Shoutout to Sophia and our guide Matthew for a great hiking trip!…read more I visited Seattle with the guys and we wanted to take advantage of the city's easy access to scenic landscapes. Adventures In Seattle (AIS) seemed like the best option for a hiking tour. They were fairly priced, provided gear/food/transport, and were led by experienced local guides. That's right! No need for a rental car. They pick you up right from your hotel/Airbnb and also drop you back off. Furthermore, AIS equipped us with technical backpacks, hiking poles, lunch, snacks, and extra water. Our experience was not without challenges. Mainly, we were forced to change plans 1.5 weeks out and pivot away from our 1st choice hike due to poor road conditions. Sophia presented us with some alternative hikes and let us decide. Moreover, we were allowed to tailor the hike somewhat to meet our needs. I was receiving all of my information 2nd hand, so I decided to call up Sophia myself. She was incredibly helpful explaining the situation, answered all of my questions regarding our alternatives as well the services they provided, and offered recommendations/tips to prepare for the hike. Matthew was also a pleasure to work with! He arrived at our AirBnb at our predetermined time (he was actually a tad early, but I will happily take that over tardiness). Matthew drove us from Seattle to a small town for food/rest, and then to Mt. Rainier National Park. When we arrived, he made sure we were all prepared to our hike. Matthew was great at explaining all of the sights and let us take enough rest breaks on our way up. He was an excellent guide. If you're looking for a hiking tour in the area, Adventures In Seattle is a great choice! I highly recommend them and will consider booking another tour next time I'm in Seattle.

Sophia is fabulous!!!…read more My friend and I were looking to do an one day outdoor activity not too far away from Seattle and we contacted Sophia based on the review on Yelp and Trip Advisor. We decided to do a day hike to Gold Myer Hot Springs and it was fantastic! Sophia picked us up at 8:30am in the South Lake Union, she had everything ready for us such as lunch and equipment. It wasn't a long drive out of Seattle, we just wasn't lucky with the weather as it was raining the whole day. I was so relieved when she told me she has an extra pair of waterproof pants I can borrow, cuz I was wearing a pair of jeans which would make me miserable walking in the rain. The hike itself was a 6 mile easy hike (one way), mostly flat, even though it was raining, the scenery was gorgeous! At the end of the hike, we arrived at the natural hot springs, we were really lucky that the whole hot springs were for ourselves and we spent quite a bit of time there recharging energy! After hiking another 6 mile back to the car, Sophia drove us back to SLU, the whole trip was hassle free and Sophia was such a great guide, she was so friendly and interesting to talk to, always checking how we are feeling to make sure that we are not too cold or tired. We really enjoyed the day out and will definitely do other activities with Sophia again, highly recommended!!!

The Glacier Basin Trail is utterly magical in every sense of the word. I must have taken hundreds…read moreof pictures and several videos while hiking this trail. This hike has everything that your little heart could ever desire! A forest full of giant trees. Vibrantly green shrubs. Waterfalls at practically each turn. Majestic views of not only the snow covered mountains, but the gorgeous aqua hues of the White River down below. The rushing river running parallel. Rampant wildlife. Colorful wildflowers. Inclines and elevation galore. I mean, shall I go on?! Just stunning. Glacier Basin is located near the White River entrance of Mount Rainier National Park. The trail begins just behind the White River Campgrounds. It's starts off mildly inclining through a lush forest, but the incline picks up speed and continues to incline until you reach the camp. It's about roughly 9 miles and 2,000 feet of elevation in total if you add in the the detour to the Emmons Lorraine Trail. Do it! It will add another 1.5/2miles to the hike, BUT... this is where you'll find that incredible view of the Inter Fork White River. It's funny that it's called the "white river" because it's stunningly aqua from the top of Emmons Lorraine. The Emmons Lorraine trail is a turn off that's about a mile into the Glacier Basin Trail and includes a river crossing and a steep incline up a narrow hill. It looks a bit intimidating, but it's really not. Just sit on your bum for the really gnarly parts coming down (at least that's what I did). Continuing on the Glacier Basin Trail, it's basically a straight shot up the hill for another 3 miles until you reach the top. There are a few spots with some switchbacks, but it's mostly a ridge-like trail. AllTrails has rated this hike as moderate, but it's definitely on the harder side of moderate if not difficult. What makes this hike so enjoyable though is the fact that there's so much scenery. Every time I took a break, I was either greeted by a beautiful mini waterfall or vibrant wildflowers. The views are very motivating and it keeps you going. Once you reach Glacier Basin Camp, you'll be met with the most stunning views of snow covered Mount Rainier and the rushing waters of the White River right next to it. This hike took me about 5 hours in total to complete (including breaks, lunch, and detours). It's definitely a day hike, so bring enough food and water to keep yourself nourished. Also, make sure you have some really comfortable hiking shoes/boots and hiking poles for the way down if you have bad knees. Coming down can be just as tough as hiking up because of the steepish downhill for 3 miles straight. This one is definitely going in the books as one of my favorite National Park hikes and my favorite Washington state hike thus far. If you're looking for a challenge and a great way to see the beauty of Mount Rainier National Park, Glacier Basin Trail is a great option.

