Fall foliage chasing is a real sport out here in the Pacific Northwest. From Bellevue’s hotels and restaurants, you’re minutes from forested lowlands, waterfall canyons, and golden alpine ridges. Use this guide to catch the brilliant colors of maples blazing in the foothills, vine maple tunnels around Snoqualmie Pass, and golden larches in the North Cascades.

How to read this guide
Each hike lists distance & gain, pass, and pet policy. Always check the conditions link before you go; early snow, fire closures, or parking changes can pop up in fall.

Nearby Fall Foliage Hikes

Here are some hikes located just 15 to 25 minutes from downtown Bellevue, located in our neighboring Issaquah Alps. 

Coal Creek Falls (Cougar Mountain)

After the first autumn rains, the falls wake back up and big-leaf maples light the forest gold at Cougar Mountain, perfect for families and mellow mileage. The Coal Creek Falls hike is about a 2.5 mile loop with a 400 ft elevation gain. Bring your four legged friend to this one - leash required. If you're looking for a guided tour, try the Global Family Travels' Hidden History Hike of the Hidden Coal Mines to explore the 3.5 mile trail. 

West Tiger 3 (Tiger Mountain)

The West Tiger 3 Trail at Tiger Mountain is a local classic with steady climb, forest color, and a summit bench view. It's a great training hike with shoulder-season ambiance, coming in at 5 miles round trip with 2,100 feet of elevation gain. You'll need a discover pass for this one, and dogs are totally allowed to hike with you on a leash.

Waterfall & Forest Tunnel Hikes

Try these hikes located just 30 to 60 minutes from Bellevue, along the I-90 corridor.

Twin Falls (Olallie State Park)

The Twin Falls hike is a local favorite located in Olallie State Park (so you'll need a Discover Pass). The out and back trail is about 3 miles round trip with 500 feet of elevation. This trail heads east along the South Fork Snoqualmie River, and you'll get river views, forest immersion, and three whole cascades! Expect spots and accents of fall color amid an evergreen backdrop. Bring your dog on a leash!

Franklin Falls 

Franklin Falls is in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, where you'll need a Northwest Forest Pass for admission. With a 2 mile round trip and 400 feet of elevation gain, this hike rewards you with a short, photogenic gorge walk to a 70-ft plunge framed by fall color. Dogs allowed on leash.

Snow Lake (Alpental)

Snow Lake delivers beautiful Alpine scenery, and is one of the most popular lakes in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. With a 7.2 mile round trip hike and 1,800 feet of elevation gain, you'll want to visit with a Northwest Forest Pass for views of blue water, red huckleberry hillsides, and crisp autumn air. Dogs allowed on leash. You don't want to do this trail in the winter because of avalanche risks, so get it done this fall!

Mount Si (North Bend)

Mount Si is one of the most popular hikes in the state with old growth forests, wildlife, and a summit full of drama. Truly a rite-of-passage hike in the Pacific Northwest, Mount Si gifts us with fiery vine maple on the lower switchbacks, and sweeping valley views up top. It's an 8 mile hike roundtrip, with 3,200 feet of elevation gain. Bring your Discover Pass and your four legged hiking buddy on a leash.

Iconic National Park Day Trip

You'll want to get an early start to your day for this iconic Mount Rainier hike, located within a two hour drive of Bellevue.

Skyline Loop Trail (Paradise, Mount Rainier)

Meadows flame bronze and red, marmots hustle before winter, and views to Nisqually Glacier pop on clear days in the fall on the Skyline Loop Trail. The 5.5 mile loop grants you 1,700 feet of elevation gain, and this popular hike requires a National Park entrance fee. In 2025 the park used timed-entry earlier in the season; always verify current rules on the official NPS page.

Color-Chasing North Cascades

Oh, the North Cascades National Park. It's such an expansive one with a variety of beautiful terrains, and is actually the least visited National Park in America. It's really huge and goes all the way to Canada, and totally worth checking out for iconic fall foliage, just a 2 hour drive from Bellevue.

