10 Breathtaking Mountains In Washington

The mountains in Washington State are famous for their beauty. Washington has some of the tallest mountains in the lower 48 states and some of the most breathtaking. The most famous of the mountain ranges in Washington is the Cascade Mountains. The tallest and most well-known mountain in Washington, Mount Rainier, is part of the Cascade Mountains. Washington mountains are not always easy to hike and climb because some of them have very high elevations. But the views from the snow-capped peaks are simply unforgettable.

10 Breathtaking Mountains In Washington

Many of the tallest mountains in Washington are in the Cascade Mountain Range. Some of them you may have heard of before. And many you will recognize from seeing images of them in books and online. Even if you are not familiar with all 10 of these stunning mountains in Washington they are worth a trip to see.

Mount Rainier

Located in: Mount Rainier National Park

Height: 14,417 feet

Nearby City:  Olympia

Known For: Mount Rainier is one of the most well-known mountains in the United States. It’s an active volcano that towers over the landscape and is one of the most beautiful spots in the country. Mount Rainier sits in the heart of Mount Rainier State Park where you will find amazing camping, hiking, trail running, and other outdoor activities all year long. The park is not designed to be tourist-friendly so while there are hundreds of hiking trails there aren’t a lot of paved roads. Many of the trails are beginner hiker friendly however so there’s something for everyone.

Hiking to the summit of Mount Rainier is a different story. Of all the mountains in Washington Mount Rainier has the steepest incline and the tallest summit. Hikers who want to attempt to reach the summit will be hiking over ten miles with near vertical ascent for a good chunk of that mileage. Hikers need to be in great physical condition. They also will need glacial rope safety knowledge and rock climbing skills. It’s a good idea to practice on lower elevations before attempting to hike to the summit of Mount Rainier.

Mount St. Helens

Located in: Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument

Height: 8, 366 feet

Nearby City:  Cougar

Known For: Mount St. Helens is another active volcano mountain. The most famous eruption of Mount St. Helens was in 1980 when the mountain erupted with a massive explosion that caused the biggest landslide in U.S. history. While such a huge deadly eruption has never happened since experts warn that it could. Mount St. Helens remains the most active volcano in the United States today.

There is a large Visitor’s Center at Mount St. Helens that functions as the gateway to the actual mountain. At the Visitor’s Center, there is lots of information about the volcano. Kids love seeing the interactive displays about the eruption of the volcano.  There are some convenience facilities on-site and places to get trail maps and camping and hiking essentials.

You can also get any permits or passes that are needed for camping, fishing, hiking, and other activities. There are many trails that start at the Visitor’s Center and wind around the mountain. These trails range from beginner to advanced so there is something for everyone. But only the most experienced hikers should attempt to hike to the summit.

Also near the Visitor’s Center are paths around Silver Lake and the protected wildlife habitats nearby. These trails offer fantastic wildlife views and are a lot of fun for families with kids.

Mount Baker

Located in: Snoqualmie National Forest

Height: 10,781 feet

Nearby City:  Little Glacier

Known For: Like most of the Cascade Mountains in Washington Mount Baker is a volcano, although it’s a very young volcano geologically speaking. It also has the second-heaviest glacier cover. What Mount Baker is really famous for is snow. Lots of snow. Massive amount of snow. It’s one of the snowiest places in the entire world. In 1999 the Mount Baker Ski Area set a record for snowfall by receiving almost 100 feet of snow in one season.

Skiing, skating, and winter sports are the most common activities that people travel to Mount Baker for. But there are also hiking trails and intrepid hikers who have lots of experience with snow and cold-weather hiking to hike Mount Baker. Some hikers use Mount Baker as a trial run for the snow-covered mountains in Alaska. Or they use winter hiking at Mount Baker as a way to sharpen their rock climbing and extreme weather hiking skills.

Even at Mount Baker, it can’t snow all the time. During the summer hikers who want to brave the steep trails can also take advantage of other activities in the area like a meal at the famous Heather Meadows Café situated at the base of Mount Baker with stunning mountain views.

Mount Adams

Located in: Gifford Pinchot National Forest

Height: 12,280 feet

Nearby City:  Yakima

Known For: Most of Mount Adams sits in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, but some of it is on the Yakima Indian Reservation. Mount Adams is one of the older mountains in the Cascade Mountains. It’s estimated that volcanic activity began on Mount Adams more than 900,000 years ago.

Mount Adams and the protected land around it is an outdoor lover’s dream. Visitors can hike, camp, bike, run the trails, ride  4-wheelers and ATVs, ride horses and camp with horses, swim, kayak, fish, and much more. If you are brave enough to try and hike to the summit of Mount Adams you can try the Mount Adams South Climb trail. It’s a challenging trail that you must be at least an intermediate hiker to take on. But the views from the summit, after you complete this 13-mile trek, will amaze you.

Glacier Peak

Located in: Glacier Peak Wilderness

Height: 10,541 feet

Nearby City:  Seattle

Known For: Glacier Peak is the most isolated of the Cascade Mountains in Washington. There are no amenities like you might find at other popular mountains. But if you do head out to Glacier Peak what you’ll find is worth the trip. If you can make it to the summit you’ll find prehistoric lava deposits and other fascinating geological finds. There are also some pretty spectacular views from the top of Glacier Peak.