As a Seattle native, I can say that this is my favorite hike I've ever been on. The hike has a fork…read moreabout a mile in. If you fork left, there is a relatively short (~30 min) but steep trail that leads to the glacier basin. The water is a bright teal with mountains in the background, one of the best views I've ever seen. My friends and I went swimming in the basin, which was very cold but also very fun. If you stay on the main trail, it is an additional 6 miles that is moderate-difficult and took about 3 hours to get up. At the top, there is a really pretty meadow and campground. You will need a Mt. Ranier National Park pass ($50 annual or $30/week) to enter. I went on a weekday in the morning and had no trouble finding parking. The main trail was quite empty, but the left fork had a couple other groups. However, we more or less had the place to ourselves. Overall, 10/10 would reccomend!

This lake has an amazing view of Mount Rainier if you are not looking to go directly to the…read moremountain. We came during the end of July (around 4PM) which is the best time to see all the beautiful wildflowers. It was really hot and there's so many bugs but this area is such a pretty place to take photos. We did leave with at least five mosquito bites so make sure to come prepared with bug spray and sunscreen! This is also right across from Naches Loop Trailhead and has parking as well; can only get down to the lake by staircase so this may be a struggle for those who are disabled. The view of the mountain is so pretty and totally worth it to stop by. The trail is also not hard so very kid friendly!

Tipsoo Lake is a beautiful location full of wildflowers, evergreens, various hiking trails, and a…read moregorgeous view of Mount Rainier on a clear day. The day we went it was really foggy outside early in the day and it was just starting to clear when we were ready to leave. But check out those Rainier photos from other hikers who were fortunate to have visited on a bright day. Spectacular! Tipsoo Lake is quite small and has a walking path around it that is flat and easy to walk for hikers of all abilities. Along that path you can find a variety of flowers (including those cool Lorax kind) as well as paths leading to other trails such as Naches Peak Loop. If you head up that trail a bit from the lake, you'll come to a bridge that goes over highway 410 and that can be a nice viewing point for kids. There are a small number of parking spaces (10 to 12) in a tiny lot right off of the freeway and you may be fortunate enough to snag a spot if you arrive early. Friendly reminder to mind the signs and stay on the trail to protect the surrounding land and flowers.

Again, down the dirt road. On a Saturday it was crowded! Like holy cow! Arrived just before 9:00 am…read moreand was able to secure a spot in the lot. Thankfully I have a small car and can fit it into tight spaces. Discovery pass will not work here! Scan the QR code and pay $5.00 for a day pass. Or a northwest forest pass will work. The beginning is steep. With lots of stairs. You will begin to hate the stairs. Then just before you want to give up you've made it! A lovely well maintained trail. Parts of the trail go through clearings with views that give a view to just how high you are. And views of past gigantic rock slides. The weather at the lake today was cold. No snow on the trail but a bit on the mountains above. But it was cold! My hands started to hurt because it was so cold. After a brief picnic sitting on some logs with trout swimming below our feet we head back down. A back and forth hike just over 7.4 miles. Lovely!! Enjoy life. SYOY.

