15 Beautiful and Beginner Friendly Hikes in Washington State
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It’s easy to get overwhelmed when you are beginning your hiking journey, especially in Washington!
There are so many hikes to choose from and such a huge range in difficulty levels. It can be hard to know if you are picking the right trail for your experience level.
To make things easier on you, I have compiled a list of 15 of my favorite beginner-friendly hikes in Washington State!
Ranging from waterfalls to lookouts and even some alpine lakes you will find a variety of hikes to start checking off your list.
These hikes are mainly meant to be for anyone who is just starting out hiking, getting back into it after an injury, has kids, or is visiting Washington and doesn’t have the proper gear for something more intense.
I have organized these hikes in order of location, I know whenever I have a free day to go hiking I like to check the weather first and head to wherever looks the most promising!
If you are looking for something a bit more challenging check out my blog post: 11 of the Best Moderate Day Hikes in Washington
Washington Easy Hikes Map
Easy Day Hikes In Washington
Ranked By Location
Easy Hikes In Snoqualmie Washington
Snoqualmie and the I-90 corridor is the closest hiking area to Seattle, it has some beautiful hikes and is only an hour/ hour and a half away! It’s a win-win!
1. Twin Falls Washington
Length: 2.6 Miles RT
Elevation Gain: 500 ft
Difficulty: Easy
Trail Information: Link
Permit: Discover Pass
Twin falls is the first hike I remember really loving, I went with my family in high school, & soon after my obsession with hiking began.
This is an easy hike that follows a beautiful river up to two beautiful waterfalls.
It is a perfect hike to take your kids on or if you just want to get out for a couple of hours! The trail is meandering, not climbing too much elevation but taking you deep into the stunning forest.
READ MORE: 11 Of The Best Moderate Day Hikes In Washington
2. Rattlesnake Ledge Trail
Rattlesnake Ledge is easily one of the most popular trails in Washington.
This easy-moderate hike gives you a nice workout on the way to a stunning overlook of the North Bend area!
I have done this hike many times now and it is always really enjoyable. I would warn you to stay away from popular weekends (i.e Memorial Day) as it can become jam-packed and not nearly as fun.
My best tip would be to go for sunrise! It is a stunning overlook and will be the quietest at that time.
READ MORE: Layering For Hiking
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3. Franklin Falls Trail
Length: 2 miles rt
Elevation Gain: 400 ft
Difficulty: Easy
Trail Information: Link
Permit: Northwest Forest Pass
Another popular hike, in all seasons!
This 2-mile hike follows a beautiful river to a stunning waterfall at the end. It is a great hike for people of all ages, including the youngsters!
I would actually argue it is one of the best winter snowshoes near Seattle.
There is the cutest red cabin along the river (which you may recognize from Instagram) that sits in the snow and the waterfall occasionally freezes if it gets cold enough!
Summer is also a great time to hike it. The trail is under tree cover for most of the time so even on hot days it can be a great hike to cool off on. It runs right below the I-90 corridor so you actually end up being able to see the freeway from the bottom at certain sections, which is actually quite cool!
Like Rattlesnake ledge this hike can get extremely popular on the weekends so I would advise going early in the morning!
READ MORE: What To Wear Hiking In The Fall– Cute Options That Will Keep You Warm!
4. Little Si Trail
Length 3.7 miles rt
Elevation Gain: 1300 ft
Difficulty: Easy
Trail Information: Link
Permit: Discover Pass
Little Si is a lovely trail right in North Bend!
This trail provides beautiful views at the top and a nice workout under a beautiful tree canopy.
You can see a stunning variety of ferns and it is a great place to go for a lovely morning walk.
Highway 2 Day Hikes
If you don’t want to travel too far from Seattle or the west side the Index and Gold Bar area is a perfect spot for you!
It feels more remote than Snoqualmie but isn’t much farther.
Highway 2 follows along the stunning Skykomish River and has beautiful peek-a-boo views of Mt. Index.
5. Wallace Falls
Length: 5.6 miles rt
Elevation Gain: 1300 ft
Difficulty: Easy
Trail Information: Link
Permit: Discover Pass
An absolute stunner of a waterfall!
This hike is perfect for the whole family, the forest is filled with gorgeous ferns and mossy trees and the waterfall is huge and insanely photogenic.
There are picnic tables at certain stops in the hike too so it can make a great place for a picnic!
WTA Hike Information: https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/wallace-falls
6. Barclay Lake
Length: 4.4 miles rt
Elevation Gain: 500 ft
Difficulty: Easy
Trail Information: Link
Permit: Northwest Forest Pass
Another family-friendly, and knee-friendly hike!
This trail takes you on an easy stroll with minimal elevation gain to a beautiful lake.
You get a wonderful view of Mt. Index from the top and it is a great place to take photos!
READ MORE: 11 Of The Best Backpacking Trails In Washington
7. Bridal Veil Falls Trail
Length: 4 miles rt
Elevation Gain: 1000 ft
Difficulty: Easy
Trail Information: Link
Permit: Northwest Forest Pass
Easy Hikes In The Olympics
The Olympics is a stunning area to hike in, it can be a bit difficult to get to depending on where you are coming from but it is well worth the drive.
