Underrated Trails in Kitsap That Deserve More Love
Everyone talks about the same five trails in Kitsap. Green Mountain, Guillemot Cove, Point No Point, Port Gamble, Grand Forest. They’re popular for good reasons—they’re all great. But they’re also crowded on weekends, and parking can be a nightmare, and sometimes you just want to hike somewhere that isn’t Instagram-famous.
I’ve spent the last few years actively seeking out the trails that don’t show up in every “Best Hikes in Kitsap” list (including my own list, which admittedly focuses on the classics). These are the spots that locals know but visitors miss. The parking lots that are never full. The trails where you can hike for an hour and not see another person.
Some of these are genuinely hidden gems. A few are just… fine. But they all have something going for them that the popular trails don’t: space to breathe.
Newberry Hill Heritage Park
This one genuinely baffles me. It’s a 1,100-acre park with miles of trails, easy access from Silverdale, and decent facilities. And yet I rarely see more than a handful of people here even on nice weekends. Meanwhile, the parking lot at Green Mountain is overflowing.
The trails are a mix of old logging roads and singletrack, winding through second-growth forest. Nothing spectacular—no summit views, no beach access—but solidly pleasant hiking with more solitude than you’d expect given the size of the park. The equestrian trails are wide and well-maintained. The hiking-only trails are a bit rougher but totally fine.
My favorite loop here is about 4 miles, combining the Ridge Trail with sections of the Log Cabin Road trail. Moderate elevation change, interesting forest, and I’ve never had to wait for anyone on the trail.
Why it’s underrated: No signature attraction. Green Mountain has summit views, Guillemot has the beach and stump house, Port Gamble has history. Newberry Hill is just… nice forest trails. Which is exactly what I want sometimes.
Foulweather Bluff Preserve
Way up at the northern tip of the Kitsap Peninsula, Foulweather Bluff is a Nature Conservancy property that most people have never heard of. The trails are short—maybe 2 miles total—but the setting is unique. Rocky beach, views across to Whidbey Island, and this incredible old-growth forest with some seriously massive cedars.
Getting here requires commitment. It’s a 30-minute drive from Poulsbo on increasingly rural roads, and the parking area is small and easy to miss. The trail down to the beach involves some steep sections with wooden stairs in various states of repair.
But the payoff is worth it. I’ve been here maybe eight times and never encountered more than two other groups. The beach feels genuinely remote even though you’re technically still in Greater Seattle-ish. And the old-growth cedars in the upland section are some of the biggest I’ve seen in Kitsap. I wrote about old-growth forests in another post—Foulweather has some of that energy.
Why it’s underrated: Hard to get to, short trails, not much signage. But that remoteness is the point.
Anderson Landing Preserve
Another one that feels like a secret. This preserve in South Kitsap has trails through a mix of forest and wetlands, with boardwalks over some marshy sections and a nice loop through mature second-growth.
The trails here total maybe 3-4 miles depending on how you connect them. Not a destination hike, but a solid weekday afternoon option if you’re in the area. The bird watching is surprisingly good—I’ve seen pileated woodpeckers, various hawks, and a ton of waterfowl in the wetland sections.
The parking lot is on Anderson Hill Road and easy to miss if you’re not looking for it. No bathrooms, no facilities to speak of. Just trails and forest.
Why it’s underrated: Small, no dramatic features, minimal signage pointing you there. But peaceful and never crowded.
Banner Forest Heritage Park
This is a big working forest in South Kitsap with an extensive trail system, and it’s almost always empty. The catch: navigation is confusing, the trails are marked inconsistently, and you need to download a map ahead of time or you will get lost. I’m speaking from experience here. I’ve gotten lost at Banner more than once.
But if you can handle the navigation challenge, there are miles of trails through nice forest with almost no one else around. The mountain bikers use some sections, but there’s plenty of space. You can easily put together a 6-8 mile loop if you want a longer day.
Why it’s underrated: Navigation issues keep casual visitors away. Also the name is boring and there’s no “thing” that would make you want to go here specifically. It’s just… forest trails. A lot of them.
Kitsap Memorial State Park
People know this as a camping spot on Hood Canal, but the trail system is better than you’d expect. Short loops through forest with glimpses of the water, plus beach access. The whole thing is maybe 3 miles of trails, but it’s well-maintained and pleasant.
I’ve used this as a lunch-break hike when I’m in the area. Nothing epic, but the combination of forest and shoreline is nice, and it’s never crowded outside of summer camping season.
Why it’s underrated: Overshadowed by more famous spots on Hood Canal. People think of it as a campground rather than a hiking destination.
Hansville Greenway
A network of trails in the Hansville area that connects various neighborhoods and preserves. Not a single cohesive park, but rather a bunch of connected paths that you can string together into longer routes.
The trails are mostly flat and well-maintained, passing through second-growth forest. Nothing dramatic, but good for a long walk without major elevation. I’ve done 5+ mile loops here by connecting different sections.
This works well as an add-on if you’re already going to Point No Point. Do the lighthouse and beach, then explore some of the greenway trails to extend your day.
Why it’s underrated: Confusing layout, no central trailhead, feels more like a neighborhood path system than a “hike.” But there’s more distance here than you’d think.
Scenic Beach State Park (Beyond the Beach)
Most people come here for the beach and waterfront, which is fair—it’s beautiful. But the trail system in the forested sections is underused and surprisingly nice. There’s a loop through old-growth cedars that most visitors never see because they go straight to the water.
The park is relatively small, but you can combine the forest trails with the beach walk for a varied experience. I’ve done this as a combo trip: hike the forest section first, then finish with the beach for lunch.
Why it’s underrated: People focus on the beach and ignore the forest. Which is fine by me—means the trails are empty.
Hood Canal Wetlands
This is technically a series of small preserves along the Hood Canal shore rather than one park. But there are several spots with short trails through salt marshes and tidelands that almost no one visits.
The birding here is exceptional. Herons, eagles, various shorebirds depending on season. The trails are often muddy and poorly marked, which keeps casual visitors away. But if you’re into wetland ecosystems, these spots are worth finding.
I’m being deliberately vague about exact locations because some of these are genuinely fragile ecosystems. But a little research will point you to trailheads. The Washington Trails Association has info on several of them.
Why I Keep Coming Back
The famous trails are famous for good reason. If you’re visiting Kitsap for the first time, do Green Mountain and Guillemot Cove and Point No Point. They’re great.
But if you live here and you’re tired of the same routes, or if you just want to hike without feeling like you’re in a parade—these spots exist. They’re not going to blow your mind with spectacular views. What they offer is something subtler: quiet, space, the chance to actually be alone in the woods.
I’ve come to value that more as the popular trails have gotten more crowded. Sometimes the best hike is the one where nothing remarkable happens except you walked through a forest and didn’t see anyone else for an hour. That’s its own kind of magic.
This connects to what I wrote about in how I choose trails—my criteria have shifted over the years. I used to optimize for scenic payoff. Now I often optimize for solitude. These trails deliver on that, even if they won’t make your Instagram pop.
— Rob Kinsley
