seattleite and have been hiking here since childhood and I’ve been lucky enough to experience many different trails in a many different seasons.
This article is focused on hikes near Seattle that really shine during the peak summer months of July, August and early September. These hikes are all big view hikes or alpine lake hikes, ideal this time of year when they are free of snow and sunny days show off big views. All of them are a two hour drive or less from Seattle. If you’re up for driving a bit further, check out my favorite hikes across Washington State.
Listen on the podcast instead of reading
There are so many amazing summer hikes near Seattle, it’s hard to pick EXACT NUMBER that I recommend as the very best. But here they are, along with why I love them!
- Popular Seattle hikes that did NOT make my list and why
- Bandera Mountain
- Denny Creek Slides
- Annette
- McClellan Butte
- Easton Ridge
- Lake 22
- Lake Serene and Bridal Veil Falls
- Naches Peak Loop
- Spray Park
- Mt Fremont
Popular Seattle hikes that are not that great, or not great in summer
There are some hikes that show up on most “Best Seattle hikes” that I have NOT included on this list, allow me to briefly explain why. I’ve only included crowded hikes that are really worth it, not ones that are just popular and in my opinion not worth it. I’ve also not included some that are great hikes, just not best in summer.
- Mt Si – If you know one hike in Seattle, it’s probably this one! It’s extremely crowded and not as interesting or fun as the ones on my list. McClellan Butte is an even better workout and very few people!
- Snow Lake – Truly a wonderful hike, crowding makes this hike a struggle in the summer. Save it for fall before the snow comes when it’s less crowded and the vine maples are bright rainbow colors
- Mailbox Peak – it’s just too difficult (long and steep) to make my best of list
- Rattlesnake Ledge – I actually love this hike, but because it’s so busy it makes for a better winter hike in my opinion.
- Wallace Falls, Franklin Falls and Twin Falls – the three most popular waterfall hikes near Seattle are really better in winter (Franklin Falls and Twin Falls) or Wallace Falls (winter or spring). Don’t get me wrong, these are amazing hikes but I recommend checking them out in the colder or wetter months, when they are even more impressive and less busy.
Related: What to wear for a day hike in the Pacific Northwest, what to pack for a day hike in the Pacific Northwest
The Washington Trails Association trip reports are a wonderful resource all year for learning about the current trail conditions, including if there is any lingering snow, winter storm damage or epic bugs.
#1: Bandera Mountain – Snoqualmie Pass (45 minutes from Seattle)
- Location: Bandera Mountain starts at the Ira Spring trailhead between North Bend and Snoqualmie Pass, about an hour from Seattle. This is the homeland of the Coast Salish and Snoqualmie People.
- Why it’s one of the best summer hikes near Seattle: Amazing views and beautiful wildflowers, also an option to add on a short distance to Mason Lake. This trail is usually snow free in June so you don’t have to wait until July to enjoy it!
- Length: 7.5 miles
- Elevation Gain: 3200 feet
- Passes Needed: Northwest Forest Pass or America the Beautiful Pass
- Dogs: Yes, on leash
- Cell service: Decent at trailhead. Less service with dead spots as you go up the trail
- Restrooms: Pit toilet at trailhead
- Crowd avoiding tip: While not as crowded as some other I-90 hikes, this hike does get crowded on summer weekend days. Most hikers go to Mason Lake after the first portion of the trail (also a great hike). It helps to get here early or late or go on a weekday
- Best place to stop after: Volition Brewing or Pioneer Coffee in North Bend, for more food try Twede’s Cafe, North Bend Bar and Grill or South Fork which has an enormous outdoor seating area and good bar food.
#2: Denny Creek Slides – Snoqualmie Pass (45 minutes from Seattle)
- Location: The Denny Creek Trail is located near Snoqualmie Pass along a frontage road between the summit and Denny Creek on the homeland of the Snoqualmie People.
- Why it’s one of the best summer hikes near Seattle: The Denny Creek Slides are a fixture of childhood summers in Seattle for decades. This is a natural waterslide that can have very swift and cold water so make sure to assess the situation before deciding if it’s safe for your littles. I loved coming here as a kid, just like generations before and after me!
- Length: 2 miles to Denny Creek slides, just under 4 miles round trip to Keekwulee Falls
- Elevation Gain: 400 feet to Denny Creek slides, 1100 to Keekwulee Falls viewpoint
- Parking Pass: Northwest Forest Pass or America the Beautiful Pass
- Dogs: Yes, on leash. The slide area gets extremely busy so depending on your dog this might not be ideal.
- Cell service: Decent at trailhead. Less service with dead spots as you go up the trail
- Restrooms: Pit toilet at trailhead
- Crowd avoiding tip: This trail is extremely crowded most days in summer (including weekdays), join the crowd and embrace the fun!
- Best place to stop after: Volition Brewing or Pioneer Coffee in North Bend or Dru Bru at Snoqualmie Pass. For food, get a corn dog from Bob’s Espresso at the pass or a slice of pizza at Pie for the People (located in a convenience store behind Bob’s)
#3: Annette Lake – Snoqualmie Pass (1 hour from Seattle)
- Location: Exit 47 just west of Snoqualmie Pass on I-90
- Why it’s one of the best summer hikes near Seattle: You get a good workout but it’s not too hard, very shady forest and a beautiful lake. Basically perfect!
