Sometimes, you find a hike so beautiful, it makes you cry. That’s what Buck Creek Falls, located near White Salmon in Washington, did to me. Even better, I was the only one on the trail the day that I went. Of all the Washington hikes I’ve done, this one has been my favorite. I hiked the Buck Creek Falls Trail in the spring, the best time, as there were beautiful wildflowers blooming and a good amount of water flowing from the falls.

I hiked the longer six-mile hike from Buck Creek Trailhead #1 which gave me the advantage of seeing Mt. Hood from the start of the hike, and going through a glorious Douglas fir forest.

However, if I hiked the trail again, I would go from the Lower Buck Creek Trailhead as the road to get to the trailhead was horrendously rough, and I didn’t know if my Miata was going to make it. Also, the alternate trailhead cuts the hike down to four miles, which is more my style.

The way the light glowed through the trees was beautiful and the forest hike was almost as pretty as seeing the waterfall itself.

Make sure to get a Discovery Pass before you go, as you can get a ticket for not displaying it. The penalty for not having one is $99, so it’s definitely worth spending the $10 to buy one before you set out on your hike.

Next time, I’ll also take a picnic to enjoy around the falls as there were plenty of comfortable areas for sitting, and I really didn’t want to take my eyes off of the beautiful water.

For a great stop after your hike, head to Double Mountain Brewery in Hood River, for one of their incredible pizzas! It’s well deserved.

Where are your favorite Washington hikes? Let me know in the comments below!