Annette lake is beautiful and so serene. I arrived May 17, Saturday at 9:30am and there was still…read moreplenty of spots in the lot. 8.8 miles, 2,150 ft of elevation gain and 4hrs out & back. There's a bathroom available but it smells very bad so I recommend going before the trailhead. 0.2 miles in theres the first viewpoint, a beautiful waterfall. There is still some snow at the top but you can make it without spikes or trekking poles. The lake is still partly frozen and the snow makes it even more serene. 10/10 would recommend this hike!!

The Historical McMillan Bridge was built in 1934 and was the only one in the world that was built…read moreout of concrete. The bridge still stands strong and intact. Amazing! This trail is near my home. It's a great trail for walking or biking. You can walk down to the river. This trail goes all the way down to Enumclaw or Buckley. Lots of beautiful scenery, flowers in bloom and majestic views of Mt Rainier. I have yet to do the full trail. I will as soon as I get my Ebike LOL! I often walk this trail to walk Havanna my grandfur baby. It's always enjoyable.

Continuing to really enjoy the Foothills Trail! On the last outing Steve and I (as well as a…read morefriend) went from the McMillin Trailhead to the East Puyallup Trailhead which was about 4 miles one way. To avoid a very long walk we parked one car at the East Puyallup Trailhead and began our walk in by parking with our other car at the McMillan Trailhead. The walk was very enjoyable and the summer day we chose couldn't have been perfect with warm but mild temperatures. More forested scenery to enjoy as you walk between these two trailheads as opposed to going the opposite way to Orting. I am eager to tackle more chunks of this trail but have held off due to other summer time activities and we also learned that parts of the trail would be closed for maintenance for a part of the summer due to needed improvements so we are holding off to continue more pieces of the trail until Autumn where we hope these closures have expired and the maintenance is finished.

Denny Creek Waterslide 4/16…read more Easy hike through the snow along crystal clear waters. So many views to see along the way to the slide. You will want micro spikes but it is doable without. You are unable to park directly at the trailhead so you must walk the access road to the trail head which adds less than a mile extra round trip. 3.09 miles, 577 ft elevation gain, and 1 hr 20 minutes to complete.

Beautiful ! Cute hiking trail and scenery, definitely coming back soon! The weather was perfect and…read moredrive wasn't too far from where we were from.

Area is permanently closed as of May 2025. I had the opportunity to enjoy it the last month before…read moreit was closed in April. The pond is going to be permanently closed to help restore the bully trout population. Beautiful alpine blue waters surrounded by mountains. A great place for a picnic. The trail is not well kept and has some holes in some of the wooden walkways. Watch your step! Also spots can be quite slick where it has melted and frozen over again. The access road is also slick and most folks parked on the main road and walked the extra 0.6 miles to get to the trailhead.

This time the trash wasn't everywhere but some people decided to toss their trash in the one vault…read moretoilet which was utterly disgusting. The boards on the path along with the wood are a bit worse for wear and need to be replaced. The lake today along with the glorious fall weather was breathtaking though! Just be sure you pack it in and pack it out gross humans!!!

