Where should I take my mom hiking near Olympia, WA?

June 15, 2008 8:45 AM

What's a good place to take my Mom hiking in the Olympia, WA area? She's got endurance for a decently long, steep walk, but she's afraid of heights and won't walk on loose or slippery surfaces.

That means a packed-down or paved trail, and no vertigo-inducing views. No river crossings or anything that requires feats of balance, strength, or flexibility. However, strenuous hills are fine. I'm hoping to find something within an hour or two of Olympia.

posted by scose to sports, hobbies, & recreation (4 comments total)

The Skyline Trail at Paradise, Mt. Rainier national park.

Or just MRNP in general... there are thousands of trails and I'm sure many of them fit your requirements. If you call them or stop by the ranger station, they can surely recommend something.
posted by qxntpqbbbqxl at 9:06 AM on June 15, 2008

(although you should call ahead to get conditions before you leave... the skyline trail isn't usually clear of snow until july)
posted by qxntpqbbbqxl at 9:11 AM on June 15, 2008

Head to The Evergreen State College, and check out the forest trail behind campus. There's lots of entry points, but I tend to use the one behind Parking Lot F, up towards the dorms. Long as you stay on the trail, you'll avoid all those factors your mom isn't into. If you go all the way in, you'll reach the edge of Budd Inlet and have a nice view of the ocean. There's a little bit of steepness involved in going all the way, but it's tempered with some switchbacks.

Folks on campus can give you directions if you can't find the trail, but I'm pretty sure F-Lot is marked on the campus directories.

Hope you have fun! It's really, really pretty back there.
posted by EatTheWeak at 11:25 AM on June 15, 2008

Two hours northwest (one hour west, one hour north) of Olympia up 101: Lake Quinault. There is a 7-ish mile loop on the south side of the lake, on the south side of the road, that can be accessed right across from the lodge. Rain or shine, it's absolutely beautiful.
posted by Incognita at 8:11 AM on June 16, 2008