Healthy ideas for your inbox
One of the best things about living in the Pacific Northwest is access to our breathtaking mountain ranges. From foothill trail systems to high alpine wilderness areas and national parks, there are endless opportunities for outdoor adventure.
Getting outside and moving your body is one of the best things you can do for your physical and mental health, especially when stress and anxiety are running high.
Here are six reasons you may want to break in those hiking boots and make plans to hit some of our favorite trails.
The health benefits of hiking
Hiking is one of the most popular activities in the PNW not just because of the views — it’s also a great workout.
“Hiking is an excellent form of exercise,” says Katherine Fahy, MD, a sports medicine doctor at the UW Medicine Sports Medicine Clinic at Ballard. “Hiking provides cardiovascular benefits while building strength in the legs and core.”
Hiking is a great bang for your buck for multiple reasons:
Strength
Walking up (and down) hill is a great way to strengthen your hip and leg muscles — it works your quadriceps, hamstrings, calves and glutes.
“These strength benefits can be particularly helpful for patients concerned about maintaining their bone health or those trying to lose weight or improve their fitness,” says Fahy.
Balance
Hiking also helps you work your stabilizer muscles by walking on roots, rocks and mud. According to Fahy, walking over uneven terrain is a great way to improve balance.
Of course, if it’s been a while since you’ve hiked, or you have trouble with balance in general, it would be wise to work on strengthening your leg muscles and working on balance in the gym or at home before you head outside.
“The best way to decrease your injury risk is to build strength to prepare for hiking season, gradually increase your hiking intensity and duration, and use proper shoes for your hike,” says Nika Cortese, DPT, a physical therapist with the Sports Medicine Center at Husky Stadium. “It can also be helpful for some people to use hiking poles if they feel unsteady on uneven terrain.”
Cardio
It’s not just strength and balance — walking long distances and gaining elevation does wonders for cardiovascular health. Of course, the longer you walk, the more endurance you’ll build, and the more vertical gain, the higher the intensity of the cardio workout.
“Hiking long distances with less elevation can help build cardio endurance while being low impact and gentler on the joints,” says Fahy. “Hiking steeper terrain or trails with more vertical gain provides more high-intensity exercise and strength building.”
Figure out what combination of mileage and elevation gain is good for you depending on your levels of fitness and injury risk tolerance. Any amount of hiking will be good for your cardiovascular health and can help lower blood pressure.
Mental health
“Research shows that getting out in nature is good for our mental health,” says Fahy. “Getting outside helps reduce stress and improve mood, focus and our overall sense of wellness.”
Get even more of a well-being boost by inviting a friend to hike with you.
“It is important for both physical and mental health to walk or hike and it can be a great way to connect with friends at the same time,” says Cortese.
The risks of hiking
Of course, exercising outside on unpredictable terrain, especially in the backcountry, comes with risks, which you should be aware of before hitting the trail. It’s important to check the forecast and sunset time; carry a first-aid kit; and be prepared with a headlamp and enough layers, food, water (for your pup, as well!) and sunscreen to be out there longer than expected in the event of an injury or getting lost.
“It is important to be aware of the conditions before setting out on any hike and to choose a hike that fits your experience and fitness levels,” says Fahy. “Hikers can suffer injuries and illness from environmental exposures, cold or hot conditions, dehydration and falls.”
Common hiking ailments include sunburns, blisters, cuts, bug bites, bee stings, muscle strains, joint pain and overuse injuries such as tendonitis.
“In our physical therapy clinic, the most common hiking injuries include ankle sprains and Achilles tendinitis,” says Cortese. “Ankle sprains typically occur on uneven terrain or with a misstep that causes the ankle to roll to one side, which causes a stretch or tear of the ankle ligaments.”
Most hiking injuries, cuts and bites will heal on their own, but if you’re concerned about the severity or if symptoms aren’t improving after several days of at-home care, go see a doctor.