This stunning temperate rain forest boasts waterfalls galore, a beautiful coastline, and some wonderful nature walks.
8. Sol Duc Falls Trail
Length: 1.6 miles rt
Elevation Gain: 200 ft
Difficulty: Easy
Trail Information: Link
Permit: National Park Pass
One of my favorite waterfalls in Washington!
You have probably seen a photo of this on social media before as it is one of the most photogenic places in Washington.
The hike there is beautiful as well, crossing over beautiful streams and meandering through the ferns.
This is a wonderful hike for children as it is almost completely flat the entire way!
READ MORE: The Complete Guide To Mount Storm King Hike
9. Hoh Rainforest Hall Of Moss
Length: .8 miles rt
Elevation Gain: 100ft
Difficulty: Easy
Trail Information: Link
Permit: National Park Pass
Another favorite of mine! The Hoh Rainforest is like no other, even with Washington having some of the most amazing scenery, I would name this as being the most unique spot.
The trees look like something straight out of a Dr. Seuss Book (I like to think they are wearing leg warmers!) and it is absolutely magical covered in a light fog and drizzle of rain.
This trail is a bit more like a stroll than a real hike, but it is still a wonderful addition to any Olympics trip.
It begins at the visitors center and goes in a short, but beautiful loop over streams and through the ferns.
READ MORE: Check Out These 11 Hikes In Olympic National Park
1o. Second Beach Trail
I would be a terrible Washingtonian if I didn’t recommend anything on the coast!
Washington beaches are beautiful in their own, rocky way. Second beach is one of my favorites and is just an easy stroll through the vibrant forest.
The beach itself is gorgeous and actually a great place to sleep!
I would recommend coming here and having a bonfire and maybe some red wine or beer (if you’re into that) while watching the sunset!
On a good day, the sunsets here are unreal and if you wait long enough you will be treated to a gorgeous view of the stars over the coast.
READ MORE: Best Base Layers For Hiking
11. Marymere Falls
Marymere Falls is another one of those lucky hikes that doesn’t require much work but has a big reward.
The trailhead itself is gorgeous, starting out at Lake Crescent and the cutest Ranger Station you will ever see (Storm King Ranger Station)
You follow the path to the right of the lake and cross under the freeway. After a small tunnel, you are greeted with beautiful trees, two stunning bridges across a small river, and a beautiful waterfall. What more could you ask for?!
If you are feeling inspired, you can take the same trailhead and hike Mt. Storm King!
Click below for a blog post all about my favorite hike in the Olympics!
Easy Hikes In Mount Rainier National Park
Rainier is the crown jewel of Washington.
This national park is one of my very favorite places to hike in Washington and it’s truly hard to get enough!
I would highly recommend heading here from July through early October, the views are absolutely beautiful.
12. Fremont Lookout
Length 5.6 miles rt
Elevation Gain: 1200 ft
Difficulty: Easy
Trail Information: Link
Permit: National Park Pass
Another hike you have probably seen on Instagram!
This hike starts out at the Sunrise Ranger Station and wraps around the mountainside until you get to a stunning fire lookout with absolutely insane views of Mt. Rainer and the surrounding mountains.
This hike is one of the only ones on the list that may be considered moderate for some. Take a look at the stats and decide for yourself whether it seems like a good fit for you!
My hot tip is to come here at sunset on a partly cloudy day and hope for the clouds to drop! This spot is famous for getting amazing cloud inversions.
READ MORE: Artist Point Snowshoe– The Best Winter Activity In Washington
13. Nisqually Vista Loop Trail
Length: 1.1 miles
Elevation Gain: 200 ft
Difficulty: Easy
Trail Information: Link
Permit: National Park Pass
If you are in Rainier National Park with kids or struggle on hikes with elevation this is the hike for you!
Nisqually Vista is a stunning loop hike that meanders around the forests of Mt. Rainier and has clear views almost the entire time.
I did this hike a couple of years ago with my mom and we both loved it!
READ MORE: 
Columbia River Gorge Easy Hikes
Down near the Columbia River, along the border of Washington and Oregon sits tons of different waterfalls.
So many in fact, and so close together, that you could just have yourself a whole day of waterfalls!
14. Falls Creek Falls
This is my favorite waterfall hike in the Columbia River area!
Similar to many of the waterfalls on this list it boasts a high reward for the easy hike in.
The trail follows the river to an absolutely massive waterfall. You can hear the roar of the falls 5 minutes before you can see it!
I saw many families on this hike and would 100% recommend it for families. I found it to be a great spot for photography as well!
READ MORE: Cyclops Cabin- Index WA Cabin
15. Panther Creek Falls
Probably one of the easiest hikes on this list!
This waterfall is deep on a forest road but the hike is short and sweet.
It takes you to a viewing platform where you can see the stunning multiple streams of water running over the mossy rocks.
When I went you were allowed to venture down to the bottom of the waterfall (a steep and scrambly hike down) but I believe they have since closed that off to the public.
Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed my guide to the top 15 beginner-friendly hikes in Washington!
I personally love all of these hikes and think many of them are worth it even for the intermediate hikers simply because they are just that beautiful!
Let me know in the comments below if you have gone on any of these or if I missed any amazing ones!
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