Free hikes around Seattle

“Let's put together a list of hikes that don't require fees or parking permits within an hour or two of the Seattle area.

Tiger Mountain

Cougar Mountain

Rattlesnake Ledge

Wallace Falls
last edited: 8/27/06 11:59:11 AM”

“All trails.

Every one of them...if you volunteer for a WTA trail work party you get a free year-long pass.”

“Why do we need a list anyhow? All of us are more than happy to pay for the Forest Pass so the trails can be kept up and the parking lots patrolled.”

“I've volunteered enough of my life to this country as a member of the military. They should give life-long free passes to trails and national parks to veterans.

Back to the subject...

Naches Peak Loop if you park at the lake.”

“Yep, I was just going to say park at Tipsoo Lakes TH. It is free. You can access both North and South of the PCT and the Naches Peak Loop.

Also, the Eastside Trail is accessed from there.

You can also park at Cayuse Pass, just below and access Eastside, you can park on Hwy 123 also at Deer Creek to access the Oywigh Lake Trail, and Eastside. You can also go to Shriner Peak Trail farther down, and Laughingwater Creek Trail!

Oh yeah, and don't forget Crystal Lakes/Peak Trail on Hwy 410. And all of the Boy Scout trails off of Hwy 410 down by the NF campground, if you park on the side of Hwy 410.”

“Oh yeah, and Federation State Forest on Hwy 410!”

“
Rattlesnake Ledge - today 2/17/07

What a gorgeous day it was weatherwise today for a hike at Rattlesnake Ledge. Sunny and about 63 degrees... in February.

Here's the whole album:

http://www.thebackpacker.com/pictures/album/sjl7rk4l.php



Rattlesnake Ledge and Rattlesnake Lake”

“nice pics USA”

“Thanks, helinka.”

“Very Nice. Thanks for sharing. I'd kill for temps in the 50's!”

“

The cloud that came floating by just before I was ready to pack up and go home was really cool. It looked like the spine of a rattlesnake.”

“Nice pics, USA...temps in the 50's! I can't even imagine what that would feel like...I've got so used to below zero that when it's 20, as it is right now, I don't even feel the need for a coat! LOL...

I really loved looking at your green woods and moving water...that cloud was cool...it also reminded me of a snake skeleton...”

“are there many snakes around there?

we have a 'rattlesnake point' on the bruce penninnsula (near Toronto) where some massassauga's supposedly live but they're very rare and shy. the massassauga is slightly more common farther NW along the penninnsula but you're very lucky if you ever see one.”

“Don't know why it's called that. We don't have any rattlesnakes in Western Washington. *shrugging*”

“No Northern Pacific Rattle Snake? Mebbe once upon a time...”

“That would be nice to know why it's called Rattlesnake Mountain so I can include it in the album text. If anyone knows the answer or has a link, please tell.”

“But this is all I found. A quote from someone's website taking the rail trail along Rattlesnake Mt, Lake and Ledge:

"There actually aren't any rattlesnakes living on the western side of the Cascades, so there is some speculation as to how Rattlesnake Mountain got it's name. One theory says the shape of the ridge looks somewhat like a viper poised to strike and while I suppose that is possible, I favor the story of the nervous surveyor. According to this tale the original railroad employee mapping out the area heard dried seed pods rattling in the wind and mistook the sound as a threat from the deadly reptile"

http://www.mile43.com/peterson/BoilingFrog/Boiling_Frog.html”

“Joan Burton/Ira Spring in "Best Hikes with Kids in Western Washington & the Cascades" suggests that early settlers thought the sound of grasses blowing in the wind sounded like rattles. Hmm. Who knows.
last edited: 2/20/07 9:09:17 PM”

“Twin Falls in Olallie Stae Park is another free hike since fees at state parks were dropped. Photos at:

http://www.thebackpacker.com/pictures/users/usa/rgjw04pn/e83qfvobcbi7g.jpg”

“Sorry. Here is the correct link:

http://www.thebackpacker.com/pictures/album/rgjw04pn.php”

“Talk about a Good Friday. I had scheduled today (04/06/07) as a vacation day from work and what luck! Sunny weather and temperatures in the upper 70's. Unreal for this time of year. So out of curiosity I went and hiked Little Mount Si for the first time.

http://www.thebackpacker.com/pictures/album/gjeekyks,1.php

Both Little Si and Mount Si are free with no fees.”

“Looks like a fun hike. And the weather really does look fine. . . sunshine, flowers and all. I especially like pic. #11 and Si with the green grass in the foreground.

Thanks for sharing the photos, USA.”

“Ya thanks for sending up the warm weather. We hit 80 degrees here in the meadows east of Vancouver yesterday. It sure felt nice after a few weeks of non-stop rain

:-))”

“Beautiful pictures. I really love the Pacific Northwest. If only I could afford to uproot the family and move away from all of our extended family here in West Texas...”

“80 in Vancouver, in early April. Hope you didn't have to spend the day inside working.




Can anyone identify this flowering plant?
last edited: 4/07/07 12:44:21 PM”

“USA, flowering red currant? I am saying that because that is what the stuff that Dicentra ID'ed as that a week or so ago that I took a photo of :-)”

“Thanks, sarbar1. I googled your info and came up with a close match to red-flowering currant. But it was definitely pink, so I googled pink-flowering currant and that seemed to match also. Has to be one of the two.”

“Working ???.... hell no... spent the day up along the Pitt River and the marshes. Fortunately the crews took the holiday off from their work to raise all of the dykes here in the Fraser Valley. We're in for a major melt-off pretty soon. Spring has definitely sprung in this neighbourhood
:-)”

“Went to Wallace Falls today.

http://www.thebackpacker.com/pictures/album/2e5fluyt.php

Very nice day hike and free.”

“nice pics USA
looks like a pretty spot”

“Someone told me the “free hiking” was defined as hiking nude.”

“Thanks, helinka. Just finished uploading all the photos. Most were uploaded today.”

“Mount Si Trail is free. Photos from the 4/29/07 hike at:

http://www.thebackpacker.com/pictures/album/gwft5w50.php”