“Medical care should be sought immediately for major injuries that occur on the trail, including ankle sprains where you are having difficulty putting weight on that leg,” says Fahy.
8 places to hike in and around Seattle
OK, so you’re ready to get after it. Where should you go? Here are seven favorite hikes in and around the Seattle area, starting with the most accessible and moving up to more challenging trails that are farther afield.
The Burke Gilman Trail (1 to 20 miles)
This iconic urban trail runs along a former train corridor, starting in Golden Gardens, cutting through Ballard, winding along the ship canal and then veering up Lake Washington to Bothell. If you haven’t been exercising in a while, don’t have access to a car, or want to avoid uneven terrain, this is for you: It’s flat and paved and you can easily reach different sections of it by public transportation.
The BPA Trail (3.6 miles)
If you’re looking for a paved option in South King County, head to the BPA Trail in Federal Way, which follows the undulating path of the Bonneville Power Administration power lines from Celebration Park to the southwestern border of the city.
Cross Kirkland Corridor (5.75 miles, 141 feet of elevation gain)
If you’re ready for an unpaved trail but are working up your endurance and don’t want a lot of elevation gain, head to the Cross Kirkland Corridor, a gravel path that also follows a former railway corridor. It makes its way through the Eastside city and connects with the larger Eastrail.
Discovery Park Loop (3 miles, 325 feet of elevation gain)
OK, you’re ready to add in some vertical to your walk. Look no further than the Discovery Park loop trail in Seattle’s Magnolia neighborhood. A true wilderness gem within the city, you’ll soon forget the downtown skyline is just on the other side of the peninsula.
Heybrook Lookout (2 miles, 980 feet of elevation gain)
© Nicholas Swatz
For anyone looking to get out of the city and into the mountains, a great place to start is Heybrook Lookout on Highway 2, about an hour north of Seattle. This short hike leads to a lookout tower built in the 1920s, and if you’re willing to brave the stairs, you can reap incredible views of the surrounding Cascade Range from the top without needing to summit a mountain.
Dewey Lake (6 miles, 1,270 feet of elevation gain)
Have a whole day to spend outside and ready for a serious hike? We’ve got you covered. Head two hours from the city toward Mount Rainier to Dewey Lake. This moderate hike follows the famed Pacific Crest Trail through wildflower meadows, up a ridge with views of Rainier and then down to a beautiful alpine lake.
Margaret’s Way Trail (7 miles, 1,640 feet of elevation gain)
The Issaquah Alps are beloved for their proximity to the city and endless options for hikers, trail runners and mountain bikers, ranging from casual jaunts to absolute butt-kickers. A great in-between option is Margaret’s Way Trail, which takes you through classic PNW cedar and western hemlock forest and ends at Debbie’s View with sweeping vistas all the way out to Mount Rainier and Puget Sound on a nice day.
Mason Lake via Ira Spring trailhead (7 miles, 2,420 feet of elevation gain)
Once you push past 2,000 feet of vertical gain, you’re getting a serious workout. In these parts, you don’t have to go far to get that kind of a climb in a stunning alpine environment. The Ira Spring Trailhead is just an hour east of Seattle on I-90 and takes you through wildflower meadows and old-growth forests to pristine Mason Lake. If your legs still have juice, you can continue another half mile and 700 feet up Little Bandera Mountain to surpass 3,000 feet of vertical gain, another feather in your hiker’s cap.
Tips for hiking responsibly
Hiking isn’t a competition — listen to your body and turn around if you’re pushing past your limits or don’t feel safe (the weather can change quickly in the mountains). And remember to be considerate of others on the trail — overcrowding is an issue during peak season in the Pacific Northwest’s wilderness areas, so recreate responsibly, stay on the trail, clean up after yourself, leash your dog and save your bathroom break for an outhouse if you can.
And a last tip? Try to get out on weekdays (no better way to spend a mental health day) when trails are much less busy and parking more plentiful — you’ll be much more likely to be able to soak in the glorious outdoors in peace. Happy trails.
