Attn Hikers of NWW...need advice...

[nick c]

My fiance has asked me to plan a day hike for us to do for her birthday (july 6th) since we are trying to save some coin as we are trying to buy a house.

Here's the problem, neither of us are 'hikers'...I'll admit it...we don't hike ever, a few times a year we go out with her family and walk around loggin roads to scout for deer and elk but thats about it.

So I'd like to find a hike within a 90 minute drive of Covington that has some really nice scenery but wont leave me feeling like I'm going to die after 20 minutes of hiking, something with slow elevation changes would be best.

Any ideas? I was thinking about doing the Nisqually Valley Refuge, I know it has some decent walking trails that go out into the flats.

:corn:

 

[64FJ40]

That's a crappy traffic day to try to go anywhere too far away. Mt. Si is pretty close and a well-established hike with nice views. It's been a LONG time since I've been there, so I can't give you a whole lot more info than that.

 

[skrause]

Look for hikes described as "kid friendly", they're the easier ones usually shorter with little elevation change. Twin falls off of 90 would be a good choice for you, not too many vistas but still a nice walk through the forest following the river with a nice waterfall.

http://www.waterfallsnorthwest.com/waterfall.php?num=865&p=0

 

[nick c]

That's a crappy traffic day to try to go anywhere too far away.

ooops...crappy writting on my part. I meant to say her birthday is July 6th but that doesn't mean we will go on that day, we will probably go the weekend after.

thanks for the advice...great starts for me.:awesomework:

 

[Glenn]

How about Tiger Mountain? Just up SR18 from Covington.

 

[Jeepasaurusrex]

Give www.nwhikers.net a try.

 

[Boonie Buster]

Mt. Baker I think has a good one to the glacier, 2-3 miles of fairly slow gains, with a cool view at the end...:eeek:

Mind you, look this one up, I was in middle school when i went...

 

[GRNTACO]

Go out to Ipsut Creek and walk the road from the ranger station to Ipsut Creek campground. The road is closed to motorized traffic becasue it washed out a couple of years ago. It's flat, the old growth forest is cool and tons more scenary along the way.

 

[halemytoy24]

go to the carbon river ranger station its nice up there theres sum nice hikes and not hard no dogs but is awesome to bad ic the road got washed out

 

[gasman1]

Greenwater Lakes trail off the 70rd (past Greenwater) is a nice hike. You can fish the lakes and camp along the shore line.

We have taken our scout troop camping there acouple of times and my family has hiked there for a picnic and swimming.

 

[Pat]

There is several good hikes on the mountain loop highway out of Granite Falls. Heather Lake (easy), Mt Pilchuck, Three Fingers (more difficult), the Ice Caves. The Monte Cristo hike is really cool, its just an old closed road you hike for a couple miles to a ghost town from the 1800's.

 

[Glenn]

Hmmm....but how many are 90 minutes drive?

 

[nwgrand]

Man, the prob. w/ hiking today is anywhere within 100mi. of seattle is jam packed w/people. Its like your not even in the woods. I guess it keep the trails nice and brush free though. That's on the weekends anyhow. If you hit mt. si go to little si, first trail head right after the bridge, much easier hike, good luck parking, dont follow all the other hikers and park in the "no parking" areas or you will get a ticket. I really don't like to hike, but i did like the "twin falls" hike, you get to see a nice fall at the top, it's pretty easy, until the last bit. Good luck.

 

[greenie]

id just say **** it and take her wheelin.
:redneck:

 

[Boxxerace]

Anything near Rainier will be very impressive. There are several spots on Rainier itself that should give you some great views of the mountain and not be a total killer.

I also second Mount Baker. Head up Table mountain (right out of the parking lot). Great views of Baker and Shuksan.

 

[CHOP SHOP]

may be a little too far, but the Ape Caves is worth the drive/hike. and super cool if you walk the trail up and the cave down.:awesomework:

 

[nick c]

id just say **** it and take her wheelin.
:redneck:

Yeah that'd be cool but the wheeler is torn down, and with trying to buy a house now it wont be going back together for a while. Just another NWW webwheeler extrodinaire.

The tow rig doesn't wheel well either. Does good in the dunes but too big for the trails. :redneck:

 

[spidertoy]

nick, me and a couple friends are gonna be hiking in the mountain loop area, and I can vouch for the ease of the big four ice caves, 2 miles, slow gain in elevation, Mt. Pilchuck is another moderate hike, about 2 miles, more gain than the ice caves, but WELL worth it, pm for numbers if you want, my friends are gonna be in town the 2nd through the 13th

 

[jeepermc]

Mt. Si might be a bit much....nice views but.... kinda steep and about 4 miles up. Rattlesnake Ridge would be a good hike. Jump in the lake at the end of the trip back down to cool off.

 

[istone100]

Pls stay away from Mt Pilchuck ... I'm tired of having to drive up to granite falls to find people who can't read the signs ....



http://heraldnet.com/article/200807...#Crews.find.two.hikers.lost.on.Mount.Pilchuck