If you’re looking to build a Pacific Northwest hiking bucket list for fall you’re in the right place! In this post we’re sharing 5 colorful fall hikes near Spokane, Washington. 

All of these trails lead to gorgeous alpine lakes with stunning fall colors. The majority are about 2 hours from Spokane, with one trail being a 3.5 hour drive (it’s worth it, I promise!). And I know not everyone will consider 2+ hours to be “near” Spokane, but I truly believe that if you want the best fall colors you need to be willing to drive a bit! Looking for places closer to home? Check out our list of 7 great places to see fall colors in Spokane.

See below for the full list of alpine lake fall hikes near Spokane, as well as some packing tips so you can have a fun and safe adventure.

5 fall hikes near Spokane

Preparing for fall hikes in the Pacific Northwest – a quick safety PSA

Before we dive into 5 bucket list fall hikes near Spokane it’s important to share a quick safety PSA. Fall adventures in the Pacific Northwest can feature rapidly changing weather conditions, so make sure to be prepared on the trail! See below for our hiking essentials checklist.

Hiking essentials checklist

Below are our 6 major hiking essentials, which we almost always have with us on the trail!

1. America the Beautiful Pass. An annual America the Beautiful pass covers your entrance fees at all national parks. It also covers fees at other federally managed public lands, such as forest service and BLM sites. This pass is a great investment for people who love national parks and outdoor recreation!
2. Good hiking boots. Waterproof boots with good traction are essential, and a quality pair can last for years. We highly recommend Lowa’s Renegade hiking boots.
3. Water and a water filter. We love the Katadyn BeFree 1.0 Liter Filter Bottle for water filtration, and usually use a Nalgene water bottle or a HydraPak Water Reservoir for water storage.
4. Sun protection. We recommend the Sahara Sun Hoodie (for women and men), which is a sun shirt that offers UPF 50+ sun protection. For sunscreen we like Dermatone’s sport sunscreen and Skin Protector Balm (for winter).
5. A headlamp. The Black Diamond Storm 400 Rechargeable Headlamp is lightweight, compact, waterproof, and USB rechargeable.
6. A comfortable day pack. We recommend the REI Trail 25 (unisex), the Gregory Juno daypack ​for women, or the Gregory Inertia daypack for men.

Hub Lake and Hazel Lake, Montana

Drive time from Spokane: 2 hours, 15 minutes
Hike length (round trip): 7.2 miles
Hike elevation gain: 2,700 feet

This is one of my all time favorite fall hikes near Spokane. The last time we hiked to Hub Lake and Hazel Lake was in mid-September, and the fall colors had just started. We saw lots of beautiful reds and yellows! This trail takes you to two beautiful lakes and, while the elevation gain is nothing to sneeze at, the ascent through the forest is relatively steady. You can also backpack here, and you’re unlikely to see too many other people on the trail.

Bottleneck Lake and Snow Lake, Northern Idaho

Drive time from Spokane: 2 hours, 15 minutes
Hike length (round trip): 11.4 miles
Hike elevation gain: 2,400 feet

This is another great two-for one alpine lake hike with great fall colors along the trail, and it’s absolutely worth having this spot on your pacific northwest hiking bucket list. If you’re not up for a nearly 11.5 mile hike you can easily split this up and just visit one of the two lakes (the trail is shaped like a Y, with a lake at each “tip” of the Y).

Colchuck Lake, Washington

Drive time from Spokane: 3 hours, 35 minutes
Hike length (round trip): 8.7 miles
Hike elevation gain: 2,300 feet

This is one of Washington’s most famous lakes, and for good reason. It’s gorgeous in every season! It’s also a challenging day hike, which can easily be extended to make it even more epic.

The best thing about doing this hike in fall is the larches, which are a famous deciduous conifer that is known for its stunning yellow color in fall. In 2023 we did this trail in mid-October and saw tons of gorgeous yellow larch trees at peak color! Note that you need to fill out a day hiking permit at the trailhead. Please make sure to leave no trace by packing out EVERYTHING you pack in, including apple cores and orange peels.

Fault Lake, Northern Idaho

Drive time from Spokane: 1 hour, 55 minutes
Hike length (round trip): 12.4 miles
Hike elevation gain: 2,800 feet

We’ve done this hike several times, and it’s been beautiful every time! The trail is relatively boring for the first half of the journey, but as you climb you’ll encounter beautiful views of the mountains and subalpine environment. Depending on the season, you might also find lots of huckleberries. The lake itself is tucked in a beautiful bowl amongst the mountains, and is a sight to behold, especially when the reds and yellows of fall are at their peak. You can also backpack here, and you’ll see yellow larches in the area in fall.

Beehive Lakes, Northern Idaho

Drive time from Spokane: 2 hours, 20 minutes
Hike length (round trip): 6.5 miles
Hike elevation gain: 2,100 feet

Beehive Lakes might be the shortest hike on the list but it’s also the most challenging trail to follow, so you’ll want to bring a navigation tool or app to help you! The lake itself is fairly large, and surrounded by beautiful mountains. If you’re up for an additional challenge you can climb the ridge next to the lake to get a view of a second alpine lake. You can also backpack here/

I hope you enjoyed this roundup of alpine lake hikes near Spokane that you should check out this fall! You can find more Pacific Northwest itineraries, hikes, and trips on our Instagram, @gwynandami. You can also find more PNW travel guides on our blog.