A trail guide for history buffs—and a history book for hikers

For thousands of years people have traveled across Washington’s spectacular terrain, establishing footpaths and roads to reach hunting grounds and coal mines high in the mountains, fishing sites and trade emporiums on the rivers, forests of old growth, and homesteads and towns on prairies. These traditional routes have been preserved in national parks, restored by cities and towns, salvaged from old railroad tracks, and opened to hikers by Indigenous communities.

In this new, full-color edition of the first-ever hiking guide to the state’s historic trails, historian and hiker Judy Bentley teams up with veteran guidebook author Craig Romano to lead adventurers of all abilities along trails on the coast, over mountains, through national forests, across plateaus, and on the banks of the Columbia River. Features include:

• 44 hikes, including 12 new additions

• Full-color trail maps

• A trails timeline that connects hikes to key events

• Updated trail descriptions

• Accounts from diaries, journals, and archives

• Historical overviews of 8 regions of the state

• Contemporary and historical photographs

Bentley and Romano offer an essential boots-on-the ground history of some of the state’s most fascinating places.

"As a well-researched guide, this book will delight historians, students, and hikers alike... Bentley and Romano provide enough enticement and historical context to encourage hikers to explore Washington's trails and be stewards of the land and its history."

"With this guide, it’s possible to walk back through time — thousands of years — and behold a view from above it all."

"Offers boatloads of fascinating history to be found along Washington’s hiking trails. . . . Bentley’s book makes an invaluable resource as well as a fun read."

"Over more than 30 years devoted to exploring, hiking, documenting and publishing throughout the Northwest, Craig Romano . . . has become perhaps the top expert on Washington trails."