5 Best Washington Hikes with Dogs in June

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Summer is here (sort of) and it is glorious! Long days, sunnier weather, and temperatures that aren’t yet too hot make June an ideal time of year to go adventuring. The water may still be too cold for proper swim but I’m sure that won’t stop your water-loving pup from testing the calmer waters you encounter.

  1. Twin Falls: 2.6 miles round-trip, 500 feet elevation gain, Central Cascades and Snoqualmie region, Discover Pass. Twin Falls is actually three separate waterfalls but is officially separated into the Upper Falls and the Lower Falls. It’s a very popular hike so get there early/on a weekday. If the river flow is slow enough and the weather warm, there are many little coves to dip your toes. Rio Bravo in North Bend offers delicious corn tortilla enchiladas. Stop by Twede’s Cafe of Twin Peaks fame if you insist, but the pie is overpriced and mediocre, in my humble opinion.
  2. Heybrook Lookout: 2.6 miles round-trip, 850 feet elevation gain, Central Cascades and Snoqualmie region, no parking pass. Great views can be had by climbing the many stairs to the top of this old fire lookout so save this moderately steep hike for a clear day. This is a very popular hike and can get busy on weekends, so get there early or go during a weekday. If you’re craving a delicious milkshake and some fried goodness, check out Zeke’s Drive-In in Gold Bar. If you’d like something a little different, Benjarong in Monroe is a Thai restaurant with delicious Phad See-Ew and Crab Fried Rice that you won’t commonly find on menus.
  3. Oyster Dome: 5.0 miles round-trip, 1050 feet elevation gain, Puget Sound region, Discover Pass. While a rather steep ascent via switchbacks, the expansive mountain and water views along the entirety of the hike are worth the effort and particularly grand on clear days. The area traditionally was dominated by oyster harvesting and logging. The Oyster Bar in Bow pays homage to the former. The food isn’t cheap but lunch is more affordable than dinner with a variety of delicious seafood options–baked oysters, crab cakes, halibut tacos, dungeness crab ravioli, king crab roll.
  4. Lower South Fork Skokomish River: 8.5 miles round-trip, 800 feet elevation gain, Olympics region, Northwest Forest Pass. The river keeps the moss-drenched forest cool for this hike. End your hike through the lush forest at the bridge and waterfall ¼-mile short of the washed away Camp Comfort. Smoking Mo’s in Shelton offers satisfying post-hike sustenance–try the BBQ pulled pork.
  5. Goat Lake (North Cascades): 10.4 miles round-trip, 1400 feet elevation gain, North Cascades region, Northwest Forest Pass. Snow-covered peaks reflected in a sheltered lake, lush old forests, and variety of scenery and trail conditions make this a delightful hike. A longer trek like this deserves a delicious reward: Terracotta Red in Everett has so many tasty bites it’s hard to choose just one–Indonesian corn fritters, pineapple-prawn fried rice, caramelized spicy tiger prawns, wokked Shanghai noodle, confit duck sliders, and Chinese donuts for dessert….yummmm.