From Digital Archives: Classic photos of Washington trails

August 16, 2013

(Photos courtesy of Washington State Digital Archives)

Over the years, thousands of intrepid day-hikers, backpackers and horseback riders have headed outdoors to traverse Washington’s many miles of trails. The state's vast system of trails can take you through lush forests, past towering waterfalls and rushing rivers, and over mountainous terrain that offers jaw-dropping views. Our Digital Archives has dozens of classic (and mostly black-and-white) photos highlighting trails in the Evergreen State. Three of them are in this blog post. The top shot, from 1955, shows a woman, boy and girl on a trail, with Mount Baker in the distance.

Trail near Mt. Rainier with horse riders

The middle photo, taken around 1950, features a man, two women and two horses on a rocky trail looking west in the afternoon sun as majestic Mount Rainier looms to the north. Both photos are from the General Subjects Photograph Collection, 1845-2005. Nearly 2,000 images of subjects related to Washington’s history, people, politics, agriculture, towns, logging, industry and buildings are found here. The bottom photo, snapped in 1934, displays a forest trail that runs through Deception Pass State Park. The trail was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The photo is found in the State Parks and Recreation Commission, Photographs of Park Development, 1933-1938. This collection of approximately 2,000 negatives shows work conducted on our state parks by CCC workers during that period. Images include construction of picnic areas, campgrounds, kitchen shelters, bathrooms, caretakers’ homes, trails, and bridges, as well as CCC activities, camps, and daily life. If you want a free copy of any of the Digital Archives photos, just click on the photo link and once the photo appears, right click it so you can save, copy, e-mail or use the image as a desktop background.

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