Pacific Northwest hikes to beat the heat (and hotels to stay cool)

Summer hiking in the Pacific Northwest is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it’s rare that rain will ruin your plans, but on the other, it can be very hot. At its most oppressive, scorching weather can make exploring the outdoors feel more like a chore (even when you get an early start).

Still, there are plenty of cool destinations, in every sense of the word, with scenery that’s as refreshing as it is remarkable. So lace your boots and fill up your Hydro Flask — this is how you hike to beat the heat. 

These trails are listed from easy to most difficult, based on distance and elevation, but your experience may vary. Check for parking and permit requirements before you go.

Coal Creek Falls

Distance: 2.5 miles

Elevation: 416 feet

Shade. Dappled light reaches the forest floor with much less bite thanks to the leafy canopy of Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park. Just outside of Bellevue, you can wander the network of criss-crossing trails to your heart’s content, but if you prefer not to get lost, make sure to snap a picture of the map to bring with you. To the discerning eye, remnants of the area’s industrial past (primarily logging and coal mining) can be seen among the dense underbrush. Stick to the marked routes, lest you run afoul of stinging nettle, or worse, tumble into a cave. During drier months, the flow becomes a trickle, but it remains an easier-to-reach place for quiet reflection.

Fall Creek Falls

Distance: 3.4 miles

Elevation: 750 feet

Spray. At 335-feet tall, this tiered drop is one of southern Washington’s biggest waterfalls — an exhilarating spectacle that only gets better when you feel the mist on your face. To get there, follow a meandering path that runs along (and sometimes across) its namesake, skirting around mossy cliff faces and traversing gnarled roots. Along the way, smaller streams pour over fallen rocks, teasing what’s to come. Before you can work up too much of a sweat, the valley opens up to reveal a lofty shower, thundering its way over natural obstacles with a grace you can feel yourself gravitate toward.

Mirror Lake

Distance: 4 miles

Elevation: 640 feet

Swim. Set out with dreams of diving into glassy water, rippling a reflection of Mount Hood that rises just beyond the treeline. This trailhead is located right off Highway 26 and has switchbacks that take the sting out of the ascent, making it ideal for a family outing. On the way up, rhododendrons add pops of pink beneath boughs of Douglas fir, cedar, hemlock, and 10 well-built footbridges carry you over gurgling brooks. On the western side (take a right at the fork at the top) you’ll find a narrow beach dotted with rocks and logs and a primitive campground set back from the shoreline.

Saddle Mountain

Distance: 5.2 miles

Elevation: 1,634 feet

See the sea. With proper timing and a bit of luck, you can have your granola bar — and eat it too. That means experiencing the roiling coastal fog, which lends an otherworldly quality to the alder woods at the base of this aptly named crag, while also rising above it to take in sweeping views as far as the Astoria Column and the mouth of the Columbia River. By nature of being near the ocean, temperatures tend to stay comfortable, creating a microclimate that cultivates rare wildflowers on the upper slopes. After the steep final stretch (metal grating is there for extra grip) a picnic at the peak is fully deserved.

No Name Lake

Distance: 14 miles

Elevation: 2,500 feet

Snow. Chances are when you finally reach this turquoise-hued tarn nestled near the summit of Broken Top, there will be plenty of slush leftover from the previous winter, even in August. For a shorter alpine climb, you can brave the rough roads (four-wheel drive and high clearance recommended) to the Broken Top Trailhead, but starting at Todd Lake is another option, albeit longer on the legs. Once you’re clear of the treeline, it’s pretty exposed — at high altitudes the sun can be brutal, but the vistas of Mount Bachelor are unmatched. Once you reach your goal, keep in mind that the waters are fed directly by Crook Glacier — we’ll leave it up to you whether you try a foot bath or go for the cold plunge. 

Hotels to stay cool

Sometimes when your whole body is tired, the last thing you want is a long drive home. These accommodations cater to your creature comforts, with the added benefit of being on the doorstep to incredible outdoor recreation.

The Lodge at St. Edward Park is a historic hotel located just 25 minutes outside of Seattle, surrounded by Saint Edward State Park's 316 acres of dense and tranquil forests on the shores of Lake Washington. After a day of hiking, biking, paddleboarding or exploring the Romanesque Revival-style brick buildings of the former Catholic seminary, kick back at Vita Nova Spa and refuel at Cedar + Elm restaurant.

Icicle Village Resort is the perfect getaway for families of all generations, ensuring fun and comfort for everyone. Nestled in Leavenworth, this property is the ideal home base for a weekend spent exploring the local trails (Sauer’s Mountain offers panoramic views of the Cascades). 

Staff at the Heliotrope Hotel in Bellingham enthusiastically and knowledgeably supports visitors' excursions. Less than a mile from downtown, this property is near some of the region's top hiking and biking trails. Galbraith Mountain is just 10 minutes from the lobby, with Mount Baker and North Cascades National Park a day trip away.

Header photo by Brian Guiney/@fivealive55