The heat is suddenly here and everyone will be flocking to our local waterways. In addition to being crowded, our waterways aren’t the safest places during the rapid snowmelt that comes with our first heat wave of the year. The awesome thing about our area is that we have so many amazing forests that can keep us cool on the hottest days. Below are my recommendations of hikes that should currently be snow-free, shady, and keep you away from the big bodies of water that will be rushing and dangerous right now.

From my first guide “little feet hiking”:

-Vancouver Lake North Trail (stay out of the lake due to hazardous lake conditions)

-Salmon-Morgan Creeks Natural Area (there is a small creek on this hike)

-WSU Cougar Trails (there is a small creek on this hike)

-Whipple Creek (there is a small creek on this hike)

-Volcano View Trail (need Ape Cave Parking reservation)

-Whistle Punk Trail

-Saddle Dam (there is a small creek on this hike)

-Goat Marsh Lake

-Summit Springs (the creeks you cross will be running high, but probably couldn’t sweep you away)

From my second guide “little feet hiking two”:

-Columbia Springs

-Battle Ground Lake

-Lower Marble Creek Falls

-Fort Cascades Historic Site (stay on the trail to avoid the Columbia River)

-Merrill Lake Conservation Area

-Cedar Flats Natural Area

-Lacamas Lower Falls (Lacamas Creek will be rushing, but the trail doesn’t go close to it)

-Pacific Crest from Trout Creek

-Larch Mountain (WA)

From my third guide “little feet hiking: Mt. Hood”:

-Barlow Wayside

-Lost Creek (there is a creek, but it shouldn’t be so rushing that it carries you away)

-any of the three Lost Lake hikes in my book

-Catalpa Lake

-Still Creek Trail (there is a large creek at the turnaround point)

-Pioneer Bridle Trail

-Meditation Point

-Hidden Lake

-Lower Twin Lake

From my fourth guide “little feet hiking: Columbia River Gorge”:

-Bridal Veil Falls (there is creek access here, but it shouldn’t be so rushing that it carries you away)

-Latourell Falls (there is creek access here, but it shouldn’t be so rushing that it carries you away)

-Larch Mountain Environmental Education Site (there is a small creek here)

-Larch Mountain Summit

-Wahkeena and Fairy Falls (needs corridor reservation, creek crossings)

-Nellie Corser Wildlife Area (there is creek access here, but it shouldn’t be so rushing that it carries you away)

-Dry Creek Falls (there is creek access here, but it shouldn’t be so rushing that it carries you away)

-Emerald Falls (there is creek access here, but it shouldn’t be so rushing that it carries you away)

-Skamania Lodge Trails

-Fort Cascades (stay on the trail to avoid the Columbia River)