- Length: 7.5 miles round trip
- Elevation Gain: 1800 feet
- Parking Pass: Northwest Forest Pass or America the Beautiful Pass
- Dogs: Yes, on leash.
- Cell service: Some service here and there
- Restrooms: Pit toilet at trailhead
- Crowd avoiding tip: I’ve found this hike to be a little less crowded than some of the others in the area – it might be the massive potholes on the short drive to get there! But still, going late in the day or a weekday will reduce crowds even further.
- Best place to stop after: Volition Brewing or Pioneer Coffee in North Bend, for more food try Twede’s Cafe, North Bend Bar and Grill or South Fork which has an enormous outdoor seating area and good bar food.
#4: McClellan Butte – Snoqualmie Pass (45 minutes from Seattle)
- Location: The McClellan Butte hike is near North Bend, just west of Snoqualmie Pass. If you take Exit 42 from I-90 East and follow Tinkham road for half a mile you’ll be there. It is the homeland of the Snoqualmie People.
- Why it’s one of the best summer hikes near Seattle: The best thing about this hike is that it is not at all crowded. It’s a hard and long hike that goes to a great view and there are lots of huckleberries along the trail in late August.
- Length: 9 miles round trip
- Elevation Gain: 4000 feet of elevation gain (steep and long!)
- Parking Pass: Northwest Forest Pass or America the Beautiful Pass
- Dogs: Yes, on leash.
- Cell service: Decent at trailhead, otherwise some service here and there
- Restrooms: Pit toilet at trailhead
- Crowd avoiding tip: This hike is never crowded!
- Best place to stop after: Volition Brewing or Pioneer Coffee in North Bend, for more food try Twede’s Cafe, North Bend Bar and Grill or South Fork which has an enormous outdoor seating area and good bar food.
#5: Easton Ridge – Snoqualmie Pass (1.25 hours from Seattle)
- Location: Easton Ridge is located along I-90 between Snoqualmie Pass and Cle Elum on the land of the Wenatchi and Yakama People directly above the small community of Easton. Take Exit 70 for Easton. Turn left at the end of the ramp and left again on Sparks Road. Turn right on Kachess Dam Road and then after about half a mile, right on a smaller and narrower gravel round that takes you to the trailhead is less than a mile.
- Why it’s one of the best summer hikes near Seattle: No crowds, big views and wildflower meadows just over an hour from Seattle make this my personal favorite hike along the I-90 corridor.
- Length: 6.5 miles round trip
- Elevation Gain: 2300 feet
- Parking Pass: None
- Dogs: Yes, on leash. Use extreme caution with your dog near big drop offs at the summit and in the last mile
- Cell service: Good
- Restrooms: None
- Crowd avoiding tip: This trail is never crowded.
- Best place to stop after: Dru Bru in Cle Elum has lots of space, lots of parking, good beer and an excellent pizza food truck. There is also a Dru Bru at Snoqualmie Pass as well as Pie for the People (pizza) and corn dogs at Bob’s Espresso.
#6: Lake 22 – Mountain Loop Highway (1.5 hours from Seattle)
- Location: Lake 22 is located along the Mountain Loop Highway near the Verlot Ranger Station in Mt Baker Snoqualmie National Forest, East of Everett and Northeast of Seattle. The nearest town in Granite Falls. Take the Mountain Loop Highway from Granite Falls. Once you pass the Verlot Ranger station on your left, and the Turlo and Verlot campgrounds on your right, you’re about two miles from the trailhead.
- Why it’s one of the best summer hikes near Seattle: This is one of my favorite lake hikes. The hike isn’t too long or steep, the forest you hike through is beautiful and the lake is ringed by gorgeous mountains. It’s crowded, but totally worth it.
- Length: 5.6 miles round trip
- Elevation Gain: 1500 feet
- Parking Pass: Northwest Forest Pass or America the Beautiful Pass
- Dogs: Yes, on leash.
- Cell service: None.
- Restrooms: Pit toilet at trailhead
- Crowd avoiding tip: This is a crowded trail, there’s no really getting around it, but it’s ok because it’s amazing (early or late in the day or a weekday will help with parking).
- Best place to stop after: Try Hanky Pies in Granite Falls, featuring hand pies as well as other baked goods, coffee, breakfast and lunch. For the nearest brewery, check out the wonderful Lake Stevens Brewing Company
#7: Lake Serene and Bridal Veil Falls – Index (1.5 hours from Seattle)
- Location: The Lake Serene Trailhead is near the tiny community of Index along Highway 2 near Skykomish.
- Why it’s one of the best summer hikes near Seattle: This is a tough climb, but the reward is a refreshing waterfall along the way and a gorgeous alpine lake in the shadow of Mt Index.
- Length: 8.2 round trip to Lake Serene
- Elevation Gain: 2000 feet
- Parking Pass: Northwest Forest Pass or America the Beautiful Pass
- Dogs: Yes, on leash.
