If you've already worked your way through the Washington day-hike checklist, this is the list for what comes next. We ranked the state's hardest trails using a composite of difficulty tag (hard or expert), distance, and elevation gain, drawing from the 23,332 mapped Washington trails in our database. These ten routes are reserved for hikers with the gear, the navigation skills, and the honesty about their own limits to tackle them safely.
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. The Wonderland Trail circumnavigation, the PCT-Washington thru-hike, and Mount Rainier's Camp Muir snowfield (non-technical to that point) are Washington's defining tests. Hypothermia and rapidly changing weather on Cascade summits, river crossings on Wonderland and PCT, and wildfire smoke in late summer.
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. A composite score weights expert and hard difficulty tags alongside total mileage and elevation gain. The result favors long, vertically aggressive routes with documented technical sections — there are surely tougher off-trail objectives in the state, but those are outside the scope of a trail directory.
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. Abandoned connector (Impassable)
Abandoned connector (Impassable) sits near Preston in King County and is rated expert — our pick for the toughest trail on the list. Tagged expert in OpenStreetMap. 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. Best attempted by hikers comfortable with long days, route-finding when the path gets faint, and weather that can turn fast. Not a casual outing. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Abandoned connector (Impassable) trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#2. Abandoned connector (Impassable)
Abandoned connector (Impassable) sits near Preston in King County and is rated expert — the #2 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Tagged expert 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. Best attempted by hikers comfortable with long days, route-finding when the path gets faint, and weather that can turn fast. Not a casual outing. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Abandoned connector (Impassable) trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#3. Abandoned Old TMT
Abandoned Old TMT sits near Preston in King County and is rated expert — the #3 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Expect dirt surface on a expert-only 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. Best attempted by hikers comfortable with long days, route-finding when the path gets faint, and weather that can turn fast. Not a casual outing. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Abandoned Old TMT trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#4. Abandoned West Tiger RR Grade
Abandoned West Tiger RR Grade sits near Preston in King County and is rated expert — the #4 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Expect dirt surface on a expert-only 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. Best attempted by hikers comfortable with long days, route-finding when the path gets faint, and weather that can turn fast. Not a casual outing. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Abandoned West Tiger RR Grade trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#5. Alaska Mountain Trail
Alaska Mountain Trail sits near Snoqualmie Pass in King County and is rated expert — the #5 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Expect dirt surface on a expert-only 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. Best attempted by hikers comfortable with long days, route-finding when the path gets faint, and weather that can turn fast. Not a casual outing. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Alaska Mountain Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#6. Alpine Lakes High Route
Alpine Lakes High Route sits near Skykomish in King County and is rated expert — the #6 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Expect ground surface on a expert-only 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. Best attempted by hikers comfortable with long days, route-finding when the path gets faint, and weather that can turn fast. Not a casual outing. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Alpine Lakes High Route trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#7. Austins Dogs
Austins Dogs sits near Friday Harbor in San Juan County and is rated expert — the #7 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Tagged expert 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. Best attempted by hikers comfortable with long days, route-finding when the path gets faint, and weather that can turn fast. Not a casual outing. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Austins Dogs trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#8. Badlands Trail
Badlands Trail sits near Leavenworth in Chelan County and is rated expert — the #8 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Expect ground surface on a expert-only 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. Best attempted by hikers comfortable with long days, route-finding when the path gets faint, and weather that can turn fast. Not a casual outing. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Badlands Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#9. Basin Creek Trail
Basin Creek Trail sits near Anatone in Wallowa County and is rated expert — the #9 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Tagged expert in OpenStreetMap. Compared to similar trails in Washington, this route trades difficulty for either solitude or scenery — sometimes both. Best attempted by hikers comfortable with long days, route-finding when the path gets faint, and weather that can turn fast. Not a casual outing. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Basin Creek Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#10. Beaver Trail
Beaver Trail sits near Timber in Washington County and is rated expert — the #10 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Expect ground surface on a expert-only 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. Best attempted by hikers comfortable with long days, route-finding when the path gets faint, and weather that can turn fast. Not a casual outing. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Beaver Trail 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.
- 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 dog-friendly hikes in Washington — Where leashed dogs are explicitly welcome.
- 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.
