Epic Hikes of Washington State - Green Mountain

Green Mountain

Date Hiked: August 9th, 2025

Trail Hiked: Green Mountain via Gold Creek and Wildcat Trails, Green Mountain Lookout via Gold Creek Trail, Green mountain via Davis and Gold Creek Trail, 

Distance Hiked: 9.87 miles

Elevation Gain: 1414 ft. 

Duration: 3h 26m

Green Mountain is one of those hikes that would be the highlight of an entire region in most states.

But in Washington, it's more of a "hey, it's close!" 

That is not to disparage the hike whatsoever, it was a lot of fun. The gains were intense but not exhausting, the mix of terrain and sights were pretty decent, and coming out to the overlook was pretty sweet once the forest cleared way. But, again, it's Washington, so the best views are of mountain hikes that would probably be significantly more awesome and intense, so it's an odd mix of feeling accomplished and... I don't know... like settling for a somewhat moderate hike when a quest would've been attainable? 

It doesn't make sense, but even in the thumbnail above, I crave the gains and views that would've been better than this one. 

Then I also have to remind myself that hikes like this are necessary to get to hikes like the ones in the distance, and I have to say "shut up with your facts and logic, Brain. I want to do the bigger mountains!" Easier to say a year later with strong mental health and another year's worth of experience, strength, conditioning, and progress, but alas.

The summer of 2025 in Washington had been the exact opposite of the stereotypical expectations. When one pictures Washington state, there's normally a lot of misty rain, fog, and other conditions that implore folx to find those Vitamin D supplements and have them at the ready. Instead, it was unexpectedly dry, sunny, and clear, leading to skylines and horizons such as this one, with infinitely better visibility than, say, my Mt. Walker hike where the view was non-existent. 

Without the gaping void in my soul and the constant pit in my stomach, I think I would've appreciated this one a lot more than I did at the time. Hiking was an escape from a spirit-crushing depression (soon rectified by the correct medication and life alterations), and I don't think I appreciated a hike like this for much more than the squiggly circle on the app and the cumulative stats that followed the conclusion. It makes me want to go back for another chance to appreciate it more, but with the aforementioned experience and conditioning, I simultaneously want to pursue the harder ones I avoided at the time. It's admittedly a privileged position to be in, but those views call to me more than they did at the time, understandably. 

I sound like I'm trashing the hike, and I don't mean to. It's a decent hike with a lovely view, but I remember next to nothing about it, and that's on me, not the hike itself. I was just in such a bad place at the time that even something like "not doing a more difficult hike" felt like a personal failure for which I should've felt guilty. Such a weird thing to say. 

What a difference taking care of one's mental health makes! 

The Great Wander of 2026 - Day 16

 

The Great Wander of 2026

Day 16: June 8th, 2026

States Hiked: Pennsylvania (16 total so far)

Trails Hiked: (redacted) Neighborhood, Mechanicsburg, PA, Middlesex Township Park Trail

Distance Hiked: .6 miles, 2.2 miles

Elevation Gain: 36 ft. elev. gain, 157 ft. elev. gain

Cumulative Wander: 111.2 miles

Duration: 12m, 39m

Day 15

Day 14

Day 13

Day 12

Day 11

Day 10

Day 9

Day 8

Day 7

Day 6, Part 2

Day 6, Part 1

Day 5

Day 4

Day 3

Day 2

Day 1

In the grand scope of things, I'd barely consider this distinctive from a zero day. But, it was more the sentiment of the short hikes than the actual miles gained that meant something to me. 

On the morning of the 8th, my chosen family went for a walk with me in the neighborhood, and that mattered far more to me than when or where we went. For the second time, they were putting up with me twice within a short timeframe of each other (last year), and they never made me feel like an intrusion or a bother. Especially at this point in life, that matters so much more than it ever did before. 

The neighborhood was lovely, being shown around was better, and the company couldn't be beat. 

The second stop was a combination of waiting for my parents to be available, and seeing an area to which I hadn't traveled since I was young enough to be involved there. 

