Fall is my favorite time of year, not entirely because my birthday is in the fall (well… that’s most of it) but also because it means fun fall activities like corn mazes, haunted houses and jumping into a pile of dead leaves. I’m secretly twelve at heart but that’s besides the point. The best thing to do in the fall is go hiking. It’s always too hot in the summer and far too cold in the winter which makes Spring and Fall the best seasons. The wonderful thing about Seattle is that we live roughly an hour away from some of the most beautiful views in the Pacific Northwest. So grab a car and friend and go be one with nature and find your inner peace. I’ve recommended three hikes, one short, one medium and one long one. I have personally hiked all three and they remain to this day as the three best.
Bandera Mountain
Not going to lie, this one kicked my butt. It’s a roughly 7 mile round-trip hike that brings you along the Ira Spring Creek. The interesting thing about this hike is the change in foliage going up the mountain. Going in the early fall is ideal due to the green forestry that resides up on the east hillside. The challenge, however, is overcoming the steep incline changes towards the latter half of the 3-mile marker and the lack of a clearly defined path. But the view at the top was most definitely worth the wheezing.
Franklin Falls
Possibly the least challenging hike for the beautiful scenery, Franklin Falls provides people with, in my opinion – the most bang for their buck. It’s a short 7 mile round-trip that features scenic routes and very clearly created paths. The very end presents the gargantuan Franklin Falls. While I think this hike is more fun in the Spring, it’s still a cool one that isn’t terribly time consuming, so if you’re trying to get some fresh air on a Saturday, this is the place to go.
Carbon Glacier/Green Lake Trail
Full disclosure, last Veteran’s Day, my friends (yes, I have those) and I got lost on this trail and didn’t end up getting home until 8 pm when we left at 8 am. We meant to do a different hike, but picked the wrong trail, regardless, this hike remains as my favorite hike of all time. The hike climbs about 2,000 feet of elevation over 6 miles and it’s a fairly steady incline. The problem is that during the Fall there is snow and ice on the ground, which makes traversing the slick rope bridge over the river absolutely terrifying. The hike itself takes you up to the beautiful Mowich Lake which is entirely glacier run-off. On top of that, you will also have one of the best views of Mt. Rainier ever. Besides Bandera, this is probably the most difficult hike I have been on but also remains as one of the greatest bonding experiences I’ve ever had.
