Gia Valentine is a University of Washington alum and a rising grad student at UW Tacoma. She was born and raised in Tacoma and grew up exploring Washington and camping around the state, which led her to develop a strong love of the outdoors. As she grew older, she became an avid hiker and fell in love with researching new hikes and natural areas in Washington.
Can you tell me about your passion for hiking?
This state is full of a variety of beautiful nature and national parks, so there’s plenty to explore! I always try to prioritize enjoying the journey to a hiking destination, so I make an effort to plan side excursions to scenic views and sites of interest to see as much as I can and take advantage of proximity to other locations. I always bring my camera with me on hikes since I get to enjoy the hike in the moment and also come home and relive it all when I’m editing photos later on. Plus, I especially love finding doing dog-friendly hikes, which often requires some prior research.
I have a passion for both hiking and photography, so getting to combine the two is exciting!
What are your favorite hikes in washington?
Suntop Lookout
Location: Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest | Distance: 2 miles | Dog friendly
Suntop Lookout is my favorite hike I’ve ever done! It really stood out to me because it was a high reward for a short hike. Since its peak is an old fire lookout there’s a beautiful panoramic view of Mount Rainier at the top, which is why I especially loved doing this hike during sunset. It’s a fairly short, steep hike and it’s also not located in a National Park, so there aren’t any pass requirements.
You can find more information at this link.
Wallace falls
Location: Central Cascades | Distance: 5.6 miles | Dog Friendly
The Wallace Falls hike gives you the chance to walk through a canopy forest, walk along the Wallace River the whole way up, cross multiple bridges, and see nine different sections of the waterfall! There’s different tiers to the waterfall, so you can see multiple parts of it as you continue through the hike. One of the best parts of going to waterfall hikes is when you can start to hear it- when you finally get to hear the rush of water you know you’re close, and especially after miles of walking that’s the most amazing feeling! But the big payoff is really at the end where you come to a railed overlook of the waterfall and get to take in the amazing view.
You can find more information at this link.
Hall of mosses
Location: Olympic National Park and the Hoh Rain Forest | Distance: 1 mile | Not dog friendly
There’s a limited amount of natural spaces in the U.S. that are considered completely free of manmade noises, and the Hall of Mosses is one of them! The road to this hike is so long that there’s no other streets nearby, so it makes for the perfect secluded and tranquil hiking environment. I love this hike for its lush, green environment and the canopy-covered trees. It’s gorgeous both in rain and sun!
You can find more information at this link.
Cherry Creek Falls
Location: Central Cascades | Distance: 5 miles | Dog Friendly
Cherry Creek Falls is popular, family-friendly, and swimmable! After finishing the hike to the falls, you’ll walk up to a nice bank and large pool of water where you can swim and cool off after the hike. The waterfall’s flow is good all year long, which is why it’s such a popular summer destination!
You can find more information at this link.
Heybrook Lookout
Location: Central Cascades | Distance: 2 miles | Dog friendly
I love hiking Heybrook Lookout in early June when there are fields of wildflowers blooming! Plus, the beautiful panoramic view of the mountains at the top of the hike lets you see Bridal Veil Falls far in the distance. There’s picnic tables below the lookout for eating or relaxing, but do keep in mind that there are a good amount of stairs (89) to the top. If you want to lengthen this hike, you can combine Heybrook Lookout with Heybrook Ridge.
You can find more information at this link.
Silver falls
Location: Mount Rainier National Park | Distance: 1.7 miles | Not dog friendly
Waterfalls are most powerful in the beginning of the season because of snow melt levels- so if you want to see a really rushing waterfall try going early in the season. Not only is it an absolutely gorgeous hike down the river, Silver Falls is one of the first hikes to open seasonally in Mount Rainer National Park. This makes for a breathtaking view of the rushing falls and plenty of great photo opportunities to capture their grandeur. The Ohanapecosh Hot Springs Trail is also on the same trail as Silver Falls, so you can take a detour to see the springs during the hike.
You can find more information at this link.
What are your favorite hiking resources?
There are two main resources that I love and use often for planning hikes:
Washington Trails Association
This organization has an extensive list of the trails and hikes in Washington state, and is both an app and a website. It’s a great resource for getting a general overview of hike distances, locations, and conditions. The trip report feature of this website is especially helpful in my opinion, since it shows the trail’s conditions, parking options, reviews and recommendations, and more. Trip reports can include reviews other people leave that tell you about trail conditions, how long the hike took them in terms of both distance and time, their experiences with the hike, and pictures.
AllTrails
AllTrails is an app and website that encompasses the entire United States and Canada! It’s great for practical use, since you can track your hikes and get navigation services through the app on your phone. It will show you the routes you’re supposed to follow so you don’t get lost, tell you about pass requirements, give you access to trip reports, and more.
general hiking Tips
In terms of packing for a hike, I always carry a first-aid kit, bug spray, sunscreen, plenty of water, and snacks. If you plan on staying at a location for a while, make sure to pack a lunch and always check the weather, especially in terms of snow melt conditions in Mount Rainier National Park. Plus, check pass requirements before arriving at a hiking location because sometimes you will need to get a pass in advance. If you’re going to a national park in the summer, it’s best to go either early or late in the day. Personally, I’m an ‘early bird gets the worm’ kind of person when it comes to all hikes- because especially in Washington trails can get really busy fast.
Happy hiking!