Knowing where you can legally bring your dog matters more than reviews suggest. National parks ban dogs from most trails outright; national forests and state parks vary by location. We filtered the 23,332 mapped Washington trails to only those where the trail's data explicitly allows dogs (leashed or otherwise), then ranked by length and difficulty to surface the routes most dogs and most owners will enjoy. Always carry a leash, water, and waste bags — and check the trailhead sign for current rules.
Washington compresses Olympic rainforest, Cascade volcanoes (Rainier, Baker, Glacier Peak, Adams, St. Helens), the high desert east of the divide, and an island-strewn coast into one state. Mount Rainier's Paradise area, Olympic's Hoh Rainforest trail, and Mount Si give beginners scenic, manageable introductions. Dog access in the US varies by land manager: federal national parks usually restrict dogs to paved areas, while national forests, BLM lands, and many state parks welcome leashed dogs on trail.
Our rankings here are data-driven — pulled from the 23,332 mapped entries OutsideAtlas tracks in Washington — but the data has limits worth being honest about. We surface trails where the OpenStreetMap `dog` tag is explicitly set to yes, leashed, or permissive. Many genuinely dog-friendly trails are missing this tag and won't appear; conversely, leash rules can change seasonally with wildlife management. Always verify at the trailhead.
The Ranking
Ranked from #1 to #10. Click through any entry for the full trail page — map, elevation profile, weather forecast, and direct OpenStreetMap source link.
#1. Across the river between the service roads
Across the river between the service roads near Port Angeles in Clallam County is one of the better-tagged dog-friendly hikes in Washington, landing at #1. Expect dirt surface on a forgiving grade. Local trail-association reports tend to agree this is one of the better-maintained options in the area, which matters more on a hike of this length than on a quick walk. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Pack 2x more water than you think the dog needs in heat, plus a collapsible bowl. Hot pavement and exposed rock can burn paw pads in minutes. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Across the river between the service roads trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#2. Alaska Lake Trail
Alaska Lake Trail near Snoqualmie Pass in Kittitas County is one of the better-tagged dog-friendly hikes in Washington, landing at #2. Tagged easy in OpenStreetMap. The route is well documented in OpenStreetMap, which is what put it on our radar — community-mapped routes tend to be the ones that get hiked enough to stay open. Pack 2x more water than you think the dog needs in heat, plus a collapsible bowl. Hot pavement and exposed rock can burn paw pads in minutes. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Alaska Lake Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#3. Apex Mine Trail
Apex Mine Trail near Baring in King County is one of the better-tagged dog-friendly hikes in Washington, landing at #3. Expect ground surface on a forgiving grade. It earns its ranking on the data, but trail conditions can change quickly after storms or fire seasons, so verify before you commit a full day. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Pack 2x more water than you think the dog needs in heat, plus a collapsible bowl. Hot pavement and exposed rock can burn paw pads in minutes. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Apex Mine Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#4. Arrow Leaf
Arrow Leaf near Otis Orchards in Spokane County is one of the better-tagged dog-friendly hikes in Washington, landing at #4. Expect gravel surface on a forgiving grade. Compared to similar trails in Washington, this route trades difficulty for either solitude or scenery — sometimes both. A gravel-and-dirt tread holds up well after rain, though loose surface on descents calls for trekking poles or careful footing. Pack 2x more water than you think the dog needs in heat, plus a collapsible bowl. Hot pavement and exposed rock can burn paw pads in minutes. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Arrow Leaf trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#5. Arrow Leaf
Arrow Leaf near Otis Orchards in Spokane County is one of the better-tagged dog-friendly hikes in Washington, landing at #5. Expect dirt surface on a forgiving grade. What makes this one earn its spot on the list is the combination of mapped detail and the kind of through-and-through experience that justifies a longer drive. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Pack 2x more water than you think the dog needs in heat, plus a collapsible bowl. Hot pavement and exposed rock can burn paw pads in minutes. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Arrow Leaf trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#6. Arrowleaf
