Oyster Dome
This hike is only a short drive from Bellingham, and the moderate difficulty and condition of the trails makes this a great year-round hike. Although it is a rather busy location, the trails are never really crowded, but you will definitely meet people on the way up. The trail forks a few miles in, and you can take a left to find great spots for rock climbing. If you take a right, you will find yourself on the way to an amazing lookout located on a cliff, overlooking Puget Sound and many of the islands.
LENGTH: 5.0 mi roundtrip DIFFICULTY: 3/5 TYPE: Day hike
Mt. Pilchuck
This hike is a very popular one, with a heavily trafficked trail that gets busy on the weekends. There are beautiful views all the way up the trail, and lots of different experiences on the way up. There are plenty of spots to scramble on rocks, and if there is snow, you can snowshoe as well. When, you get to the top, you'll be able to go into an old fire lookout built on the peak. If you want this to be a multi-day camping trip, you can also spend the night in the lookout, and head back down the next morning.
LENGTH: 5.4 mi roundtrip DIFFICULTY: 3/5 TYPE: Day hike/ Overnight
Three Fingers
This challenging hike is definitely one of the best ones around. There are amazing views all the way up, with the best being the very peak. You'll have to ride uphill for about 8 miles before you make it to the trailhead, with another 8 or so miles to hike. When you start nearing the top, you'll have to traverse several glaciers, so be sure to bring ice axes and crampons if you're going earlier in the year. Without these, it can be too dangerous to cross the final one. To get to the peak, you'll need to climb about 30ft of wooden ladders, after which you'll be greeted with an old fire lookout and panoramic views of the Cascades, Puget Sound, and the Olympics, just to name a few. Although it is possible to make it up and down in one day, it is highly reccommended to stay the night in the lookout.
LENGTH: 16 mi roundtrip DIFFICULTY: 4.5/5 TYPE: Overnight