Distance: less than 1/2 mile
Price: $5 for parking
Dog friendly: Yes
Difficulty: Easy
Snoqualmie Falls is a large 270ft waterfall that's only 75ft shorter than Niagara Falls, and is a great place to bring the family or visitors that can't make those 6-mile hikes. It's also only an hour away from JBLM!
If you head towards the visitors center, there is a guided route that takes you to a lookout - this is perfect if you're not looking for a hike. You also have the option to hike the 1.5-mile trail (it's more of a walk) that will take you to the bottom of the falls.
The best time to visit is between May-July; the falls will be in full force from the winter snowmelt.
Hiking in Washington comes with amazing views along with some crazy weather so be sure to be prepared for all types. To be sure you have everything you need, check out my hiking list checklist here.
When hiking in the PNW, you want to be prepared with the correct clothes, gear, snacks, and more - check out my hiking checklist here
Distance: 2 miles
Price: Discover Pass or $11.50/daily
Dog friendly: Yes
Difficulty: Easy
This hike is located in Tolmie State Park outside of Olympia, just 2 minutes from base. It takes under an hour to complete and is a great place for trail running or a short hike with young kids. This trail will take you along the water, you can veer off to the sandy beach, and you can let your dogs run and cool off in the water.
There are also several sheltered and unsheltered picnic spots, so bring snacks and enjoy the day. Many people fish here, but you’ll need a recreational license for fishing and shellfish harvesting at Washington state parks.
The best times to visit this trail are between March-October, otherwise you'll be dealing with a lot of rain. Don't forget to purchase your Discover Pass ($35) or daily pass ($11.50) before you go.
Distance: 5.4 miles
Price: Northwest Forest Pass or $5/daily
Dog friendly: Yes
Difficulty: Moderate
Heather Lake is one of my favorite hikes! It's located near Granite Falls, about 2 hours from JBLM, and takes roughly 2.5 hours to complete.
I suggest getting to the trailhead before 9am if you want a parking spot, otherwise you could find yourself waiting for people to finish. They will tow your vehicle if you're not in a designated parking spot.
You can access this lake year-round, but make sure to have AWD if you visit between November-April - don't forget your micro-spikes. If you don't have the Northwest Forest Pass, you'll have to purchase a daily pass for $5 online before you go.
Distance: 2.5
Price: Discover Pass or $11.50/daily
Dog friendly: Yes
Difficulty: Moderate
This popular trail is located outside North Bend, about an hour from base, and takes about 1.5 hours to complete. The early portion of this hike passes through an area thick with ferns and huckleberries - keep your eyes open for moose; this is a great trail to see them, especially in the morning.
Roughly one mile from the trailhead, you'll reach a creek crossing - head down the wooden staircase, and you'll have a great view of the waterfall. A short walk further down the original trail will lead you to the base of the falls.
There isn't much standing room at either spot; get there early so you don't have to deal with the wait. Make sure you get your passes before you go, click here to purchase one.
Distance: 1.5 miles
Price: Northwest Forest Pass or $5/daily
Dog friendly: Yes
Difficulty: Moderate
Ranger Hole is another one of my favorites and is only 90 minutes from JBLM. The entire hike is less than 2 miles and has impressive views. You could finish this hike in 45 minutes if you wanted, although it took me about 2 hours because there are so many places to stop and see!
The best times to visit are between March and September. Dogs are welcome, but if you want to get to the water, I suggest leaving them at home since you'll have to climb down a steep embankment to get to the it.
Distance: 6 miles
Price: Northwest Forest Pass or $5/daily
Dog friendly: Yes
Difficulty: Moderate
Only 30 minutes from base, this was a fun trail to do, but it is very busy so make sure to get to the trailhead before 9am. Roughly 1 mile into the hike, you will come across Twin Lake, a beautiful view! You could turn around here, but I suggest continuing to Summit Lake to catch an amazing view of Mount Rainier.
The best time to visit is between May-October. Dogs are welcome, but keep them on a leash because there's plenty of large wildlife around this area. Don't forget to get your pass before you go, purchase the Northwest Forest Pass or the daily pass here.
Distance: 2.5 miles
Price: Free
Dog friendly: Yes
Difficulty: Moderate
2 hours from the base, Heybrook Lookout takes less than 2 hours to complete and is a fun hike to take your dogs on, but be aware, it's incredibly steep at the beginning - don't let this scare you, it gets better and the views are worth it.
This trail is open year-round, just be sure to check the weather, you don't want to climb this hike after recent rains. The trailhead is right off the highway (it's more of a wide shoulder off the road haha) and it fits about 8-10 cars so be sure to get there early, before 8am is best.
Distance: 1 mile
Price: Free
Dog friendly: Yes
Difficulty: Easy
This is an easy 20-minute loop, a great spot to take kids or grandparents since most of the trail is paved and stroller-friendly - there's also a large playground! Did I mention it's only 20 minutes from the base?
The trail has 3 different waterfalls and a salmon hatchery with fish ladders - between September and October, you can watch silvery salmon make their way upstream into the ponds of the fishery.
Don't worry about parking; there's plenty of it - it's also open year-round, so if you're looking for a short drive on a sunny day, here's your spot!
Distance: 5 miles
Price: Free
Dog friendly: Yes
Difficulty: Moderate
This trail is fun and only 45 minutes from base, but I wouldn't recommend it for kids. You can see 3 different waterfalls commonly referred to as Lower, Middle, and Upper Falls. If you're short on time, I suggest viewing the Upper Falls.
The trail begins with crushed rock until you reach a sign on your left, dropping you down into the trail. Make sure to have a map or navigate with the All Trails app.
The Falls are open year-round, but the best times to visit are between March and October - I suggest early spring, that's when the waterfalls are in full force.
This hike takes about 2 hours to complete and offers plenty of parking, just be sure to be finished before 4pm because they will close the gate and tow vehicles that haven't left yet.
Distance: 3 miles
Price: Free
Dog friendly: Yes
Difficulty: Easy
Sesqualitchew Creek is an easy trail in the middle of DuPont, just 15 minutes from base, with a pebbled beach and old rail lines at the end of the trail - a great spot for kids to burn off energy, and we took our pregnancy announcement photos here!
You can make this trail what you want - it took us about an hour to complete at a slow and steady pace. Parking isn't an issue; the best times to visit this trail are March through October, but it's open year-round.
Stevie
All of these hikes look amazing! I love how you broke down where to get passes and whether or not they are dog friendly! I can’t wait to give them a try!
11 . Jul . 2022Laura
Thanks Stevie, they’re all so much fun!
12 . Jul . 2022