Top Backpacking Trails in Washington
21 routes. Each page shows when we last checked it. Updated October 2026.
Backpacking in Washington on this site splits between the Olympic Peninsula and the Cascades. On the peninsula, trips run up rain forest river valleys on the Hoh River Trail to Glacier Meadows and the East Fork Quinault to Enchanted Valley, over the High Divide to Seven Lakes Basin, and along wilderness coast from Shi Shi Beach and the Ozette Triangle to the South Coast route, where tides, headlands, and creek fords set the schedule. In the Cascades, the list runs from the 93-mile Wonderland Trail around Mount Rainier and the Loowit Trail around Mount St. Helens to Goat Rocks, Mount Adams, and Indian Heaven in the south, the Enchantments and the Alpine Lakes Wilderness in the middle, and North Cascades and Pasayten trips near the Canadian border.
Most high-country trips here are summer and early-fall trips; The Mountaineers list July through September for the Cathedral Pass loop. The Park Service warns that steep snow can call for an ice axe into July on routes like Copper Ridge and the High Divide, and snow can return by October. Permits vary: the three national parks require permits for overnight stays, usually at designated camps, the Enchantments use a lottery, and most national forest wilderness trips need a free permit filled out at the trailhead; Olympic also requires bear canisters.
The 2026 fire season left closures, including the north side of the Wonderland Trail and several Chilliwack-area camps in North Cascades National Park, so check with the managing agency before any trip.
Quick picks
- Longest trip: Wonderland Trail
- Easy coastal loop: Ozette Triangle (Cape Alava and Sand Point)
- Rain forest valley: Enchanted Valley via the East Fork Quinault
- Loop around a volcano: Loowit Trail Around Mount St. Helens
- Permit-lottery alpine traverse: The Enchantments Through-Hike
Alpine Lakes
- Necklace Valley Alpine Lakes Wilderness, Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest (Foss River Road, near Skykomish) 18 miles Hard Dispersed camping at established sites; free self-issued wilderness permit
- Pacific Crest Trail: Snoqualmie Pass to Stevens Pass (Section J) Alpine Lakes Wilderness, Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie and Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forests (I-90 to U.S. 2) 71 miles Hard Dispersed camping at lakes and established sites; free self-issued wilderness permit
- Snow Lake and Gem Lake (Snoqualmie Pass) Alpine Lakes Wilderness, Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest (Alpental, Snoqualmie Pass) 10 miles Moderate Established lakeside sites; free self-issued wilderness permit
- The Enchantments Through-Hike Enchantment Permit Area, Alpine Lakes Wilderness, Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest (near Leavenworth) 18 miles Hard Limited-entry overnight permit by zone (May 15 to Oct. 31); no dogs or campfires
Eastern Cascades
- Cathedral Pass Loop (Pasayten) Pasayten Wilderness, Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest (Thirtymile trailhead, north of Winthrop) 44.7 miles Hard Dispersed camping; free self-issued wilderness permit
- Horseshoe Basin (Pasayten) Pasayten Wilderness, Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest (Iron Gate trailhead, west of Loomis) 14 miles Moderate Dispersed camping; free self-issued wilderness permit
Mount Rainier
North Cascades
- Copper Ridge and Chilliwack River Loop North Cascades National Park, via Hannegan Pass in the Mount Baker Wilderness (east of Glacier) 34 miles Hard Designated backcountry camps; park permit required for every night
- Devils Dome Loop Ross Lake National Recreation Area and Pasayten Wilderness, off State Route 20 (east of Ross Lake) 41 miles Hard NPS-permitted camps on Ross Lake; dispersed and shelter camps in the Pasayten
- Sahale Glacier Camp via Cascade Pass North Cascades National Park, end of Cascade River Road (east of Marblemount) 11.8 miles Hard Designated high camp at the toe of Sahale Glacier; park permit required
- Thornton Lakes North Cascades National Park, off State Route 20 (east of Marblemount) 10.4 miles Hard Three designated sites at lower Thornton Lake; park permit required
Olympic Peninsula
- Enchanted Valley via the East Fork Quinault Olympic National Park, Quinault Rain Forest (Graves Creek Trailhead, east of Lake Quinault) 26 miles Hard Established camps with privies; reserved wilderness permit required
- Hoh River Trail to Glacier Meadows Olympic National Park, Hoh Rain Forest (end of Upper Hoh Road, east of US 101) 34.8 miles Hard Designated camps and river gravel bars; reserved wilderness permit required
- Olympic South Coast: Third Beach to Oil City Olympic National Park coast, between La Push and the Hoh River mouth 17 miles Hard Beach and bluff camps above the tide line; reserved wilderness permit required
- Ozette Triangle (Cape Alava and Sand Point) Olympic National Park coast, Lake Ozette (end of Hoko-Ozette Road, off SR 112) 9.2 miles Easy Beach camps at Cape Alava and Sand Point; permits limited year-round
- Seven Lakes Basin and High Divide Loop Olympic National Park, Sol Duc Valley (Sol Duc Trailhead, end of Sol Duc-Hot Springs Road) 18.2 miles Hard Designated sites only, limited year-round; reserved wilderness permit required
- Shi Shi Beach and Point of the Arches Olympic National Park coast, reached across Makah Reservation land (south of Neah Bay) 8 miles Moderate Beach and forest-edge camping above the tide line; park wilderness permit and Makah Recreation Pass required
South Cascades
- Goat Rocks: Snowgrass Flat and Goat Lake Loop Goat Rocks Wilderness, Gifford Pinchot National Forest (Snowgrass Trailhead, south of Packwood) 13 miles Hard Established backcountry sites; no camping at Snowgrass Flat or Shoe Lake Basin; free self-issued wilderness permit
- Indian Heaven Lakes Loop via Thomas Lake Indian Heaven Wilderness, Gifford Pinchot National Forest (Thomas Lake Trailhead, Forest Road 65) 15 miles Moderate Designated sites near Thomas and Blue lakes; dispersed elsewhere; free self-issued wilderness permit
- Loowit Trail Around Mount St. Helens Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, Gifford Pinchot National Forest (common starts: Climbers Bivouac, Ape Canyon, Windy Ridge) 30 miles Hard Dispersed camping outside the restricted blast-zone segment; no permit required
- Mount Adams: Round the Mountain, PCT and Highline Traverse Mount Adams Wilderness, Gifford Pinchot National Forest (Cold Springs to Muddy Meadows trailheads, north of Trout Lake) 21 miles Hard Dispersed backcountry camping; free self-issued wilderness permit
Backpacking in Washington: common questions
Do you need a permit to backpack in Washington?
