Douglas Lorain’s family moved to the Pacific Northwest in 1969, and he has been hitting the trails of his home region ever since. With the good fortune to grow up in an outdoor-oriented family, he has vivid memories of countless camping, hiking, bird-watching, and other trips in every corner of this spectacular area. He calculates that, over the years, he has logged well over 32,000 trail miles in this corner of the continent, and despite a history that includes being bitten by a rattlesnake, being shot at by a hunter, getting stuck in quicksand, being charged by grizzly bears (twice!), and donating countless gallons of blood to “invertebrate vampires,” he happily sees no end in sight. Lorain is a photographer and recipient of the National Outdoor Book Award. His books cover only the best trips from the thousands of hikes and backpacking trips he has taken throughout Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and beyond. His photographs have been featured in numerous magazines, calendars, and books, and his other guidebook titles include “100 Classic Hikes in Oregon,” “Top Trails: Olympic National Park and Vicinity,” “One Best Hike: Mount Rainier's Wonderland Trail,” “Backpacking Oregon,” and “Backpacking Idaho.” After spending decades exploring the trails of the Pacific Northwest, he now lives in Hamilton, Montana, with his wife, Becky Lovejoy. Mark Wetherington began backpacking in 2007 while a student at the University of Kentucky and obsessively explored the trails and landforms of the Southeast before moving to Montana in 2014. Since arriving in Big Sky Country, he has spent as much time as possible exploring the wilderness areas and other public lands of Montana, Washington, and Idaho via boots, snowshoes, and cross-country skis. Seeking the next “best place to wake up”—from alpine lakes to abandoned fire lookouts—serves as his main inspiration for backpacking. Wetherington has worked in outdoor retail, as a freelance writer, and as a visitor services information assistant for the U.S. Forest Service in Kentucky's Red River Gorge. He has been lucky enough to find a career working in public libraries and lives in Hamilton, Montana.

Trail Map Legend

Featured Trips Summary Table

A Word About Motorcycles

A Word About the Third Edition

Acknowledgments

Introduction

How to Use This Guide

Safety Notice

General Tips on Backpacking in Washington

Wild Areas of Washington

Featured Trips Overview Map

The Trips

1. Olympic Coast: North
2. Olympic Coast: South
3. High Divide–Hoh River Traverse
4. Enchanted Valley–LaCrosse Basin Loop
5. Northeastern Olympics Loop
6. Dungeness–Marmot Pass Loop
7. Northern North Cascades Loop
8. Southern North Cascades Loop
9. Western Pasayten–Ross Lake Loop
10. Buckskin Ridge–Ptarmigan Peak Loop
11. Eastern Pasayten Loop
12. Chelan Summit Trail
13. Entiat River Loop
14. Downey Creek to Cub Lake
15. Glacier Peak Loop
16. Chiwaukum–Ladies Pass Loop
17. Alpine Lakes Traverse
18. Northern Mount Rainier Loop
19. Mount Rainier: Wonderland Trail Loop
20. Goat Rocks Circuit
21. Mount Adams Highline Trail Loop
22. Mount Margaret Backcountry Loop
23. Loowit Trail Loop
24. Yakima Skyline Trail
25. Salmo–Priest Loop
26. Wenaha–Tucannon Loop

Other Backpacking Options

Index

About the Authors