Hit the Road on a Regional Trail
Washington has 14 Regional trails that are longer than 20 miles
If you are feeling stir crazy after our crazy Covid Summer and want to hit the road for a day or a weekend before winter sets in, check out one of the state’s many regional trails. You can find a rails-to-trails trail (or similar long distance gentle grade trail) in every region of the state. Whether you want to walk, bike, or ride your horse, these trails let you put your worries behind you and go as far as you want.
For this post, we wanted to focus on trails that allow you to put your cares behind you and stroll or bike through the Washington countryside. Our criteria were rails or trails or similar relatively level trails, so we did not include the Pacific Crest or Wonderland trails which are amazing but offer a rougher wilderness experience, and we did not include urban trails as our goal was to help you get away from the crowds. We identified 14 trails 20 miles long or longer spread out across the state, ranging from the Yakima Greenway, a paved 20-mile trail that follows the Yakima River from near Tieton to Union Gap, to the Olympic Discover Trail (and its side trail the Olympic Adventure Trail) which stretch 153 miles along the entire top of the Olympic Peninsula. All of these trails are open to bikes and pedestrians and most also allow horses. So pick your next adventure and explore a new part of the state. Ride the Palouse to Cascades Trail under Snoqualmie Pass through the Hyak Tunnel, travel almost to the Canadian border on the Ferry County Rail Trail, or stop off in Spokane’s Waterfront Park while riding the Spokane River Centennial State Park Trail.