When I was a kid, there were separate baseball fields shortly down the road from each other. There were two on the lower end of the hill. One was for "Pony" leagues, which I think was ages 8-9. It was diagonally opposed by the "Teener" field, which was appropriately named. Because of the limited fields back then, there were sometimes practices in between the outfield fences of the two called the "Tweener Field" because clever. This would no longer be necessary.

Up by the township building, there was the "Major" field, ages 10-12, and when I was at the age for that to be appropriate, it was considered the "nice" option. Nobody wanted the Pony field, as it was down by a bunch of bugs, the infield was of lesser quality, and the Major field just felt like a big deal, being up on the ridge and closer to the road. 

Funnily enough, it's now the worst-looking of the available options a few decades later. Things are always changing. 

But, this park was no longer two fields nearby and one field by the township building. The number of fields has doubled, and I saw softball being played specifically on one of the fields built since then. I saw a splashpad, tennis/pickleball courts, disc golf, and of course, a hiking trail that connects the two parks. None of this infrastructure was there the last time I traveled to this park. 

It's not a particularly difficult hike by any means, nor was I looking for anything but a few miles on the trail, a verified complete badge, and the feeling that I did more than nothing at this point in the Wander. Nearing the end of my time to free roam, I didn't want to miss any opportunity, no matter how minimal. 

I spent this evening (and the two following) with my parents, and I think that's more time I've gotten to be with them since I moved to Minnesota in 2017. A genuine privilege it was, indeed. How fortunate. 

The Great Wander of 2026 - Day 15

 

The Great Wander of 2026

Day 15: June 7th, 2026

States Hiked: Maryland (16 total so far)

Trails Hiked: Annapolis Rock via Appalachian Trail

Distance Hiked: 5.4 miles

Elevation Gain: 837 ft. elev. gain

Cumulative Wander: 108.4 miles

Duration: 1h 51m

Day 14

Day 13

Day 12

Day 11

Day 10

Day 9

Day 8

Day 7

Day 6, Part 2

Day 6, Part 1

Day 5

Day 4

Day 3

Day 2

Day 1

The only reason I stayed at a hotel in West Virginia was proximity to seeing family in Maryland, and as soon as I got the opportunity, I yeeted myself far away from that state where only bad memories and fears remained. I don't know what was going on that weekend, but it was the closest reasonably-priced hotel in my network at a mere 90 minutes away, so I did what I had to. 

On the way to eastern Maryland though, a bridge crossing the 70 labeled Appalachian Trail caught my attention.

Immediately deciding I needed more miles on the AT to prepare for the inevitable thru-hike, my positive energy from Vermonters still brimming with delight, I saw the choices were Annapolis Rock or Washington Monument (would've done both had time permitted). Opting for Annapolis Rock, I broke out my sticks and joyfully approached the AT in a new state for the first time. 

Despite what I write about on here, there are times where I think I'm probably just an average hiker with an abundance of enthusiasm. 

Then, I get on a trail like this on a Sunday when it's swarming with trail tourists, and even when I tried to slow down as to not pass the groups, it was inevitable. I remembered where I was. 

This is not to bitch about people having the right to hike where they want to. Of course they do, and trail tourists are expected, particularly at easy grade rises with splendid views at the top. 

But also, I feel like if you're setting foot on one of the Triple Crown, maybe at least pretend to know trail code and etiquette, maybe? 

"Hey, maybe let's not all walk beside each other and not pay attention to people trying to get around us?" 

"Hey, let's not glare at people for having the nerve to be hiking past us?"

"Hey, let's not toss our trash on the trail?"

None of those ideas should be unreasonable on any trail, let alone the AT. But, I made the mistake of going on a Sunday with beautiful weather, so the joke's really on me for having expectations even remotely divergent from such. This is why I normally try to get on the trail early in the morning, because the tourists often don't get there until noon. I was also spoiled by the folx at Camel's Hump, so it was likely extra annoyance for that reason, which is nobody's fault entirely, but also... Stop being garbage and pick up your garbage, ya tourist fucks. 

Nothing about this hike felt like 837 ft. in elevation gain. The grade was mostly gentle, a lot of it aided by foundational steps, and the terrain was never even slightly terrible. The AT's standards don't allow for it, but I've been disappointed before. 