 But, like the other mountains in this range getting to the top can be a challenge. Surrounding the summit are more than 30 glacial peaks, which is where the name Glacier Peak comes from. You must have experience hiking glaciers and dealing with snow and cold to make this trek.

If hiking to the summit isn’t for you but you still want to enjoy the stunning natural beauty of the area and the lower parts of the mountain there are more than 19 trails that are rated for all abilities. You can hike, run, bike, camp, and ride horses in the beautiful Glacier Peak Wilderness Area all year long.

Mount Storm King

Located in: Olympic National Park

Height: 4,534 feet

Nearby City:  Port Angeles

Known For: Mount Storm King is one of the most challenging mountains in Washington to hike. Even though it doesn’t have the high elevation that some of the Cascade Mountains have it’s still a tough climb. Nearly the entire trail to the summit is vertical incline. In fact, to get to the summit you’ll have to pull yourself up there with a series of ropes after having completed the climb from the base. Don’t skip leg day if you want to try this hike. You’ll need strong legs to propel yourself up those last feet to the summit.

You can start the summit trail at the Storm King Ranger Station with a light walk. There is a side trail that goes to the Marymere Falls. It’s about a mile loop and it’s a great warmup before you try the ascent to the summit. The first two miles of the trail aren’t that difficult, but the last three miles of the summit trail are almost straight incline. You will be climbing and rock scrambling almost the entire way. If you can make it to the summit you’ll be rewarded with a stunning view of Crescent Lake below.

Bonanza Peak

Located in: Wenatchee National Forest

Height: 9,511 feet

Nearby City:  Lucerne

Known For: Bonanza Peak is a stunning mountain to see and a difficult one to climb. There are three active glaciers adjacent to this mountain and a steep incline. That means that hikers who want to try for the summit will need to have advanced mountaineering skills. They also need to be great at rock scrambling or else they won’t make it to the summit. To get near Bonanza Peak you’ll have to take a ferry to Lucerne, then hike about 13 miles from Lucerne. It’s not an easy hike and this isn’t a trek for tourists. This is an expedition that serious climbers use to challenge themselves or build up their skills so that they can take on larger mountains like those in Alaska.

Mount Shuksan

Located in: North Cascades National Park

Height: 9,131 feet

Nearby City:  Little Glacier

Known For: This mountain is one of the most recognizable images of the mountains in Washington. It’s also just 11 miles from the Canadian border. Mount Shuksan is a mountain that offers people who aren’t expert hikers the chance for some fun in the snow and easier mountain climbs. However, that doesn’t mean that beginners can reach the summit without help. If you’re not a very skilled hiker or experienced with mountaineering techniques it’s best to have a guide take you to the summit of the mountain. The breathtaking views will be worth the challenge of getting to the top.

If you are an experienced hiker with mountaineering experience and you want to try the ascent on  your own or with friends you will need to take the trail that leads up Sulphide Glacier and from there get the trail that will take you all the way to the top of Mount Shuksan.

Mount Olympus

Located in: Olympic National Park

Height: 7,979 feet

Nearby City:  Port Angeles

Known For: Mount Olympus is often called the crown jewel of the Olympic mountains in Washington. The summit is rocky and snow-covered for most of the year so snow hiking knowledge is essential. The start of the trek to the summit begins just a couple of hundred feet above sea level. As the main summit trail winds up the mountain you will experience forest hiking, meadows, and then glacial hiking and snow as the elevation increases. The incline through the snow can be particularly difficult for hikers who haven’t had a lot of experience with mountain climbing.

Some of the trails at the lower elevation of the mountain can be hiked in sections or done as part of a day hike. But if you’re going to be pushing to reach the summit you’ll need to do some mountain camping. Most of the time it takes 4-5 days for hikers to get from the start of the trail to the summit, and that’s in good weather. It could take longer if the weather isn’t cooperating.

Mount Fernow

Located in: Wenatchee National Forest

Height: 9,249 feet

Nearby City:  Lucerne

Known For: The views from the summit of Mount Fernow are extraordinary. But it will take some rock scrambling and heavy trekking to see them. Mount Fernow is one of the highest mountains in Washington and the summit is very rocky. The last bit of a climb to the summit is a rock scramble so anyone that tries to reach the summit needs to be comfortable with scrambling the last bit of the trail.

If you’re ambitious and want to get to the summit in a day you can take the Phelps Creek Trail. It will get you to the summit in a day if you keep a steady pace. But most people take a couple of days to reach the summit camping along the way. The Entiat Trail is the easiest trail to the summit and allows for a slower pace. If you want to challenge yourself and climb the ice of this glacial mountain you can test your skills on the North Face with the Holden Trail.

10 Tallest Mountains In Washington

• Mount Rainier
• Mount Adams
• Mount Baker
• Glacier Peak
• Bonanza Peak
• Mount Stuart
• Mount Fernow
• Goode Mountain
• Mount Shuksan
• Buckner Mountain

Highest Point In Washington

Mount Rainier- 14,417 feet

Summary Of The 10 Most Breathtaking Mountains In Washington

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Vidpen/Shutterstock.com