Secret Unlocked: Seattle Hikes That Don’t Need a Discover Pass

The rule is simple once you know it. The Discover Pass covers Washington state parks and lands managed by the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Fish and Wildlife. It does not cover Seattle’s city parks, King County parks, or city-owned watershed land, which is why some of the most popular Seattle hikes never ask you to pay for parking.

The Discover Pass is $45 for a year or $10 for a day, so if you only hike a few times a year, these six trailheads let you skip it. They also run from a flat 1.85-mile bluff walk to a 1,760-foot climb, so there is a hike here for most fitness levels. For everything else on the fall calendar, see our fall and winter guide to Seattle.

Hike	Where	Round trip	Elevation gain	Difficulty
Discovery Park Loop	Magnolia, Seattle	2.8 mi	140 ft	Easy
Seward Park Loop	Seward Park, Seattle	2.4 mi	Minimal (paved loop)	Easy
Lincoln Park	West Seattle	1.85 mi	160 ft	Easy
Cougar Mountain (Wilderness Peak Loop)	Issaquah	3.9 mi	~1,200 ft	Moderate
Poo Poo Point (Chirico Trail)	Issaquah	3.8 mi	1,760 ft	Moderate to strenuous
Rattlesnake Ledge	North Bend	4.0 mi	1,160 ft	Moderate

Discovery Park Loop Trail: A Seattle hike to top your list

Seattle’s largest park, at 534 acres, puts a real hike inside the city. The 2.8-mile loop gains only 140 feet as it passes through forest and open meadow, and a side trail of about half a mile drops to South Beach and the West Point Lighthouse.

On a clear fall day the views run across Puget Sound to the Olympics, with Mount Rainier and Mount Baker visible from some points. It is also good birdwatching.

• Getting there: Metro routes 24, 31 and 33 serve the park. Parking is at the East Lot near the Visitor Center, the South Lot off W Emerson Street, and the North Lot via Texas Way.
• Hours: park open 4 a.m.–11 p.m.; Visitor Center Tuesday–Sunday, 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. (closed holidays)
• Distance: 2.8 miles, 140 ft gain

Caveat: The bluff near the headland is unstable, so stay back from the edge. Barred owls in the forested canyons can turn aggressive during nesting season.

Trivia: Discovery Park was dedicated on June 16, 1973, on the grounds of a former military base. Its trails total more than 11 miles.

Seward Park Loop: hiking in Washington for all fitness levels

A forested peninsula in Lake Washington with water on nearly every side. The outer paved loop is 2.4 miles round trip and works for all fitness levels. The interior trails are more rugged, through woods with roots, logs and rocks.

Along the shoreline are benches, views of downtown Seattle, the Seward Park Environmental and Audubon Center, and remnants of a fish hatchery built in 1935.

• Getting there: King County Metro Route 50, or Link light rail to Othello Station and then Route 50. By car, take I-90 east to Exit 3 (Rainier Avenue South), then left on South Orcas Street.
• Distance: 2.4 miles
• Pass: None

Caveat: Poison oak grows along the interior trails, so stay on the path. Dogs must be leashed.

Lincoln Park

West Seattle’s bluff park joins a beachfront trail and a bluff trail with steep connectors, for a loop of about 1.85 miles and 160 feet of gain. From the bluff, the views run over Puget Sound to Vashon Island and the Olympic Mountains, with the beach about 160 feet below.

On the beach trail, cargo ships and Washington State Ferries pass in front of you. Kids can end the walk at the playground, and Coleman Pool is a heated outdoor saltwater pool near the beach.

• Getting there: 8011 Fauntleroy Way SW. RapidRide C Line serves the park.
• Distance: about 1.85 miles, 160 ft gain
• Pass: None

Caveat: The climb back up to the bluff is steep, roughly a 20 percent grade.

Highlight: None of the three city-park hikes above needs a pass, a reservation, or a car. All three are on bus routes.

Cougar Mountain Wilderness Peak Loop

A King County park, not state land, so no Discover Pass. The 3.9-mile lollipop loop climbs about 1,200 feet through some of the biggest, oldest trees on Cougar Mountain, plus mature second-growth stands of ferns, mossy maples and cedars. There are no views, and in fall the forest floor is the show.

The park covers 3,115 acres with 38 miles of trails, which makes it the best place on this list to build your own longer loop. Bicycles are not allowed.

• Drive: ~25 min from Seattle. Take I-90 to Exit 15, then SR 900 south for about 3.2 miles to the Wilderness trailhead.
• Distance: 3.9 miles, ~1,200 ft gain
• Pass: None

Caveat: Car break-ins are reported at this trailhead, so take valuables with you.