As for the view, it was a rock, it was apparently named Annapolis, and there were so many people on it that I snuck up for one aerial photograph and immediately departed. 

The Great Wander of 2026 - Day 14

 

The Great Wander of 2026

Day 14: June 6th, 2026

States Hiked: Maryland, West Virginia (16 total so far)

Trails Hiked: Snavely Ford Antietam National Battlefield Trail, Cornfield Trail, IDK around the hotel I guess?

Distance Hiked: 10.4 miles, 1.7 miles

Elevation Gain: 377 ft. elev. gain, 69 ft. elev. gain

Cumulative Wander: 103 miles

Duration: 3h 38m, 33m

Day 13

Day 12

Day 11

Day 10

Day 9

Day 8

Day 7

Day 6, Part 2

Day 6, Part 1

Day 5

Day 4

Day 3

Day 2

Day 1

I am not used to the southern sun anymore.

Yes, I call Maryland "southern." It's south of the Mason-Dixon line, but it's also incredibly far south compared to Minnesota, and though I grew up in Southern Pennsylvania, I've been in Minnesota for a decade now, and it's so much hotter than I remember.

Though I've spent a lot of time at Gettysburg, I'd never made the trek down to Sharpsburg for the Antietam Battlefield. The 20-dollar admission fee was offset in my mind by the extensive trail network that they not only contained, but encouraged one to use. The lovely folx at the front desk even gave me a printed out guide for the occasion. I guess in my hat and pack, I must've been pretty obvious. 

Sharpsburg itself left a lot to be desired, especially with some of the grotesque signs I saw on front lawns (We encourage dehumanizing these people specifically and somehow we're so proud of that we're gonna print it on a sign because we're the good people!), but I wasn't there for the town. 

It was hot, it was insanely busy, and the longest trail in the park (because that's who I am as a person) went from the battlefield itself to some distant creek trail and underpass that seemingly had very little to do with the park or battlefield itself. I picked up some Adventure Labs along the way, but no AL has ever caused me more of a headache than the Antietam Adventure. 

I appreciate the Lab itself for the amount of detail they put into it, as well as having park rangers record videos with explanations to create an immersive experience. On the other side though, trying to figure out how to use that cipher cost me more brain cells than the time I got a concussion doing the dishes (Total concussions - Hiking 0, Doing the Dishes 1, ergo: Doing the Dishes is more dangerous than Hiking, these are my rules, I make them up). 

The site is beautiful, well-traveled, well-maintained, and goes to great lengths to preserve the battlefield itself. It wouldn't be fair to judge it for not having the same aura and awe-factor as Gettysburg, because even for someone who knows more about the Civil War than they appear to (yes, it's a thing, and a delightful subversion of expectations when someone tries to call me on it), Gettysburg National Military Park cannot be matched. 

All the famous places I wanted to visit, I did. Though the huge group on the stone bridge dissuaded me from spending any time there, I still managed the shot above. But, in 90+ degrees and humidity, when the end of the trail was heading uphill, I opted to take the road back to the visitor center. Verified complete though, so I did enough of the percentage at least. 

Then, I also walked around town in Martinsburg, West Virginia. Checked off the state list, and my goodness, it certainly is a place that exists. 

Day 8

Day 7

Day 6, Part 2

Day 6, Part 1

Day 5

Day 4

Day 3

Day 2

Day 1

The Great Wander of 2026 - Day 13

 

The Great Wander of 2026

Day 13: June 5th, 2026

States Hiked: Virginia (14 total so far)

Trails Hiked: Third Winchester Battlefield Red Bud Run Trail, Confederate Flank Trail 

Distance Hiked: 4.8 miles

Elevation Gain: 233 ft. elev. gain

Cumulative Wander: 90.9 miles

Duration: 1h 31m

Day 12

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Day 10

Day 9

Day 8

Day 7

Day 6, Part 2

Day 6, Part 1

Day 5

Day 4

Day 3

Day 2

Day 1

The difficulties of travel nearly led me to taking a zero day for this one. Getting from Mystic to Martinsburg, West Virginia (the location of the only hotel within a reasonable distance of Laurel, Maryland in my network with even a remotely reasonable price) was such an epic disaster of traffic stoppage that I lost count after nine different times (they write as the principal and mother from Ferris Bueller's Day Off repeat "nine times" with varying levels of snark.) 