This year I'll be hiking Mt Fuji. So, I've been stepping up my game with PNW hikes that are a…read morelittle more challenging. My Krav Maga friends suggested giving Bandera Mountain a try if I'm looking for a challenge. I liked the elevation change and lengthiness this hike promised. Additionally, it still seemed rather doable for our dogs, which was a huge plus. And how can you beat just 45ish miles from Seattle?! Suggestions: - You'll need a parking pass which you can buy and print online before you go - Check the WA Trails Association page for condition reports prior to going. We read the bugs were TERRIBLE, so we brought bug spray. So glad we did because the bugs were, in fact, very aggressive! - Get there EARLY! We snagged one of the last parking spaces at our 7:30AM arrival time! Arrival: Anticipate driving down a single lane, terrifying and long dirt road to get to parking. It's terrifying because there are numerous blind turns. The dirt is kicked up badly by other cars making general visibility an additional issue. Lastly, there is no barrier on the cliff side of the road. So that's scary. The actual trail is called the Ira Spring Trail. And it leads to/splits off to take you to three different locations: Bandera Mountain, Mason Lake, or Point Defiance. We opted for Bandera Mountain, which was beautiful and challenging. However, after seeing photos of Mason Lake, I'm a little salty we didn't take that route. Next time! Like many others have mentioned, the beginning part of this trail is very chill. The path is wide and has just a slight incline. As you move along the trail, incline gets steeper and steeper. Many areas are sandy and dry, which can be slippery. And as you get closer to the summit, the trail turned to giant rocks you actually climb to get up. Nothing too bad--our dogs both did great with these parts of the trails. You'll eventually get to the part of the Ira Spring Trail where you can either go to Mason Lake, or continue upwards to Bandera Mountain. We chose to continue upwards for a while until we reached what I consider the "false summit". It's right when the climb gets really steep and rocky, and is only about 100 ft in elevation short of the actual summit. At this point we decided to turn around based on two facts: 1) WTA info said the views at the false summit are better than the actual summit. And being only 100ft in elevation difference... meh. 2) Our dogs would not have been safe hiking the remainder of the trail. So we turned around at that point and headed back. However, please note this was the area with the horrid bug situation. I'm talking about in your nose, mouth, ears--bugs all up in your shiz. Lastly, our decent down the trail did NOT take us as long as I'm reading it took other Yelpers. It took us about 45mins to an hour to get back to parking. DOGS: Dogs are allowed on leash. Please leash your dogs. I saw at least three off leash. If you don't care about your dog's safety, that's your problem. But don't put other dogs at risk because you don't care. Also, I have a 25lb terrier (8yrs old) and a 17lb mutt (1 yr) that did really well on this long and strenuous hike! Both dogs made it all the way, except our 17lb baby gave up .5 from the finish and we carried her the rest of the way. Haha. Bring water and poop bags. However, there is no waste receptacles for poops. So you'll have to hike with poop bags up and back down the mountain.

ATTN: I didn't go all the way to Bandera's summit! I only did Mason Lake, which is on Bandera Mt…read more Mason Lake is .4 miles inferior in distance and takes you to an opposite part of the mountain at a junction. I'm reading some reviews here that say Mason Lake is "very popular" but we showed up at almost 10 a.m. and the parking lot wasn't even close to half full! When we came out at the end of our hike, I did notice that it was completely packed. So maybe go in the morning and beat the rush! We hardly encountered anybody on the way up, just the way down. The hike to Mason Lake on the Ira Spring Trail is GORGEOUS. So pretty, especially during fall when all the colors are changing. Even in the thicket of all the trees, you can't help but notice how pretty all the sunshine is beaming in on all the trees. Along the way, you get so many views of surrounding peaks and you even get a good amount of views of Mt. Rainier! The higher you go, the more visible it is (obviously) and pictures don't do it justice. It's amazing in person. The first half of the hike is fairly easy, with a wide trail and not too much incline. You come to a junction about 1.5 miles in, and it's unmarked, but you can tell that you need to go UP. This is where your workout starts. It's a hefty climb to the second junction, which you come to at about 2.9 miles. Here is where you can decide to go right to Bandera Summit, or Mason Lake. We took the path to Mason Lake, and expected it to be pretty close to the junction. Noooope. You scale up some rocks, up some more rocks, and then you're welcomed by the forest again. Here, you go DOWN a trail for about 10 minutes... Don't worry though, it's not too steep of a climb later. The lake itself is very pretty and very clear! There's a lot of places to sit and relax - the ideal spot is on all the lake logs piled up high enough that there are plenty of dry spots, but some girls already had claimed that location. We sat on some flat rocks adjacent to the logs, and got just as great of a view and a perfect resting place for my dog. Overall, I would say the hike on the way to the lake was a lot prettier than the lake itself. The mountain views just blew me away. I would definitely come back and do the hike to Bandera Summit, and I'm sure that'll be in the very near future for me! Note: you do have to have a day pass to hike here, you can get it online at the Washington Trail Association website for $5! And know that it takes about 1.5 hours to get up (with breaks) and about 45 minutes to get down.