Welcome to Best of the NW Trails!
With the frantic pace of modern life we need places to unplug and hit the reset button.
In this decade-long project our family explored peaks, valleys, beaches, and forests to bring you the best trails within a day’s drive of the Seattle metropolitan area year-round.
90 second trail videos give an idea of what the trail will be like and what the payoffs are. This can be a great way to preview a trail and selecting a weekly objective before packing up the car (and family). GPS map links on each trail page give detailed information on location, elevation gain, distance etc. The categories above will give an idea of other similar trails in each location or level.
A Year of Best of the NW Family-Friendly Trails
There is something unique and special to experience in every season in Western Washington.
Best of the NW strives to encourage a youthful spirit of exploration, and fitness exploring these treasures year-round.
Spring
The islands are wonderful in springtime. With higher elevations still shrouded in snow the low land coastal and seaside hikes are a great warm up for a summer on the trials. Having more of the trails to yourself is another benefit of hiking the seaside in the spring. Not to mention shorter ferry wait times than in mid-summer. So what are you waiting for? If the clouds part it is sure to be spectacular, if not the islands offer an unmatched peacefulness even in blustery weather. The trails await.
Summer
This is quite literally “peak” hiking time in Western Washington and the Cascades. Snow melting in the high-country opens more passageways to mountain meadows, roaring waterfalls and peaks. Places otherwise inaccessible become easier to get to. It is a short window for some of the most spectacular high routes spanning from mid-July to September.
Fall
This can be a particularly nice season to squeeze in the last of the high/long trails before the weather snaps. Cooler temps, less crowds fall colors, still low snow level are all great reasons to take advantage of trails in the fall. Shoulder Season Trails (high-land until cold snap, low-land beach and forest trails when wet, awaiting snow coverage for winter trails).
Winter
Lakes and streams freeze over in the high-country. Rain turns to snow and the woods begin the annual transformation from greens to whites. Many trails that were easy passage in the summer become entirely different contours under feet of snow. Skis become the ideal mode of pedestrian transport over this new mountain canvas.
Trails are the passageways that connect us to outdoor adventures.
Join us as we explore the Best of the NW Trails.
The trails await!
The next two steps are up to you…
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