Haunted Hikes For Halloween

I love Halloween!! I love ghost stories!! I love fall hiking!! So, of course, I LOVE haunted Halloween hikes! Washington is full of railroad, logging, and mining history which lends itself to stories of disasters, old relics, and ghost towns. Check out some local spooky hikes for Halloween this year and let me know which …

Northern State Recreation Area

Well it is the season for the weather to turn stormy, wet, and gloomy here in the lowlands and snow will be returning to the mountains. Add to that the approach of Halloween and it is the perfect time to visit the Northern State Recreation Area (NSRA). The NRSA is a Skagit County park that …

West Fork Foss River – Trout Lake

With the sudden arrival of fall, and even snow at the passes, time is running out to get in those higher mountain hikes. West Fork Foss Lakes trail to Trout Lake is a fairly easy excursion into the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, much prettier than expected, and has ample space for one last easy overnight with the …

Hovander Homestead and Tennant Lake

Featuring farm animals, farm equipment, multiple gardens, superhero scarecrows, a playground, two towers - one with views of Mt Baker, an interpretive center, a wetland boardwalk, a lake, a slough, a river, and a shaded trail, these parks have just about everything you could ask for. The catch? It’s a long drive from the Seattle …

Westport Dune Trail

The fires burning across the Pacific Northwest are devastating and tragic. Our favorite camping area and so many beautiful wild places are burning right now and smoke is filling the air for many miles, making hiking difficult to impossible. Our friends and neighbors at home have been posting pictures of cars covered in ash. We …

Sauk Mountain Sans Kiddos

Sometimes you just have to leave the kiddos at home and go on an adults (in this case moms) only hike. Sauk Mountain is a great hike for that get away. Steep and exposed, it provides a challenge that would be unwise for small children. At only 4.2 miles roundtrip it is short enough to …

Wellington Ghost Town

Cool off in a tunnel and take a short walk back in time along the original Great Northern Railway, passing through a ghost town that was the site of America's deadliest avalanche more than 100 years ago.   The Basics: Follow route 2 to Stevens Pass. Turn on to the unmarked road on the north side …

Boulder Garden Loop – WTA Hike-A-Thon Kickoff

We are finally back from our whirlwind of signal-less travel, family visits, and trips to Seattle Children's (he's fine now) and for the second year we are participating in WTA's Hike-A-Thon! Washington Trails Association is a nonprofit, volunteer organization dedicated to building, maintaining, and advocating for trails in Washington Sate. If you've hiked in Washington, …

East Fork Foss River

The trail along the East Fork Foss River is a beautiful and exceedingly green walk in the woods. Primarily used as a backpacking route to high alpine lakes, you can escape the crowds, and the summer's heat in the green glow of the lush forest. Relatively easy going, and wonderfully shady, the trail below Necklace Valley, …

Paradise Valley Conservation Area

Paradise Valley Conservation Area has over 13 miles of beautifully forested, intertwining trails to wander. They are mapped and very well signed at each junction, making for an easy exploration as long as you're not too distracted by the flora. As soon as you leave the trailhead you are plunged into forest deep enough to …