Heather–Maple Pass Loop (Rainy Pass)

One of Washington's premier larch hikes, the Heather-Maple Pass Loop is an incredible display of golden trees around Lake Ann with panorama after panorama. It'll take you on a 7.2 mile loop with 2,020 feet of elevation gain, and you'll need a Northwest Forest Pass for this one.

Yellow Aster Butte (Mount Baker area)

Known for its supreme wildflower gardens and spectacular alpine vistas, the Yellow Aster Butte hike grants stunning fall foliage. Expect huckleberry reds and ridgeline views to Baker and Shuksan, along with a tarn-studded plateau near the top. It's a 7.5 mile round trip with 2,550 feet of elevation gain, and you may hike with your dogs on leash as long as you have a Northwest Forest Pass.

Naches Peak Loop (Chinook Pass / MRNP border)

The Naches Peak Loop is a "greatest hits" loop with subalpine color and glorious Rainier Views. Coming in at 3.2 miles roundtrip, this hike gifts you stunning scenery with just 600 feet of elevation gain. The loop is best done clockwise for outstanding views of Mount Rainier, and a Northwest Forest Pass is required for admission.

Chuckanut Drive Add-Ons 

Make it a leaf-peeping drive on scenic SR-11 (Chuckanut Drive) and stretch your legs at one of these classic trailheads in the Bellingham area, located an hour and a half or two hours north of Bellevue.

Oyster Dome (Blanchard State Forest)

Explore the rocky promontory on the western slop of Blanchard Mountain with the Oyster Dome hike, an extension of the Cascades that comes out from the ocean. The cliffs, the second growth forest, giant stumps, and beautiful wildlife are a must. Get in with a Discover pass for this 5 mile round trip hike with 1,050 feet of elevation gain.

Fragrance Lake (Larrabee State Park)

Coming in at 4 miles round trip, the Fragrance Lake hike takes you on 1,260 feet of elevation gain with a Discover Pass. Enjoy a ferny, classic PNW forest with lake reflections and a stellar bay viewpoint spur on this dog friendly hike.

Trip-Smart Tips from Bellevue

When color peaks:

• High country (larches): usually early–mid October (weather dependent). Maple Pass is the marquee choice—WTA notes larches ring the lakes in fall.
• Mid-elevation I-90 corridor: mid–late October.
• Lowland parks (Cougar/Tiger): late Oct–early Nov.

Pass cheat-sheet:

• Discover Pass for WA State Parks & DNR lands (Twin Falls, Tiger, many Chuckanut trailheads). Discover Pass
• Northwest Forest Pass for most USFS trailheads (Snow Lake, Franklin Falls, Maple Pass, Yellow Aster Butte). US Forest Service
• National Park entrance fee for Mount Rainier NP (Skyline/Paradise). National Park Service

Conditions & closures:

Always check the official hike page before you go—WTA pages show current conditions, required passes, and alerts (e.g., Naches Peak closure; seasonal road changes at Rainier). 

Go early, go weekday:

Popular lots fill fast (Snow Lake, Twin Falls, Franklin Falls). WTA listings flag crowding patterns and parking details.

Responsible Leaf-Peeping

Stay on trail (especially in alpine meadows), pack out all trash, keep pups leashed where required, and be avalanche-aware if you’re pushing later into shoulder season on higher routes. WTA and NPS pages list seasonal cautions and regulations specific to each area.

Sources & further reading

Trail specs, pass requirements, and notices are from: Washington Trails Association hike pages for each trail (Coal Creek Falls, West Tiger 3, Twin Falls, Franklin Falls, Snow Lake, Mount Si, Skyline Loop, Maple Pass, Yellow Aster Butte, Oyster Dome, Fragrance Lake), plus NPS Mount Rainier pages for Skyline and park entry/timed-entry notes; USFS for Northwest Forest Pass; and WA Discover Pass for state-land parking.