Weirdly enough, once I actually ate for the first time that day, I had this odd sensation called "energy to human again," and I noticed just how close I was to multiple Civil War battlefields, including Winchester and Antietam. I knew what I'd be doing for two of my state counts! 

Antietam had an admission fee to go along with its surprisingly extended network of hiking trails, and with the hour already entering dusk proximity, I opted to pop down to the Third Winchester Battlefield, as it was the closest. 

Most people who look at me or know me longer than eight seconds are surprised to hear about my interest in the Civil War. It doesn't really make sense to me either, but growing up near Gettysburg gave me an appreciation for studying the time period specifically, but I hadn't gotten much of a chance to see other preserved battlefields for varying reasons. Gettysburg also casts a long shadow in terms of grandeur and commitment to the aforementioned preservation, so I was curious to see what a lesser-known location would be like. 

Third Winchester Battlefield Park felt a lot more rustic and simple than Gettysburg, but that's to be expected on some level. But that's not inherently a bad thing, and in this case, it was combined with a gorgeous sunset over the hills which minimized the godsawful intrusion of ugly industrial buildings along the horizon. 

Although upon first entrance I got a staredown from a couple that implied I'd offended their sensibilities by existing in the same place as they did without asking them first, I slowly settled into a stroll throughout fenceposts and cannons with the unique addition of hiking late in the day as opposed to my norm of the "early to start, early to end" method of avoiding as many trail tourists as possible. 

Once I was alone, following a path with multiple complete ovals that AllTrails somehow managed to make into a single trail (was I supposed to figure-8 it?), I was joined by hundreds of lightning bugs dotting the landscape with yellow beacons I hadn't seen in quite a long time. I forgot how common they were back east, and maybe that Owl City was onto something back in the day.

Thank the gods for headlamps, because I definitely didn't make it back to the trailhead in time, and preserved battlefields are notorious for their lack of artificial light. It almost made the idea of returning to West Virginia slightly less intolerable. 

Emphasis: Almost. 

The Great Wander of 2026 - Day 12

 

The Great Wander of 2026

Day 12: June 4th, 2026

States Hiked: Connecticut, Rhode Island (13 total so far)

Trails Hiked: Stone Bridges Trail, Fort Adams Loop

Distance Hiked: 5.3 miles, 5.8 miles

Elevation Gain: 62 ft. elev. gain, 236 ft. elev. gain

Cumulative Wander: 86.1 miles

Duration: 1h 46m, 1h 46m

Day 11

Day 10

Day 9

Day 8

Day 7

Day 6, Part 2

Day 6, Part 1

Day 5

Day 4

Day 3

Day 2

Day 1

Getting around tolls in New England isn't easy when the alternative is driving down 30mph speed limit roads that even time and space forgot in the dustbin, but alas, what is a wander if not finding strange, unusual, and less-traveled places? 

A pain in the ass, but in this case, at least the hotel was close to something that would allow me to check another state off the list before I traveled to the one I was excited about.

Turns out, even walking under a highway bridge was set to be the pain of the ass variety that day, a fitting omen for what was to come. 

After having to cross the street twice to avoid highway ramps and sidewalk construction, I meandered through the "olde village" of Mystic, which looked pretty neat, truthfully. With more time and less urgency, I might've made some stops along the way. It reminded me of Renfaire but with a latter century twist, and there was also a giant-ass aquarium. Had it not been a perfect weather day in early June, I would've partaken, but the ass-draggingly slow drive through the town later made me glad I didn't opt for that. 

Instead, I crossed the street to a hotel where the trailhead supposedly was, and the difficulty I had finding the access point should've been an omen in and of itself. 