Almost always, and rules vary by managing agency. Olympic, Mount Rainier, and North Cascades national parks require a permit for every overnight wilderness stay; Rainier runs an early-access lottery in February, opens remaining reservations on April 25, and holds about a third of summer permits for walk-ups, while North Cascades opens reservations in March. The Enchantment Permit Area requires a limited-entry permit from May 15 to October 31, most national forest wilderness trips on this site use a free permit you fill out at the trailhead, and Shi Shi Beach also needs a Makah Recreation Pass.
When is the best time to backpack in Washington?
Most high-country trips on this site are summer and early fall trips, and the Park Service warns that steep snow can require an ice axe into July on routes like Copper Ridge, Thornton Lakes, and the High Divide. Snow can return by October, and the North Cascades Wilderness Information Center closed for the season on October 11, after which the park offers self-issue permits outside the Marblemount station or by email. The Olympic coast can be hiked year-round, but tides, storms, and creek fords set the schedule there.
Do you need a bear canister to backpack in Washington?
In Olympic National Park, yes: the park requires food, garbage, and scented items to be secured from wildlife at all times, and canisters are required in its wilderness, including along the whole coast. Mount Rainier's Wonderland Trail camps have bear poles, and North Cascades lends canisters at its permit stations for camps that require them. Rules vary by managing agency, so confirm food storage rules when you get your permit.
Are campfires allowed when backpacking in Washington?
Often not. Olympic allows campfires only below 3,500 feet and never on the coast between Wedding Rocks and Yellow Banks, Mount Rainier bans them in its wilderness, the Enchantment Permit Area bans them above 5,000 feet and within half a mile of any lake, and the Alpine Lakes Wilderness bans them above 4,000 feet on the west side of the Cascade Crest and 5,000 feet on the east. In 2026 the Okanogan-Wenatchee and Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie national forests lifted their seasonal campfire bans in mid-September and the Gifford Pinchot listed no restrictions, but the Park Service said on August 26 that Stage 2 restrictions banned all campfires in Olympic National Park and Olympic National Forest, and no notice lifting them was found. Plan on a stove and check current restrictions.
Are there wildfire closures on Washington backpacking trails?
Yes, as of mid-October 2026. Mount Rainier National Park says the Wonderland Trail is closed from the Carbon River Suspension Bridge to White River Campground and the Northern Loop Trail is closed, and North Cascades National Park lists U.S. Cabin, Graybeal, and Whatcom camps in the Chilliwack area as closed until further notice. On the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, a reduced Three Queens Fire order closes the Pacific Crest Trail from Ridge Lake to the Spinola Creek Trail junction through October 31, and a reduced Ptarmigan Fire order still closes trails in the Pasayten Wilderness. Check the park or forest alerts page before you go.
Can you bring a dog backpacking in Washington?
Not on most national park trips. Olympic doesn't allow pets on park trails, meadows, beaches, or other undeveloped areas outside a few spots where camping isn't allowed, and the site's Mount Rainier and North Cascades pages say pets aren't allowed on park trails, while the Enchantments don't allow dogs at all. Many national forest trips allow leashed dogs, and the Forest Service requires leashes on Alpine Lakes trails off I-90 and U.S. 2 west of Stevens Pass. Rules vary by managing agency, so check before you bring a dog.
Where this comes from
- National Park Service: Olympic wilderness regulations
- National Park Service: Olympic fire update and Stage 2 restrictions (Aug. 26, 2026)
- National Park Service: Mount Rainier wilderness permits
- National Park Service: North Cascades backcountry permits
- National Park Service: North Cascades fire closures
- Recreation.gov: Enchantment Permit Area
- U.S. Forest Service: Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest alerts
- U.S. Forest Service: Three Queens Fire closure, Cle Elum Ranger District
- U.S. Forest Service: Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest alerts
- U.S. Forest Service: Gifford Pinchot National Forest alerts