What are the Best Scenic Hikes Near Seattle?

Difficulty: Easy

Length: 4 miles

The Des Moines Creek Trail is a paved, tree-lined path that runs for about 2 miles one way, from a trailhead in SeaTac to the Puget Sound shoreline. It's accessible from either end, but you'll have different experiences depending on which you choose. Either way, you'll pass a babbling creek where salmon swim in the fall, plenty of leafy trees, and occasional benches for resting. It's a popular family-friendly activity and great for bird-watching. If you follow it to the end and turn around, it makes for a nice 4-mile out-and-back hike.

North entrance: You can either park in a small parking lot or reach the trail via public transit (it's a short walk from the Angle Lake Link light rail station). The walk begins fairly flat before sloping downhill, then taking a sharp right about halfway. After 2 miles, you'll emerge in beautiful Des Moines Beach Park, where you can extend your hike onto the rocky shoreline or the long pier.

South entrance: Alternatively, you can begin at Des Moines Beach Park, where there is a parking lot. Walk back through the meadow to enter the trail from the south. The trail is fairly flat for the first 15 minutes or so, but does transition into a pretty steep (though smooth) uphill walk.

Is the Des Moines Creek Trail kid-friendly? Yes! Little kids or parents with strollers can handle the first part of the walk well, since it's smooth and well-maintained. If you start at the beach, just walk into the trail until it starts to slope upward, then turn around and head back. Near the north entrance is Des Moines Creek Trailhead Park, opened in 2026, which has accessible playground features and picnic shelters.

Difficulty: Easy to Moderate

Length: 2 miles

Saltwater State Park in Des Moines offers more hiking near the Puget Sound shoreline. If you want to maximize waterfront views, follow the easy trail along the beach from the main parking area. If you want more of a hike in the woods, follow the South Rim and North Rim trails into the forest, where there are about two miles of trails to explore and easy-to-moderate terrain that includes several climbs and descents. You'll walk along McSorley Creek and across fun wooden footbridges, possibly even spotting salmon depending on the time of year. Along the way, you'll see interesting root structures along the hillside and plenty of interesting plants, flowers, berries, fungi, and birds (including owls!).

From the main parking lot: Head uphill beneath Marine View Drive, following McSorley Creek. Stay on the main trail (ignoring the small trail on your right), then descend into the campground between sites 23 and 25. Pick up the trail across the way between sites 22 and 24, climbing back into the woods before a switchback leads you roughly west toward the shoreline. This North Rim Trail section ends at a small bluff-top parking lot. Walk downhill along the road, watching for vehicles, to return to your starting point. Reward yourself with some beach time afterward.

Don't forget: A Discover Pass is required to park. They can be purchased online in advance.

Are the trails at Saltwater State Park kid-friendly? The trail along the beach is very family-friendly, even for young children. The wooded trails include inclines and downhill stretches that may tire out younger hikers, but if it proves too challenging, you can always retrace your steps before heading to the beach. The trails are also not stroller-friendly, so bring a carrier and keep children close during the final walk along the road.

Difficulty: Easy

Length: 1.5 miles

Just minutes from Sea-Tac Airport, you'll find North SeaTac Park, a large, multi-use park with a path around its perimeter that you can make into a roughly 1.5-mile walk. The Westside Trail and North Loop offer an easy, mostly paved route that passes through the wooded northern portion of the park.

Access the trail: If you start at the parking lot off South 128th Street, you can connect to the Westside Trail, following the route around the park’s north end. Paths through the center offer options to shorten your walk, while connecting trails lead to the Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden for a scenic detour. Keep a trail map handy: The terrain is easy, but the many forks and intersecting paths can make navigation tricky.

Is North SeaTac Park kid-friendly? Yes! The path is a great, stroller-friendly option for families, especially if you stick to the paved parts. You can adjust the outing to suit little legs by choosing a shorter route through the park. There are also lots of fun things to do within the park like an RC Track (for remote-controlled cars), a playground, playfields, and disc golf.