- Cell service: Some service in places
- Restrooms: Pit toilet at trailhead
- Crowd avoiding tip: This hike is crowded. During the prime summer months you won’t be able to avoid crowds but as usual, an early or late hike or a weekday will reduce crowding and parking challenges.
- Best place to stop after: The Sultan Bakery is a local favorite for pastries as well as their wonderful sandwiches (such as the turkey sandwich!)
#8: Naches Peak Loop – Mt Rainier National Park (2 hours from Seattle)
- Location: The Naches Peak Loop hike trailhead is located at Chinook Pass on Highway 410. This highway is open seasonally and goes to Yakima. The big parking lot at Tipsoo Lake is very busy on weekends. You can also park along the road and there are also two other parking lots around the corner just outside the park.
- Why it’s one of the best summer hikes near Seattle: A relatively mellow (not too steep or long) wildflower loop hike with impressive views of the mountain? Yes please!
- Length: 4 mile loop
- Elevation Gain: 600 feet
- Parking Pass: None
- Dogs: Dogs are not allowed on any trails in Mt Rainier National Park. However, dogs are allowed on leash on the Pacific Crest Trail which is part of the loop. You cannot do the full loop with a dog but you can do part of it.
- Cell service: None (or on the highway near the trailhead)
- Restrooms: Pit toilet at trailhead
- Crowd avoiding tip: The parking area and the area around Tipsoo Lake is extremely crowded in summer. This makes a great evening hike!
- Best place to stop after: There are no services in this part of Mt Rainier National Park, but there are a number of roadside places along highway 410. If you’re heading towards Yakima, there are also lots of breweries and the legendary Los Hernandez Tamales and amazing tacos at the Fiesta Foods.
#9: Spray Park – Mt Rainier National Park (2 hours from Seattle)
- Location: The Spray Park trailhead is at Mowich Lake in the remote northwest corner of Mt Rainier National Park. Getting here requires an 11 mile drive on a dirt road with no cell phone service that can be very dusty in summer.
- Why it’s one of the best summer hikes near Seattle: This is one of the best wildflower hikes near Seattle and one of the best in Mt Rainier National Park. It also has a lovely waterfall a short detour on the way up, beautiful fall colors and amazing views of the mountain once you arrive at the meadow.
- Length: 6-8 miles round trip depending on how far you go into Spray Park once you arrive
- Elevation Gain: 2000 feet
- Parking Pass: Mt Rainier National Park entrance fee or America the Beautiful Pass
- Dogs: No. Dogs are not allowed on any trails in Mt Rainier National Park
- Cell service: None (no service on the road to the trailhead either)
- Restrooms: Pit toilet at trailhead
- Crowd avoiding tip: The parking area is tiny so cars park way down the road, making it seem crowded. However, you will not encounter crowds on this stunning trail!
- Best place to stop after: There are no services at Mowich Lake, but it is a great place to have a picnic if you brought your own food (an excellent idea). Otherwise head 20 miles down the mountain back to the town of Carbonado and pick up some delicious pizza or ice cream to finish off your hike. The pizza place is quite spectacular and you can never go wrong with ice cream!
#10: Mt Fremont Lookout – Mt Rainier National Park (2.5 hours from Seattle)
- Location: The Mt Fremont Lookout trail starts from the Sunrise parking lot in Mt Rainier National Park, on the homelands of the Yakama and Puyallup People.
- Why it’s one of the best summer hikes near Seattle: Fantastic views and wildflowers with Tahoma (Mt Rainier) in your face for almost the entire hike, this is one of the best hikes in the park.
- Length: 6 miles round trip to lookout
- Elevation Gain: 800 feet
- Parking Pass: Mt Rainier National Park entrance fee or America the Beautiful Pass
- Dogs: No. Dogs are not allowed on any trails in Mt Rainier National Park.
- Cell service: None (No service on the road to the trailhead either)
- Restrooms: In parking lot at Sunrise.
- Crowd avoiding tip: The trail is busy but the bigger issue is getting parking at Sunrise on summer weekends. Sometimes there is a line at the entrance station until parking opens up. Arrive before 9am or after 2p or go on a weekday to ease parking challenges here.
- Best place to stop after: If you’re not tired of big views of Mt Rainier yet, stop at Crystal Mountain (north of the Sunrise road on Highway 410 at the Crystal Mountain Ski area). Grab some food and a drink from their deck after riding the gondola up the mountain. The views are amazing! If you’re looking for something faster, try the Naches Tavern along Highway 410 or the Pie Goddess in Enumclaw (take out only).
Related posts:
Hi! I'm Jennie. I’m a fourth generation Seattleite. I lived in Alaska for many years and I still spend lots of time there every year visiting friends and working as a tour director. I've been a guide for many years in both Alaska and Washington, contribute to the Milepost and host the Alaska Uncovered Podcast about Alaska Travel as well as the Washington State Hiking Podcast. I love to share the places I love with visitors, newcomers and my fellow locals. I’m so glad to have you here!