Craig Hill - Moon Pacific Northwest Hiking: Best Hikes plus Beer, Bites, and Campgrounds Nearby (Moon Outdoors)

Kick back with a .

Whether leaving footprints on an ocean beach, wandering through lush Douglas fir forests, traipsing across landscapes shaped by ice age floods and volcanic eruptions, or climbing Cascade peaks, every step in the Pacific Northwest reveals anew why this is one of the worlds most captivating hiking destinations.

Washington and Oregon collectively encompass four national parks, 42 national wildlife refuges, more than 350 state parks, nearly seven million acres of protected wilderness, and roughly 1,000 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail. The volume can keep hikers busy for a lifetime, but its the variety that makes this region so special.

In Washington, adventures await on the snowy slopes of Mount Rainier, around the maritime playground of Puget Sound, and in the Olympic Peninsulas temperate rain forests, made lush by more than 10 feet of rain per year. In Oregon, the rugged, compelling coast is marked by crags, peaks, and lighthouses; Crater Lake shines like a sapphire gem; and the dusty high desert expanses around Bend beckon. You can walk through a retired railroad tunnel on Washingtons Snoqualmie Pass and see Oregon Trail wagon tracks in the Blue Mountains. The states converge dramatically at the awe-inspiring Columbia River Gorge, a National Scenic Area that marks the border between them.

The Pacific Northwest gives generously to outdoors explorers. Each step takes you a little farther from the stress of everyday life, a little closer to tranquility. This is what we hope this book gives you. Well show you the paths to take. Nature will take care of the rest.

LOWER MACLEAY TRAIL, OREGON

Camping the Coast

With a mix of sea stacks, lighthouses, towering capes, tide pools, and beaches, the Pacific Northwests coast offers classic adventure. Pick a hike and then pitch a tent nearby for the night, or string these suggestions togethertheyre listed north to southto hop your way down the coast on a hiking-camping trip. Driving time between successive campgrounds is typically between 1 and 3.5 hours.

WASHINGTON

Makah Indian Reservation, Neah Bay

Start your day with an easy walk to Cape Flattery, the northwesternmost point in the contiguous United States. Then make the longer hike to Point of Arches via Shi Shi Beach to catch sunset. Spend the night at Hobuck Beach Resort, an oceanside campground on Makah tribal land, conveniently situated between the trailheads.

SHI SHI BEACH

Olympic National Park, Ozette

Two legs of the Ozette Triangle are boardwalks cutting through the forest to and from the middle leg, a walk on Washingtons wild coast. Nearby you can spend the night camping on the shore of Ozette Lake at Ozette Campground, and learn about the homesteads that once occupied this area.

Olympic National Park, Rialto Beach

Time your visit for low tide and examine tide pools as you stroll along Rialto Beach to the sea arch known as Hole-in-the-Wall. Spend a night sleeping in the forest less than 1.5 miles from the Pacific Ocean at nearby Mora Campground.

Olympic National Park, Kalaloch

Head about 30 miles inland from the coast to hike through rain forest on the Quinault Loop. Then head back to the coast for a night at Kalaloch Campground, one of the most popular campgrounds on the Olympic Peninsula; sites are close enough to hear the ocean surf.

Ilwaco

Spend a night near where the Lewis and Clark expedition camped at Cape Disappointment State Park and take a walk on the North Head Trail. After a short side trip to an old military battery, the trail leads through the forest to a lighthouse with sweeping views of the Pacific.

OREGON

Cannon Beach

The tent sites at Saddle Mountain State Natural Area promise a quiet respite from some of the regions more crowded campgrounds. Situated early along the Saddle Mountain Trail, youll appreciate the proximity after climbing nearly 1,500 feet up the mountains slopes.