Arrowleaf near Otis Orchards in Spokane County is one of the better-tagged dog-friendly hikes in Washington, landing at #6. Expect dirt surface on a forgiving grade. Local trail-association reports tend to agree this is one of the better-maintained options in the area, which matters more on a hike of this length than on a quick walk. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Pack 2x more water than you think the dog needs in heat, plus a collapsible bowl. Hot pavement and exposed rock can burn paw pads in minutes. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Arrowleaf trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#7. Arrowleaf
Arrowleaf near Otis Orchards in Spokane County is one of the better-tagged dog-friendly hikes in Washington, landing at #7. Expect dirt surface on a forgiving grade. The route is well documented in OpenStreetMap, which is what put it on our radar — community-mapped routes tend to be the ones that get hiked enough to stay open. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Pack 2x more water than you think the dog needs in heat, plus a collapsible bowl. Hot pavement and exposed rock can burn paw pads in minutes. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Arrowleaf trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#8. Backside Trail
Backside Trail near Palouse in Whitman County is one of the better-tagged dog-friendly hikes in Washington, landing at #8. Expect dirt surface on a forgiving grade. It earns its ranking on the data, but trail conditions can change quickly after storms or fire seasons, so verify before you commit a full day. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Pack 2x more water than you think the dog needs in heat, plus a collapsible bowl. Hot pavement and exposed rock can burn paw pads in minutes. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Backside Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#9. Bandera Mountain Trail
Bandera Mountain Trail near Snoqualmie Pass in King County is one of the better-tagged dog-friendly hikes in Washington, landing at #9. Expect dirt surface on a forgiving grade. Compared to similar trails in Washington, this route trades difficulty for either solitude or scenery — sometimes both. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Pack 2x more water than you think the dog needs in heat, plus a collapsible bowl. Hot pavement and exposed rock can burn paw pads in minutes. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Bandera Mountain Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#10. Beach
Beach near Friday Harbor in San Juan County is one of the better-tagged dog-friendly hikes in Washington, landing at #10. Expect fine_gravel surface on a forgiving grade. What makes this one earn its spot on the list is the combination of mapped detail and the kind of through-and-through experience that justifies a longer drive. A gravel-and-dirt tread holds up well after rain, though loose surface on descents calls for trekking poles or careful footing. Pack 2x more water than you think the dog needs in heat, plus a collapsible bowl. Hot pavement and exposed rock can burn paw pads in minutes. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Beach trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.Planning your Washington trip
A few pieces of context are worth keeping in mind specifically for Washington. Mid-July through September for high Cascades; year-round in the Olympics (with weather caveats); high desert spring and fall. Hypothermia and rapidly changing weather on Cascade summits, river crossings on Wonderland and PCT, and wildfire smoke in late summer.
Always cross-reference the official land-manager page before driving out — closures, fire restrictions, and seasonal road access can change quickly. Our trail pages link directly back to the OpenStreetMap source so you can see the tags we're working from.
If you're new to hiking generally, our beginner's guide covers footwear, layering, and the day-pack basics. For safety planning on bigger objectives, the ten essentials guide is worth twenty minutes of reading.
More Washington hiking guides
If you found this useful, the rest of our Washington coverage continues below.
- Top 10 longest trails in Washington — Multi-day routes and through-hikes ranked by distance.
- Steepest trails in Washington — Hikes with the most elevation gain in the state.
- Best beginner hikes in Washington — Easy, well-marked trails for first-time hikers.
- Most challenging hikes in Washington — Expert-rated routes for experienced hikers only.
- Best national parks in Washington — Federal parks and recreation areas ranked.
- Best waterfall hikes in Washington — Trails leading to named falls, ranked by accessibility.
- Best family hikes in Washington — Short, easy trails sized for kids and grandparents.
Rankings like this are starting points, not verdicts. Trail conditions change, new routes get tagged, and what was the toughest trail in Washington last year might not be next year. We refresh these articles when the underlying data shifts meaningfully.
Got a correction, a route we missed, or a question? Drop us a note via the contact page. We read every email and we'd rather hear it from you than miss it.