Maybe I'm just a nitpicky trail snob, but I enjoy things like being able to see the trail, not having vines and thorns crossing the trail, and knowing where the hell it's actually going, also with a dash of "that's not a trail, that's a field with no path." 

I also didn't see any stone bridges on the Stone Bridges trail. 

The latter half was somewhat better in terms of being able to walk through it without bushwhacking with a katana, but that's not saying much. 

Heading to Newport while once again trying to avoid tolls added an hour to the commute, and that was before there were multiple accidents getting through Providence. Then I tried parking next to what looked like a bike trail, but the limo drivers and bus presence alerted me that it might not be zoned for my type of activity. 

Once upon a time, I lived in Newport for a hot minute, and I thought it'd be cool to return 20 years later and check out what I couldn't appreciate at the time. I now understand why Dad wouldn't drive except to work in Fall River, because I could've walked through town faster than I drove. I eventually found free parking next to the shore, but saw no trail or even a sidewalk. This led to traversing the road to Fort Adams on very narrow roads, and by the time I looped around said fort while unsuccessfully finding a loo, I gave up on eating in town as well as trying to find the statue of my famous ancestor in the square.

This day was made of nope. 

The Great Wander of 2026 - Day 11

The Great Wander of 2026

Day 11: June 3rd, 2026

States Hiked: Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts (11 total so far)

Trails Hiked: Two Lights State Park, Methuen Trail

Distance Hiked: 2.2 miles, 4.4 miles

Elevation Gain: 161 ft. elev. gain, 49 ft. elev. gain

Cumulative Wander: 75 miles

Duration: 48m, 1h 22m

Day 10

Day 9

Day 8

Day 7

Day 6, Part 2

Day 6, Part 1

Day 5

Day 4

Day 3

Day 2

Day 1

In retrospect, doing Vermont and Maine this early in the Wander was a mistake. 

I've probably said that already, but I wrote those other posts, like, days ago. And when someone quotes something I said back at me, I'm always like, "who said that? Where'd you get that from?" By then, I've hiked another seventeen trails already and forgotten where I was.

Other states just gotta suffer in the ratings as a consequence. I'm sure they're devastated that some meandering queer that made a ranking system of the Sparks they stayed in didn't regard their states as highly as others. A wanderloon's gotta dream...

Two Lights State Park, once again reminding me that Maine is wonderful but Minnesota trounces it in the State Parks department (if only I'd made a ranking system of those...), was perfectly adequate for a park equal to the size of a welcome center in one of ours. The ninth and penultimate Maine lighthouse on the tour gave as much room for hiking as it did idling in the parking lot and contemplating the difference between "sand roads" and "subtle vengeance on my ex that referred to my lifestyle as 'homeless lite' but that's not important right now." 

The lighthouse itself was separated from the hiking trail (all mile of it!), and like many New England hikes, I wandered up a narrow road and found out just how committed to "leave no trace" I was when another oversized SUV piloted by a texting driver came around a curve. 

Two Lights ended up being the last lighthouse at which I physically walked, because when I got to the town of the Nubble and saw that the population looked like Gooseberry Falls if July 4th fell on a Saturday and the weather was perfect, I opted to nope the fuck outta there and retain some semblance of my ability to Human. 

Then I dealt with the 495 on my way to Connecticut and realized my inner Sartre would never fully be silenced. 

But hey, there was a GeoArt stop on the 93, and it was only a six-mile divergence, so that's almost like hiking, right? 

After pacing at the rest stop while people sat in their camping chairs in a parking lot but looked at me like I was the weird one, I realized that this wouldn't count for Massachusetts because arbitrary colonial technicalities. The closest town in Massachusetts was Methuen, and there was a four-mile out-and-back rail trail. Perfect.

I swear, everyone on that trail looked at me like I offended their existence by daring to walk there while breathing. I've officially lived in Minnesota too long. It used to be "gods, everyone is so nice out here in Minnesota." Now it's "holy shit, everyone out here's such a dick!" It took a decade, but Minnesota Nice has become my new normal, whereas the angry collective yelling of the East Coast is now the new weird.

I'll turn in my "East Coast Gives No Fucks" card momentarily.