Who says hiking can only be enjoyed during the warmer months of the year?
There are quite a few that make for an unforgettable trek in the snow!
White Salmon Creek, Washington
White Salmon Creek, North Cascades, Washington
As this area is in a relatively low destination, oftentimes there isn’t much if any snow on the trail, so you may be able to hike without snowshoes. The 10-mile round trip White Salmon Creek hike starts at Salmon Ridge Sno-Park, traveling through the beautiful Nooksack River valley. When the weather cooperates, you can take in spectacular views of the jagged mountain peaks that ring the basin.
Wenatchee Crest, Blewett Pass, Washington
Wenatchee Crest, Blewett Pass, Washington
This hike is perfect for beginning snowshoers. It starts high and stays high, enjoying breathtaking views pretty much the entire time from the top of Blewett Pass. The six-mile round trip hike starts at Blewett Pass Sno-Park, and makes for an especially rewarding day out.
Watson Falls, Umpqua National Forest, Oregon
Watson Falls, Umpqua National Forest, Oregon
Incredibly easy and scenic, this one-mile-loop hike provides access to the third-tallest waterfall in Oregon, which plunges off sheer basalt cliffs, in a thread-like strand before plummeting 272 feet into the dense forest. As it sits at a lower elevation, oftentimes no snowshoes are needed. If you have time, Toketee Falls is just two miles away, known for its graceful columnar basalt formation that frames the two-stepped falls.
Tamanawas Falls, Oregon
Tamanawas Falls, Mount Hood, Oregon
We just featured this waterfall as our photo of the week, and the hike to get there is arguably one of Oregon’s top winter hikes. Gorgeous in ever season, winter really seems to bring out the best of the 100-foot-high waterfall’s beauty. To reach it, you’ll walk two miles along Cold Springs Creek, though old-growth forest and across wooden footbridges.
Ridge to River Trails, Boise, Idaho
Ridge to River Trails, Boise, Idaho
There are countless paths that wind through the Boise foothills, providing outstanding winter hikes. The fresh fallen snow gives the region’s iconic desert steppe landscape a wonderful white makeover, while also providing the opportunity to enjoy Boise’s dazzling holiday lights in the distance.
Tubbs Hill Hike, Couer d’Alene, Idaho
Tubbs Hill, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
Tubbs Hill is a classic summer hike, an easy 2.4-mile loop trail that brings the chance to see some of the state’s most stunning lakes as well as the beautiful city of Coeur d’Alene itself. But in the winter, when all the trees have a dusting of snow with the snow, there are few better ways to bundle up and enjoy a chilly afternoon.