Poo Poo Point via the Chirico Trail

The name gets a laugh, but the trail is serious: 3.8 miles round trip with 1,760 feet of climbing, mostly on stone steps. Poo Poo Point sits 1.9 miles from the trailhead.

Paragliders launch from the northwest face and often land in the field beside the trailhead lot, so look up before you cross it. Time a clear afternoon and you may see them step off.

• Drive: ~30 min. Take I-90 Exit 17 (Front Street) in Issaquah and head south. The gravel lot is on Issaquah Hobart Road, 3.1 miles from the freeway.
• Distance: 3.8 miles, 1,760 ft gain
• Pass: None at the lot, which is on King County land

Caveat: Portable toilets only, and no water. WTA does not say whether a pass applies on the short stretch inside Tiger Mountain State Forest, so check current signage.

Rattlesnake Ledge

It stays pass-free because the trail sits on land managed by the City of Seattle (the Cedar River Watershed), not by the state. The hike is 4.0 miles round trip and 1,160 feet up to a rocky ledge over Rattlesnake Lake.

It is well maintained and busy. Go on a weekday or early on a weekend, or plan on company at the top.

• Drive: ~40 min. Take I-90 Exit 32 (436th Ave SE) and follow it about four miles to the lot on your right.
• Distance: 4.0 miles, 1,160 ft gain
• Pass: None listed

Local Tip: The middle and upper ledges are usually much quieter than the main ledge, per WTA.

Caveat: Some GPS apps still route to 208th Ave SE in Hobart, a road that now dead-ends about seven miles short of the trailhead. Navigate to the Rattlesnake Lake lot off 436th.

If You Do Want a State-Land Trail

Three ways to get onto Discover Pass land without paying for a year:

• Fee-free days. Washington lists free days on state parks and DNR and WDFW lands. The last one left in 2026 is Veterans Day, Wednesday, November 11. Sno-Park permits are still required for Sno-Parks.
• Borrow one from the library. Check Out Washington lends Discover Passes through participating libraries. Seattle Public Library’s program runs on holds, and loans are timed for hiking season, so reserve early. The state lists one-week loans; SPL’s announcement says two weeks, so confirm at checkout. SPL also lends museum passes: see how to use library museum passes.
• Buy a day pass. $10 covers one day of parking.

Two traps: Squak Mountain, close to Cougar Mountain, is a state park and needs a Discover Pass. And Franklin Falls is on national forest land, where the Discover Pass is not valid; it takes a $5 day or $30 annual federal pass instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Discover Pass cost?
$45 for an annual pass or $10 for a day. The annual price rose from $30 on October 1, 2025.

What happens if I park at a state trailhead without one?
You risk a $99 citation, so sort out a pass or pick a pass-free trailhead before you drive out.

Are Seattle city parks always free to hike?
Yes. Discovery Park, Seward Park, Lincoln Park and the rest of Seattle’s city parks never require a Discover Pass.

Is Squak Mountain pass-free like Cougar Mountain?
No. Squak Mountain is a Washington state park and requires a Discover Pass.

Which hike gives the best payoff for the least effort?
Discovery Park’s loop: Puget Sound and a lighthouse on gentle terrain, reachable by bus.

Conclusion

Start with Discovery Park or Seward Park for a no-planning hike, then save Cougar Mountain or Rattlesnake Ledge for a weekend when you want real elevation gain. Afterward, warm up with hot apple cider in Seattle, or if the weather turns, see indoor ideas for adults.

References

• Discovery Park Loop Trail, Washington Trails Association: https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/discovery-park-loop-trail
• Seward Park, Washington Trails Association: https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/seward-park
• Lincoln Park, Washington Trails Association: https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/lincoln-park
• Poo Poo Point (Chirico Trail), Washington Trails Association: https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/poo-poo-point-chirico-trail
• Rattlesnake Ledge, Washington Trails Association: https://wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/rattlesnake-ledge
• Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park, Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cougar_Mountain_Regional_Wildland_Park
• Cougar Mountain Wilderness Peak Loop, Hike of the Week: https://www.hikeoftheweek.com/2021/04/15/cougar-mountain-wilderness-peak-loop/
• Discover Pass free days for 2026, Washington State Parks: https://parks.wa.gov/node/3159
• Check Out Washington, Discover Pass program: https://discoverpass.wa.gov/node/98
• Check out a Discover Pass, Seattle Public Library: https://calendar.spl.org/about-us/news-releases/check-out-a-discover-pass-for-free-parking-in-wa-state-parks
• Discover Pass price increase, Sequim Gazette: https://www.sequimgazette.com/?p=102051
• Franklin Falls Trailhead, US Forest Service: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/mbs/recreation/franklin-falls-trailhead
• Visit Seattle, top attractions (Discovery Park): https://visitseattle.org/things-to-do/sightseeing/top-25-attractions/