By Mitch Pittman, Freelance Photographer/Videographer and WNPF Creative Partner and Volunteer
With the long-awaited departure of heat and bugs just around the corner, the best hiking season is nearly upon us! Fall hiking is not only the most comfortable in Washington, but also the most beautiful.
This year, instead of jostling with the masses in search of #LarchMadness, consider immersing yourself in the fiery meadows and frosty valleys of Washington’s national parks. Like any outdoor trip, just be sure to check the park’s website for any closures, warnings, active fires or air quality before you go. In case of wildfire smoke, PurpleAir, a real-time air quality map and AirNow.gov are great resources for that.
Here are a few of our favorite trails for when the weather turns cool.
Before you disregard this recommendation as obvious or lazy, let me say that I believe Paradise shines its brightest in the fall months. The chaotic pace of summer – both of the wildflowers rushing to bloom and the crowds of people flocking to see them – is over.
The blueberry bushes that, after eight months buried beneath snow and two months of being lost amongst the greenery, get their chance put on a show. The hillsides are ablaze in deep red that I find equally if not more impressive than the most beautiful field of avalanche lilies. The Mountain is often covered in a fresh coat of snow as well, making the scene all the more remarkable.
Paradise has a vast network of interweaving trails, and while all are magnificent, I find the path cutting across the east face of Alta Vista to be the most spectacular, so try to add that to your route.
Van Trump Park or Spray Park gives you the added bonus of seeing dramatic waterfalls on your way to the glowing subalpine meadows (Comet and Spray, respectively), while trips to Summerland or Klapatche Park give you much more mileage and completely different views of the peak.
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Another hike to behold the humble blueberry bush! The first mile or two isn’t the most thrilling along an old fire road, but the second half certainly makes up for it.
The real fun starts when you near the tree line at a pass – one trail heads left down to Thornton Lakes, and the other keeps heading up toward Trapper Peak. You want the latter. Shortly after the split, you’ll come across several viewpoints overlooking the valley of lakes, each one more stunning as they ascend. Hillsides here are on fire with fall color and create quite the contrast with lush evergreens and crisp blue sky.
This southerly-facing ridge climb is another hike that’s best enjoyed when the summer sun isn’t beating down on you. The final bit to the top is an excellent introduction to scrambling if you’ve thought about trying that kind of hike. In fact, ‘scramble’ might be too strong of a word, but do know this one takes a bit more balance and physicality than your standard walk-up. That being said, the top rewards you with one of the best views of the Pickets, a jagged range buried deep in North Cascades National Park that you really have to see to believe.
A word of working that the road up to the trailhead has historically been pretty rough. You don’t need a monster truck to get up there, but smaller cars might have more difficulty. Maybe convince your friend with a Subaru to hike with you on this one.
I tell people that if they can only hike one trail in Washington. At all. Ever. THIS would be the one.
It’s stunning in all seasons, and just as important as the colors themselves, you should hike it this fall just for the sake of not spending another hiking season (and another year of your life) without visiting this spectacular and sacred place.
Fall mornings here are cool, misty, and often mysterious. The switchbacks that take you up are so plentiful that you’ll wish they were a little steeper, but still, views start opening up before too long, and then once you start across the long, open traverse, you’ll think you were transported to the Alps. After all, this park is dubbed as the “American Alps” for a reason!
At about four miles in, Cascade Pass is a fine spot to call it a day. Staring into Pelton Basin on the east side of the pass lets you dream of taking the trail all the way down to Stehekin one of these days. To the south is where mountaineers begin the Ptarmigan Traverse in earnest (there’s also a toilet a few feet up the trail, no ice axes required for that). But if you have the energy, and hopefully these rugged views will give it to you, make your way north up onto Sahale Arm and wind up on one of the most miraculous pieces of land to grace the Cascades.
The views get bigger, you feel smaller, and, oh yeah, the colors of the changing seasons (mix?) blend into the rocks and glacier for a palette only this little sliver of the universe can provide.
You could easily be forgiven for thinking this hike is in North Cascades National Park. Most do. But in fact, only at the very top of Maple Pass do you come across a sign for the park and hike briefly along the border. Technicalities notwithstanding, there are few hikes that pack more beauty into one 7-mile loop.
The landscape is a confluence of larches, snowy peaks, alpine lakes, and our old friend – the blueberry bush. The only drawback is, even at midweek, this hike can be very crowded. For good reason, but don’t even bother coming on the weekend.
One of the true classics of Olympic National Park, the High Divide, only gets better as you get later into the hiking season. There are many ways to enjoy this hike even as an out-and-back, but experiencing it as a loop with Seven Lakes Basin is best. You’ll pass several lakes – Hart Lake is a personal favorite and worth a stop for lunch – in addition to the exquisite Sol Duc waterfall right off the bat.
There are a few campsites right by the falls if you do decide to experience this trip as an out-and-back and prefer to leave the heavy pack behind while exploring the Basin.
Most people seek out Royal Basin for the other-worldly color of the lakes in the upper basin in the summer months, but in fall you get twice the bang for your buck with the addition of brilliant yellows and oranges on your way to the top.
This is another spot in Olympic National Park where camping is ideal, but it can be done as a longer day hike (one-way, think 7-ish miles to Royal Lake plus another steep three-quarters of a mile to the alpine Upper Royal Basin and its milky blue tarns).
One thing I love about the Olympics in general this time of year is the moodiness you get from the changing seasons. This region is so much more than just brilliant sunny days, and sometimes when it’s misty and foggy is when this area shines the brightest. Embrace the gloom as part of the Olympic experience!
Some great hiking options that can be visited pretty much year-round – even when snow is beginning to fall at the higher elevations in the park – are the short-but-sweet Second Beach Trail or hiking Rialto Beach to Hole-in-the-Wall to check out the tidepools. Kalaloch and Ruby Beach also make for fantastic fall destinations.
Make your fall hike an overnight trip and stay at a national park lodge that supports these parks! Through the guest donation program, a portion of your bill will be donated back to the park that you’re in. Learn more about how your trip can support the parks.
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on October 1, 2021.
Mitch Pittman is a freelance photographer, cinematographer, storyteller, and WNPF volunteer and Creative Partner. He has been involved with WNPF since 2015. When he’s not exploring the Cascades, Mitch travels the world capturing moments for clients while trying to keep his streak alive of skiing every month. You can see some of his work at mitchpittman.com.
Looking for more fun fall hikes? Check out the fall hike guide from our friends at Washington Trails Association (WTA)! And if you enjoyed this post, consider making a donation to WNPF to support our work to preserve Washington’s national parks for years to come.