Hot hiking tips: How to find the trails less traveled in Washington state

Yogi Berra once said of a popular restaurant, "Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded." The same could be said for Washington state's popular trails.

Many Washingtonians have similar tales of venturing out to a trail, with hopes of some outdoor unwinding. Instead, they find lines, crowds, and that one person blaring Skrillex from a portable speaker.

“The main thing to remember is a lot of people live in Washington, a lot of people live here because the hiking is so good,” said Anna Roth, who manages digital content for the Washington Trails Association.

“The first thing I keep in mind when I’m trying to get outside is I’m probably going to be sharing the trail," she said. "It doesn’t matter what time of day, what time of year. Especially with work-from-home being a little bit more common these days, people have flexible schedules. I think people are prioritizing getting outside. … I might want to get outside and have my time in nature, by myself, but so does everybody else. I’m also their trail traffic.”

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When Rattlesnake Ledge was designed more than 20 years ago, about 70,000 people were expected to use the trail each year. Today, however, it's among the most popular trails in the state with about 300,000 hikers using it annually. Another example is the popularity of Mount Rainier. Concerns have been raised about increased trash and damage to park sites. There is now a reservation system just to access Mount Rainier.

Washington's trails are filling up, but all is not hopeless. It is possible to find a lesser-traveled trail for a little nature and solitude, or at least having a pleasant outdoor experience and not so much the feeling you are in line at the airport.

Seattle Now got a few hiking hacks and tips while chatting with Roth. See below for trail recommendations.

• If you haven’t heard of the hike, it likely has fewer people. You probably have heard about Mount Si or Rattlesnake Ledge, so has everybody else. That's why they're all there. So, if a trail doesn't sound familiar, give it a try.
• There's an app for that! Washington Trails Association has an app, with search filters, to help find trails. It incorporates user feedback, so hikers can leave comments about trail conditions, popularity, etc. There are more than 4,000 trails on the app. Check it out here.
• This one is for the rugged, rough and tough hikers who don't mind a little extra work on the trail. When using the WTA app, Roth recommends looking for trails that have no recent trail reports. Also look for reports that state the trail is not in the best condition (trees to crawl over, etc.) If you want a trail others aren't likely to venture on, this could be an option if you don't mind a little difficulty.
• Get to the trailhead early, and try hiking during weekdays. Yes, this is not new advice. Everybody hears it around here. That's because it's true and it works.

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The discussion on Seattle Now also produced a few trail recommendations, depending on what you're looking for.

• Mount Teneriffe (Cascade Mountains): The trail is quite challenging. Rather than taking the popular Teneriffe Falls trail, try the switch-backing road for a long hike to the peaks.
• Mount Walker (Olympic Peninsula, near Hood Canal): Roth notes that this hike is "a burner." But it's fairly accessible year-round.
• LBA Park (Olympia): Great for families. Four miles of lowkey walking trails with plenty of signage.
• Redmond Watershed Preserve: Depending on how rugged your chair is, this trail could be good for folks using a wheelchair. At least there's one wheelchair-friendly trail.
• Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge (on the Nisqually River delta, near JBLM): Make sure you have $3 to cover the entrance fee (unless you have a National Wildlife Refuge Pass). This is a wetland trail with some boardwalks that goes out into tidelands.
• Rattlesnake Mountain (along I-90 outside of North Bend): Yes, everybody knows about Rattlesnake Ledge. But if you can get past the popular Rattlesnake Ledge trail, try going a little further to the east peak. Not as many people opt to take this next stretch. Also, consider trying a more ambitious hike to the ledge from the other side, starting at Snoqualmie Point Park (this is a 10.5 mile hike, one way).
• Kid friendly halfway hikes: Want to take the kids but don't want to take them the total distance. These trails have nice turnaround points.
• Barrier-free trails

Listen to the full discussion about hiking in Washington with Anna Roth on Seattle Now.

KUOW's Dyer Oxley contributed to this article.