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Mosaic Insurance Personal Lines Agent Shares Some of Her Favorite Places to Hike in Washington

By July 20, 2020March 11th, 2024Insurance

Hiking Starter Pack for the Pacific Northwest—locations, tips, & pictures

Happy National Park and Recreation Month! July has had some beautiful weather. Let’s take advantage of it and get into the holiday spirit by adventuring in the great outdoors!

The Pacific Northwest has some gorgeous views that are just waiting for you. So, where should you start? National park websites have all kinds of info—places like Washington Trails Association (WTA) and National Park Service (NPS). But, what do some of the locals think? One of our personal insurance agents, Dayana Melgar, loves the great outdoors, and she has gathered some lists of hikes she enjoys in the area, as well as pictures she has taken on those getaways and tips to help you start your outing. Thanks, Dayana!

 Get a condensed version of items below with our handy infographic PDF! Save it on your phone for a quick hiking guide.

 

Hiking Infographic

 

Where should I go hiking around Snohomish County?

Below is a list of hikes that Dayana categorized by levels of difficulty:

 

1. Easy:

Heather Lake in Granite Falls, WA

  • Location: North Cascades; Mountain Loop HWY
  • Length: 4.6 miles roundtrip
  • More information can be found here.

Hiking

 

Franklin Falls in Snoqualmie, WA

  • Location: Snoqualmie Region; Snoqualmie Pass
  • Length: 2.0 miles roundtrip
  • Get more information here.

Hiking

 

2. Moderate:

 Goat Lake in Granite Falls, WA

  • Location: North Cascades; Mountain Loop HWY
  • Length: 10.4 miles roundtrip
  • Hike information here.

Hiking

 

Mount Si in Snoqualmie, WA

  •  Location: Snoqualmie Region; North Bend Area
  • Length: 8.0 miles round trip
  • Find out more about this hike.

Hiking

 

Snow Lake in Snoqualmie, WA

  •  Location: Snoqualmie Region; Snoqualmie Pass
  • Length: 7.2 miles round trip
  • Trail details here.

 Hiking

 

3. HARD—this list is for experienced hikers:

Bridal Veils Falls and Lake Serene in the Central Cascades

  •  Location: Stevens Pass West
  •  Length: 8.2 miles roundtrip
  • Dayana recommends that you check out Bridal Veils Falls first, because you might be too tired to do it on the way back from visiting the lake. She also says that doing just Bridal Veils is still a great trip by itself if you do not want to go all the way up to the lake.
  • Here are some great resources to plan this trip.

Hiking

 

Mailbox Peak in Snoqualmie, WA

  •  Location: Snoqualmie Region
  • Length: 9.4 miles roundtrip
  • There are two trails on this hike—the old trail, which is straight up; and the new trail, which is longer but easier. Please keep in mind that both trails are very difficult.
  • For more information, visit here.

 Hiking

 

What should I bring hiking?

After you have chosen where you want to go, the next thing Dayana recommends is creating a list of items you might need on your trip.

When Dayana goes hiking in Washington, she packs things like…

  • Lots of water
  • Sunscreen
  • Bug repellent
  • Needed passes for certain hikes (if required). To save time and stress, we recommend that you check ahead of time to see if your hike needs a pass, and to get the pass beforehand if it does.
  • Cash for emergencies and/or parking fees and entry fees

Here are some other items that you might want to consider:

  • Healthy and filling snacks that are lightweight such as:
  • Fresh/dehydrated fruit and veggies
  •  Granola bars
  • Jerky
  • Nuts and seeds
  • Trail mix
  • First aid kit
  • Flashlight
  • Backup jacket in case the weather changes
  • Sunglasses and hats to help you see and protect your face from direct sunlight.
  • Waterproof necklace case for your phone, like these mentioned by Travel & Leisure.
  •  Battery bank for your phone in case you need to recharge.
  • For more ideas on good items to consider bringing, check out National Park Service’s list.
  • Also, with the coronavirus, there are some additional things to keep in mind. View this COVID-19 hiking guide.

 

We hope that you have a fun and safe outing in the great outdoors! If you want have another Washington hike in mind that is not mentioned here, or you are wondering what other ones are out there, you can search Washington Trails Association’s trail guide here for great starter information. If you go hiking and would like to share pictures of your adventure, we would love to see them! You can tag them on our Facebook, or email our Marketing Manager, Meagan Baron, at Meagan@mosaicia.com.

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