Difficulty: Moderate

Length: 6 miles

Distance from Seattle Southside: 13.5 miles

About a 30-minute drive east of Seattle Southside, Cougar Mountain Park offers more than 35 well-maintained trails that wind through forests, wetlands, cliffs, and caves. Within this beautiful area, Coal Creek Trail is a popular, forested hike with historical artifacts, waterfalls, and wooden bridges.

Follow the trail down a deep ravine, past old mine shafts, rail ties, and other coal-mining remnants from the late 1800s. You won't gain a ton of elevation, so it's a good choice if you don't want to push yourself too hard.

Difficulty: Hard

Length: 7 miles of trails

Distance from Seattle Southside: 25 miles

Grand Ridge Park, just east of Issaquah, features 7 miles of scenic trails that wind through forests of western red cedar. This 1,300-acre wilderness area is located just north of Issaquah and Lake Sammamish, and is open to hikers, mountain bikers, and equestrians. A highlight of the trail is a beautiful 40-foot-long, hand-built bridge that spans Canyon Creek.

Difficulty: Hard

Length: 8.2 miles

Distance from Seattle Southside: 52 miles

Ready for something a bit more wild and challenging, venture into the gorgeous Cascade Mountains. A great introduction to Northwest hiking is the Granite Mountain Trail, about an hour east of Seattle. Snoqualmie Pass corridor's most heavily traveled summit path is admittedly a calf-burner, but the 360-degree views of Mt. Rainier and Snoqualmie Pass make the 3,800-foot climb well worth it.

Visitor tip: Pull over on your way there or back to admire Snoqualmie Falls, one of the most popular sights in the state. You can park right at this massive waterfall, use the restroom, check out the gift shop, and admire the falls from the well-maintained lookout spot.

Difficulty: Hard

Length: 12 miles

Distance from Seattle Southside: 52 miles

Pratt Lake near Snoqualmie Pass is ideal for this transitional season, and the Pratt Lake Trail is great for accessing fishing, scrambling, and other hiking trails. You'll climb over Evergreen-lined switchbacks to a high ridgeline. Beyond the Olallie Lake junction, the trail crosses open, rocky terrain before descending into the basin cradling Pratt Lake. Clear mountain water and granite outcrops make the shoreline a rewarding spot for a picnic or rest, but save some energy for the return trip. You’ll need it to climb back to the ridge before descending to the trailhead.

Difficulty: Moderate

Length: 5.2 miles

Distance from Seattle Southside: 55 miles

Located in the Cascade Mountains, about 1.5 hours north and east of Seattle Southside, Wallace Falls features a breathtaking series of nine waterfalls. Though the full, 9-mile loop is challenging, you can make this into an easier excursion. The Woody Trail follows the Wallace River through lush forest, with waterfall viewpoints providing rewarding places to pause or turn around.

From the parking lot, follow the well-marked trail east. You’ll climb away from the river on a briefly steep stretch before reaching the Lower Falls area at just under two miles. Wallace Falls is a series of nine cascades, with the trail leading to viewpoints of the Lower, Middle, and Upper Falls as it gains elevation.

Is Wallace Falls kid-friendly? This is a popular hike for families, especially if you stop at Middle Falls before hitting the steeper climb to Upper Falls. Much of the elevation gain comes between these two viewpoints, so there’s no need to tackle the full route to enjoy the scenery.

Difficulty: Hard

Length: 7.6 miles

Distance from Seattle Southside: 40 miles

Mount Si is a strenuous and popular hike located in the Mount Si Natural Resources Conservation Area near North Bend, Washington. The trail spans approximately 8 miles round trip with an elevation gain of about 3,150 feet. The route begins in dense conifer forest and steadily ascends via well-maintained switchbacks. About 3.5 miles in, hikers are rewarded with sweeping views from a rocky slope, including sights of Mount Rainier on clear days. The final section reaches a plateau below the summit; experienced hikers can scramble up the "Haystack" for panoramic views.

You can see both Mt. Rainier and Mt. Saint Helens from atop Mt. Si!