This Orcas Island Hike Is the Perfect Alternative to Olympic’s Popular Marymere Falls Trail

North Cascades National Park, Mount Rainier National Park, Olympic National Park, the San Juan Islands, and much more... without a doubt, the Evergreen State is home to truly incredible scenery. I think it's some of the most beautiful in the world, and there are plenty of wonderful trails to experience it. The one downside to being blessed with so much natural beauty is that it does tend to attract a crowd.

Fortunately, if you prefer a little more solitude—or, at least, fewer fellow trekkers—when you hike, there are still plenty of places in Washington where you can find it. For example, you may find far fewer hikers, but similar natural beauty, on a trail in a remote state park, like the Cascade Lake Trail, than on a more popular national park hike, like the Marymere Falls Trail.

Marymere Falls Trail, Olympic National Park

• Distance:  1.8 miles, out and back
• AllTrails Rating: Easy
• Suitable For: Visitors who want a quick taste of Olympic National Park; day visitors; casual hikers; waterfall enthusiasts; families with smaller children
• Best Time of Year to Hike: May through September

As Washington's most visited national park, Olympic welcomes more than 3 million people every year to its otherworldly peninsula. Stunning coastline, soaring mountain peaks, pristine lakes, and dense, old-growth forest are the main attractions. At more than 920,000 acres, this sprawling park is one of the largest in the lower 48, but most of the landscape here is backcountry wilderness.

If, however, you're looking for an Olympic experience without a backcountry permit or just a taste of what the park has to offer, you can find it along one of the front country trails in the park, like the quick and easy hike to Marymere Falls.

You'll find the Marymere Falls trailhead at the seasonally staffed Storm King Ranger Station, which is located off U.S. Route 101 on Crescent Lake. The hike to Marymere Falls is only 1.8 miles, out and back, i.e., less than a mile each way, along a mostly broad, level trail. The trail passes through a tunnel beneath the highway and into the old-growth foothills of Mount Storm King. As you follow Barnes Creek through the woods, you'll encounter a couple of switchbacks and some stairs, but don't worry: The total elevation gain for this hike is a reasonable 318 feet—and the payoff, a view of beautiful Marymere Falls is totally worth hiking the short distance you'll cover.

The hike to Marymere Falls is popular, so you're likely to encounter other hikers along the way, especially if you visit between May and September. The hike is located in a fee area, so you'll need to pay an entrance fee before parking or display your America the Beautiful Pass. You'll also have to leave your pup at home, as dogs aren't allowed on this trail. On my most recent trip to the park, I didn't have cell service in the Storm King area, so I was quite glad to have downloaded the trail maps on AllTrails+.

Cascade Lake Trail, Moran State Park

• Distance:  2.6 miles, loop
• AllTrails Rating: Moderately challenging
• Suitable For: Orcas Island visitors who want a taste of the island's inland beauty; state park visitors
• Best Time of Year to Hike: May through September

If you'd like to experience a similar landscape but eschew the crowds of Olympic National Park, head to Moran State Park on Orcas Island. Only 60 miles of Salish Sea separate Olympic and Moran, but the latter is a world unto itself. Reachable only by ferry from Anacortes, Washington, plane, or private boat, Orcas is the largest of the San Juan Islands.

Moran State Park, like Olympic, is characterized by mountains, rugged sea coast, and old-growth forest. In fact, Mount Constitution, which lies within the park, is one of the tallest mountains on an ocean island in the lower 48. Nevertheless, Moran State Park only sees about a quarter of the annual visitors that the national park does.

For an Olympic-esque feel at Moran State Park, head out on the Cascade Lake Trail. The beautiful lake evokes the stark serenity of Olympic's Crescent Lake, with a similar mountainous shoreline covered with old-growth forest. The hike around Cascade Lake is a 2.6-mile loop, so it's a little longer than the path to Marymere Falls, and its occasional ruggedness makes it a bit more challenging. Even so, this trail is a real beaut that offers incredible vistas throughout the route, and you should absolutely include it in your Evergreen State hiking plans.

To enter the park, you'll need a Washington State Parks Discover Pass or a daily permit, which you can purchase from one of the automated stations at Moran. Feel free to bring your dog on the Cascade Lake Trail, as long as you keep your pup leashed. Cell coverage is spotty on this trail, as well, so you'll want to download your trail maps on AllTrails+ ahead of time.

While the Cascade Lake Trail offers a less-crowded alternative to the Marymere Falls hike, I think you'd be remiss if you didn't add both to your hiking bucket list. To learn more about the trails, read recent reviews describing the hikes and trail conditions, or to see super-cool, 3D previews, visit AllTrails. The site's 75 million-strong user base practically ensures the most up-to-date, accurate, boots-on-the-ground information about conditions. I've had my subscription for several years, and I don't hit the trail without AllTrails+—neither should you.